High strength steels strengthen the concrete industry
Lighter, tougher and safer on the road. By using advanced high strength steels, the Spanish company Baryval-Serviplem S.A. has developed a new semi-trailer with a concrete mixer, which has 20 per cent higher load-carrying capacity.
Baryval-Serviplem S.A. has put to use the potential of advanced high strength steel in an innovative way to produce a semi-trailer that delivers a number of benefits. It combines higher load-carrying capacity with better performance on the road and higher resistance to wear. This results in more profitable transport, reduced number of trips and lower emissions.
Effective design
The mixer drum and the semi-trailer are both made of advanced high strength steels. Baryval-Serviplem has also developed a new design that effectively puts to use the benefits of these steels. The designers at Baryval have used the strong steel to cut down the material thickness in order to reduce weight, but without sacrificing strength. In addition to making parts thinner and therefore lighter without sacrificing strength, the designers have been able to produce a new design. A broadened and customized chassis allows for a larger mixer drum, which has also been made lighter and more durable, with increased load-carrying capacity. Baryval-Serviplem has also lowered the centre of gravity of the semi-trailer and widened the wheelbase. This results in considerably improved load-carrying capacity and behaviour on the road.
“Improved safety on the road together with higher payload capacity were our main objectives for the new semi-trailer,” says Baryval-Serviplem Technical Manager Manual Isasa. “We are very pleased with the results and are satisfied that we can offer a product that provides both customer benefits and environmental improvements.”
Good wear resistance
In parallel with the efforts to achieve a functional design, it was also important for the semi-trailer to be produced without major changes in the production system and at reasonable cost.
“Our production system has been adapted smoothly,” says Manuel Isasa. “We have been producing the new semi-trailers for over one year now without any problems, and the market demand is keen.”
The mixer drum is made of an abrasion-resistant steel that combines high strength with good resistance to wear. The thickness of the material has been reduced from 4 to 3 millimetres, which has resulted in a weight reduction of 570 kg.
“The mixer drum, and especially the blades fitted on the inside, are subjected to tremendous wear," says Manuel Isasa. “Improved wear resistance is obviously a valuable improvement for our customers, since it saves money on maintenance, while avoiding work stoppages.”
Load-carrying capacity two tonnes higher
Baryval-Serviplem uses a hot-rolled advanced high strength steel with a minimum yield strength of 700 MPa for the chassis. The thickness of the chassis material varies between 4 and 8 millimetres. The new chassis is 25 per cent or 620 kg lighter. The total reduction of the semi-trailer and drum weight is 1700 kg, which enables the rig to carry an additional two tonnes of concrete.
“This semi-trailer provides better transport economy and safety on the road, while reducing the impact on the environment. These arguments are simple and clear for customers to understand,” says Manuel Isasa. “Using high strength steels has been a success for us, and we will definitely continue to use this material when developing new products.”
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Caption:
The concrete mixer truck developed by the Spanish Baryval-Serviplem S.A. is made of advanced high strength steel and can handle a 20 per cent higher load than its predecessor.
Text and digital picture available at www.ssabtunnplat.com.