What exactly is ‘good design’? To many people, this primarily means an aesthetically pleasing product design. The iF DESIGN AWARD 2019, on the other hand, illustrates that good design is above all a matter of purpose and concept – and recognised the international mobility and system partner BPW for a product that consumers will probably never see
Soft, loose and wet ground and slopes quickly push even hauled construction vehicles to their limits. With a hydraulic drive axle from BPW, drawbar trailers are now digging their own way out of the sludge: originally developed for agricultural use, the award-winning "AGRO Drive" system is also taking construction sites by storm.
BPW now makes it possible to determine the weight of the load using a new type of sensor that via a hub wirelessly transmits its data from the drawbar trailer axle directly to end devices and via an ISO bus interface also to the driver's cab. This allows drivers and transport companies to gain full transparency over mileage and transported quantities – and can also bill by weight.
When vehicles drive with too little air pressure in the tyres, it not only requires more fuel but it also affects safety: in the most critical cases, the material may get so hot that it catches fire. This was a deciding factor for Obermann Speditions-GmbH, a haulier based in Lower Saxony, in opting for telematics solutions from the BPW subsidiary, idem telematics.
Transporting and delivering asphalt is a delicate business: the mix, which is at a temperature of around 180 degrees, is susceptible to wind; too much oxygen and temperature losses can ruin its quality while on the road. At the Bauma trade fair, BPW will present an intelligent sensor system for dumper trucks that replaces the current method of measuring temperature which is prone to errors.
The next generation of Europe’s top-selling trailer disc brake is in the starting blocks – but it doesn't come alone: BPW is also supplying a completely redeveloped sensor which is the first to continuously measure brake lining wear and thus enable visits to the garage to be timed perfectly. The system requires no maintenance and can be retrofitted for all BPW trailer disc brakes.
Whether it's ready-mix concrete, sand or asphalt at 180 degrees Celsius, in the construction industry, trailers usually transport extreme payloads – the demands on braking performance are correspondingly high. BPW, Europe's largest trailer brake manufacturer, introduces the "ECO Disc TS2" – based on a successful concept that has been tried and tested more than two million times.
With a platform for running gears that has been thoroughly redesigned, BPW now covers both on-road and off-road applications. This means that running gear can be configured for trailers that can be used just as easily and efficiently on the road as on the construction site. The highlight is a "digital DNA" that accompanies the vehicle throughout its life with intelligent services.
Large manoeuvring areas for deliveries are a luxury that construction site logistics specialists can only dream of. On inner-city construction sites, things are especially tight – and not only with regard to space, but also in terms of timing. Drawbar trailers can now manoeuvre faster and more safely with an innovative auxiliary steering system from BPW.
The French rental company Fraikin uses the entire idem telematics product range in Germany to fully and completely monitor its vehicles. As a result, different telematics boxes are fitted in all of the supplier’s towing units and semi-trailers. Fraikin uses the system for the preventive control of tractor units and superstructures to avoid unusual wear and damage.
25 per cent more traction for the trailer on wet and difficult ground conditions and higher loads with smaller towing vehicles: these system benefits provided by the ‘AGRO Drive’ hydraulic drive axle have given BPW a bestseller among farmers and contractors. As a result, the drive axle has now won the most important public choice award in the agricultural industry.
Improperly secured cargo is frequently the cause of wobbling and tipping lorries on the road – and accidents and cargo damage cost transport companies millions every year. In future, an innovative, intelligent cargo securing system from BPW will prevent this from happening. Yet the development methodology used is also a remarkable aspect of this innovation.
