SEPTEMBER|2020
IN THIS ISSUE Optimising transmission service intervals Making trucks more sustainable
REALITY CHECK HOW AUGMENTED REALITY IS CHANGING THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WORKSHOP 2 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SUSTAINED GAINS
s tackling the effects of climate change becomes more of a priority for A governments across the world, the pressure on commercial vehicle manufacturers to come up with more ways to decrease their impact on the environment has increased. Of course, they have risen to the challenge and trucks of all sizes are cleaner in terms of emissions now than they have ever been. But EDITORIAL & DESIGN the drive for trucks to be cleaner and more sustainable is set to continue in the years to Immediate Network Ltd come – think of the planned clean air zones Ferneberga House, Alexandra Rd, – and manufacturers are increasingly looking at more than just what comes out of Farnborough GU14 6DQ the tailpipe in terms of saving on CO2 and other emissions. w: inl.co.uk While the power source for commercial vehicles tends to get the most headlines with various ones including electric, hydrogen, gas and even diesel (or variants on EDITOR it) being touted as the zero or low emission power of the future, there are plenty Dan Parton of other ways of making commercial vehicles more sustainable and less polluting t: 07941 979 845 through their life cycle. e: [email protected] Manufacturers such as Swedish start-up Volta Trucks are in the vanguard of this. For example, the company is developing parts that are close to carbon neutral over ADVERTISING their lifecycle, as well as being lighter than tradition parts. The company has done this by taking technology used in motor racing and applying it to the building of Matthew Lodey panels for their first model, the Volta Zero, which is launched next month. Head of Sales e: [email protected] Meanwhile others are making their trucks more sustainable by using solar technology to help charge batteries and save on fuel and CO2. You can read more SUBSCRIPTIONS about this on p18.
But there are other relatively easy ways that operators can save on fuel and CO2 Stuart Masson emissions of trucks already on the road – and without having to spent copious Editorial Director amounts of cash. For example, waste management firm Biffa is on target to save t: 07543 300 719 £200,000 this year, just by adjusting its transmission service intervals. Read more e: [email protected] of that on p30. PUBLISHED BY There are plenty of ways like this that operators can make trucks on the road more efficient, and these, along with more fundamental changes will be necessary Immediate Network Ltd as governments around the world get to grips with climate change and how to
address it and reduce CO2. Commercial vehicle manufacturers and operators can be leaders in this and show how vans, trucks and buses can be made in a more sustainable way without compromising on safety, strength longevity or, most importantly, range.
THE TRUCK EXPERT THE VAN EXPERT THE CAR EXPERT
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 3 CONTENTS
6>> POINTS OF VIEW Teletrac Navman’s Scott Hutchins on the importance of demonstrating the tangible impact of adopting new technology; Pailton Engineering’s Roger Brereton talks about why electric and hydrogen both have a future role in filling our transport needs.
8>> NEWS StreetDrone secures funding for 5G autonomous vehicle project; RVS signs deal to repower refuse vehicles; transport operators use Covid-19 break to rethink operations; ADL offers new range to protect buses from Covid-19; HGV registrations plummet in second quarter.
12>> FLEET NEWS New vans for Spartan Motor Factors; first new DAF tridem on the road; Openreach invests big in electric vans; Abacus talks delivery of first new MAN TGX in the UK; Carrier Transicold launches new refrigeration units.
18
4 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER CONTENTS
14>> A NEW REALITY Augmented reality is an emerging technology that could improve efficiency and reduce downtime.
18>> SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT Sustainability is at the forefront of manufacturers’ and operators’ thinking alike, but it is about more than tailpipe emissions.
24>> SAFE SPACE Health and safety should be a top priority for everyone if dangers are to be mitigated.
30>> A WEIGHTY MATTER Adjusting transmission service intervals could save fleets 14 thousands of pounds every year.
24
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 5 POINTS OF VIEW
WHY METRICS MATTER
With digital transformation taking hold in the transport and logistics sector, Teletrac Navman’s Scott Hutchins discusses the importance of demonstrating the tangible business impact of adopting new technology.
he uptake of digital fleet software is on the rise, helping operators maximise efficiency, compliance and safety, as Twell as remove cumbersome manual processes. In times of uncertainty, when fleets are under pressure to show continuous improvement regarding cost effectiveness, it becomes especially critical that results can be measured, and the investment validated. Whether a fleet is embarking on its first form of digital transformation or continuing with its journey by accelerating its digital capabilities, being able to calculate return on investment (ROI) is critical in being able to secure the financial outlay required. Indeed, many operators are interested in taking their telematics and tracking capabilities to the next level but can face opposition So, the question remains: how do of a year it will total a certain amount in the boardroom. you measure the ROI of digital of speeding incidents. Moreover, if just While technology investments are transformation? 0.10% of those speeding incidents are undoubtedly on the rise, so is the It could be suggested that customisation caught, at an approximate rate of £100 expectation from the C-suite that those is what makes it most effective. It is fine per incident, then that amounts to a investments will drive greater business important to take time to define your significant cost to the business per year. value. Even though adopting advanced principal motivation for going digital, Combined with other data such as the fleet management solutions can or for improving the systems already in annual accident rate and their transform a fleet’s operations tenfold – place. Then work with your telematics respective costs, as well as the projected with safety, environmental, operational, provider to firstly build a solution that impacted on insurance premiums, and compliance gains to be made – the aligns with your business objectives, to fleets can easily identify opportunities key decision makers will ultimately be maximise ROI, and secondly to make sure to leverage technology in order to looking at the potential cost savings or you have the right metrics and reporting improve performance and reduce efficiencies that can help grow the bottom methods in place to evaluate success. running costs. line. While benefits such as reducing fuel Better yet, involve the teams from the Knowing these costs, benefits, and the usage may be easy to quantify, others, platforms you want to work with early in proven return on investment upfront will such as the improvement in duty of care the process, to build a reporting baseline give operators the confidence to invest to drivers, are harder to put a figure to. and track ROI from day one – measuring in their digital transformation, and as a Having proof points and concrete long-term outcomes is key in seeing the result develop and adapt to make their examples of how it can benefit the value of your investment over time and in fleets more efficient, compliant and most business is a great way to lay the securing future investment. importantly safe. groundwork around the value new There are tools that make it possible to systems can add and encourage show, for example, that if the entire fleet Scott Hutchins is Teletrac Navman’s stakeholders to embrace the change. speeds at the same rate over the course UK vice president of sales
6 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER POINTS OF VIEW
POWER STRUGGLE
Hydrogen or electric vehicles? The answer is probably both should fit together in our greener future. Roger Brereton from Pailton Engineering explains why hydrogen and electric vehicles have a role to play in our future transportation needs.
ydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles could constitute up to 20% of H the world’s vehicle fleet by 2050, according to the Hydrogen Council. This estimate rests on the assumption that hydrogen will play a wider role in our energy needs and be particularly suited for powering vehicles with heavy payloads and longer ranges. Battery powered electric vehicles (BEVs) are gradually displacing the internal combustion engine in the move toward greener forms of transportation. An alternative to the BEV is the hydrogen large enough scale yet. However, a recent alternative, then the fact that hydrogen vehicle, or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). report from Ballard and Deloitte China powered buses take so much less time to Both vehicles are propelled by electric concluded that FCEVs will be cheaper to charge is an obvious selling point. motors, but where the BEV is powered by run than BEVs within a decade. By asking which of these two a lithium ion battery, the FCEV uses a fuel The FCEV boasts great benefits in those technologies is superior, we risk falling cell to convert hydrogen into electricity. areas where BEVs typically struggle. into the trap of always seeing them in It is common to see the two technologies A major drawback of the BEV is range competition. That need not be the case. pitted against one another as alternatives. anxiety — fears the vehicle won’t travel The answer will depend on which sector The major point of contention is whether far enough on a single charge. Because we are talking about and the specific hydrogen is as green as its supporters the energy in a fuel cell is much more needs of any given vehicle manufacturer. like to argue. While hydrogen vehicles densely packed, these vehicles can offer If there was room for petrol and diesel, emit no emissions, the process by which much better ranges without the need to then why not electric and hydrogen? it is extracted and compressed into fuel constantly recharge. It is impossible to predict precisely tanks results in greater efficiency losses. FCEVs also offers far superior charging what percentage of our transportation Volkswagen has been quite public in times. A major drawback for BEVs is the fleet will be accounted for by hydrogen asserting that the BEV is the clear winner excessive charging time, with vehicles vehicles by 2050. In the medium term, because of this. often taking hours to fully charge despite BEVs are likely to maintain their lead However, other manufacturers, shorter ranges. In contrast, a hydrogen over their hydrogen equivalents in the notably Toyota, Honda and Hyundai, are vehicle can be fuelled in roughly the automobile market. In other sectors, prioritising FCEVs. Those manufacturers same time it would take to add fuel to a however, the picture is quite different. investing in this technology are betting traditional diesel or petrol vehicle. Both technologies are good bets. For that hydrogen will play a much bigger If you have a fleet of HGVs travelling manufacturers of buses, trucks and role in our energy needs in general in the long distances, then the benefits of commercial vehicles, it will be important decades to come. There are also greener longer ranges are more apparent. To to recognise that batteries and hydrogen methods of extraction being developed, help alleviate range anxiety of these large fuel cells will probably play an important such as obtaining hydrogen from biomass. vehicles, light weighting is a big trend in part in our greener future. Another key area of comparison is cost. zero emission vehicle manufacturing, as Here, the BEV appears to have the upper less weight requires less energy to haul it. Roger Brereton is head of sales hand for now. That is partly because Similarly, if you are aiming to replace a at steering systems specialist FCEVs are not being manufactured on a fleet of diesel-powered buses with a green Pailton Engineering
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 7 NEWS
TECH COMPANY SECURES FUNDING FOR 5G AUTONOMOUS TRUCK PROJECT
utonomous technology company StreetDrone has secured government funding as part A of a consortium tasked with delivering an autonomous logistics capability to Nissan’s Sunderland car plant. The grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be used to develop 5G connected and self- driving 40-tonne trucks capable of moving parts and assemblies between Nissan’s Sunderland manufacturing plant and local businesses contributing to the car maker’s just-in-time supply chain. The proof-of-concept project will assess how 5G connected and autonomous logistics operations can drive more efficiency into industrial supply chain operations. The project, termed ‘5G CAL’ – or 5G Connected and Autonomous Logistics – will require StreetDrone to develop software and hardware solutions spanning redundant braking systems, a driving robot capable of complex articulated truck manoeuvres in confined areas and the integration of driverless software with telematic control for remote fleet management. The consortium is made up of businesses and institutions including Sunderland City Council, Newcastle University, Vantec, Coventry University, Connected Places Catapult, The North East Automotive Alliance and Perform Green. Mike Potts, StreetDrone’s CEO, believes that logistics can be one of the first commercially viable autonomous services and the 5G project provides an ideal testbed for the roll-out of a UK-developed autonomous product. “The reality is that autonomous cars are still many years from widespread adoption. However, the technologies that we’ve already developed can be used in an industrial logistics setting and will quickly scale to many other similar contexts where reducing cost and increasing safety are critical factors in profitable operations,” he said. Mark Preston, StreetDrone’s co-founder, added: “We are excited to work with the consortium in the North of England to demonstrate 5G as a key enabler in the roll-out of connected and autonomous vehicles. We look forward to augmenting StreetDrone’s capability in Level 4 autonomy and taking advantage of 5G benefits such as low latency teleoperation, vehicle-infrastructure communications and edge & cloud computing to make CAV logistics a commercially viable proposition and demonstrate this with an exciting end-user in Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK.”
8 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER NEWS
RVS SIGNS DEAL WITH EMOSS COVID-19 BREAK TO REPOWER REFUSE VEHICLES USED FOR RETHINK
ransport operators used the shutdown due to the coronavirus T pandemic to rethink their approach to operations, with many moving towards digitising their operations, according to management software provider Fleetcheck. While fleet software usage has returned to pre-pandemic levels, a number of companies have taken on software since the lockdown, having had chance to assess their transport activities, according to Peter Golding, managing efuse Vehicle Solutions Ltd (RVS) has signed an exclusive deal director of Fleetcheck. with Dutch electric powertrain developers EMOSS to repower “While clearly no-one would’ve wished for R refuse vehicles in the UK with an electric powertrain. these circumstances to develop, they did create a The first demonstration electric refuse vehicle from RVS, the e-One, perhaps unprecedented space in which to think a 26t Dennis Eagle Olympus on Dennis Eagle chassis, will be launched deeply about the fundamentals of moving people at an event on 30 September and 1 October. and goods around,” he said. As well as eliminating local emissions and being more Much of this activity seemed to have been environmentally sustainable, the e-One will be efficient, safe, user- based around the digitisation of operations, friendly and uncomplicated with on-screen monitors for drivers to using technology to make new levels of efficiency check battery life, according to RVS. possible, he added. Once converted the e-One is also cheaper to run when compared “Really, the kind of thinking that has with diesel refuse vehicles and requires lower maintenance than a taken place falls into two areas. The first was traditional RCV, the company adds. strategic, tackling fundamental questions Spencer Law, managing director of RVS, said this was a “very about the kinds of vehicles needed in the new exciting” development for the company. “EMOSS are the connoisseurs normal - how many will be required, who will of electric conversion, with a successful track record in the haulage, drive them, how they will be funded, and so bus, tipper and sweeper vehicle sectors,” he added. “We are experts on. These are issues that are deeply rooted in in remanufacturing and refurbishment, as well as supplying and operational considerations.” maintaining all makes and models of refuse vehicles, so this is the Golding added that some customers have also obvious next step. taken the opportunity to investigate features of “We can repower the vehicles when they come in for refurbishment software solutions that they weren’t previously and customers can walk away with what is essentially a brand-new utilising. “What we have seen is a drive to electric vehicle for around half the cost of a comparable vehicle direct realise the further efficiencies that are available from a manufacturer. It doesn’t matter what configuration of vehicle by simply adopting more of our technology to we are presented with we can convert it with an EMOSS electric deliver present and future gains.” power train.” Bas Rottier, EMOSS CSO, added: “We were already looking for a service network in the UK in particular for the refuse vehicle sector, and RVS presents the ideal solution. They are a one-stop shop for refuse vehicles and a multi-mark operator, with the skills and in-depth knowledge to convert vehicles from diesel to electric, as well as carry out warranty and service work on our behalf, which is exactly what we were looking for. RVS is the perfect partner for us in the UK. Like us they are a family business and have an entrepreneurial way of thinking that fits well with our ethos.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 9 NEWS
ADL OFFERING RANGE OF CORONAVIRUS PROTECTION FOR BUSES
us manufacturer Alexander period of recovery, ADL has the semi- Dennis Ltd (ADL) is now permanent and permanent solutions B offering a range of semi- that can replace initial quick fixes to permanent and permanent restore the journey experience as buses solutions designed to be fitted to new and coaches remain clean, safe and ready and existing vehicles to reduce the risk to go.” of drivers and passengers transmitting ADL-designed solutions for Alexander the coronavirus. Dennis buses and Plaxton coaches were While ADL brought out a range of released to market successively as they temporary protection measures earlier in became available over the past months, the year to increase safety on buses, their and the range now includes: engineering team also began working • Transport for London-approved on developing longer-term solutions • Universal mounting brackets and modifications to fully seal existing that could be fitted to existing and new plates for hand sanitiser dispensers, drivers’ cabs and provide fully sealed cabs vehicles as operators began to prepare for suitable for Alexander Dennis buses in new vehicles a new normal. and Plaxton coaches as well as other • Coach driver contact shields, and cab rear Chris Waine, UK service director at manufacturers’ products and supplied partitions where required, for retrofit to ADL, said: “The UK’s bus operating with or without dispensers as required existing coaches and installation in new industry has shown tremendous resilience • Bus driver contact shields for retrofit to Plaxton Panther, Leopard, Elite, Elitei and ingenuity over the last months, existing Alexander Dennis Enviro200 and Panorama coaches adding temporary cab partitions and and Enviro400 buses without cab • Coach passenger separation with other distancing measures to vehicles screens, available for current and retractable roller blinds mounted to overnight. As we now settle into a longer previous vehicle generations existing luggage racking.
10 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER NEWS
HGV REGISTRATIONS PLUMMET BY 73% IN SECOND QUARTER OF 2020
egistrations of new HGVs fell by 73% in the R three months to the end of June, with the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic largely to blame, new figures have revealed. Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that just 4,151 vehicles registered in the second quarter of 2020. The months covered included two where the UK was largely locked down and many manufacturers closed production or ran reduced operations. Likewise, operators were not looking to expand their fleets, with many “Given the current economic uncertainties, restoring dealers running reduced operations. This fall was exacerbated as operator confidence will be crucial in driving the UK’s the second quarter of 2019 was recovery but also ensuring it is a green recovery” particularly strong for sales as buyers sought to make purchases ahead of the introduction of smart tachographs DAF continued to be the market just 2% this year, and its market later in the year. leader with 30% market share in the share has doubled as customers While all sectors saw demand quarter, despite sales falling by 73%. have been investing in the company’s fall by more than half, the biggest MAN suffered least of the ‘big seven’ refuse vehicles. sector, tractor units, which make up manufacturers, with sales down 60% In the year to date, the market is now more than a third of all sales, saw the year-on-year, but their percentage 51% lower than the same period in 2019, biggest fall, with demand falling by market share increasing by 4%. with 14,120 fewer vehicles registered. three quarters, with just 1,525 units In the year to date, DAF continue to Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, sold. Registrations of rigid trucks fell dominate the market. Despite sales said: “Such a sharp decrease in heavy by 73%, with both the >6-16T and falling by 46.5% year-on-year, the commercial vehicle registrations is >16T segments experiencing similar Dutch manufacturer has nonetheless deeply concerning given the sector’s sharp declines. increased its market share by 3% critical role in keeping the country to 33.3%. Volvo has also performed moving. While it is important to be Manufacturer falls well – relatively speaking – this year, mindful of the pronounced boost the with sales down 43% and increasing introduction of new technologies Likewise, all the major truck its market share by 2% to 14.6%, had on last year’s figures, 2020 has manufacturers saw demand for their leaving it just 0.2% behind Scania, been unprecedented. products fall by more than half in the the second biggest truck seller this “Given the current economic second quarter. The least affected was year, although the Swedish giant uncertainties, restoring operator Dennis Eagle, with a decline in sales has seen its market share decline by confidence will be crucial in driving the of 36%, although they only shifted 136 4.5%. Mercedes-Benz has also fared UK’s recovery but also ensuring it is a units in the quarter. badly with sales down by 65% and its green recovery, as getting more of the Scania suffered the worst quarter, market share declining by 3.5%. latest high-tech, low emission vehicles with sales down 83% year-on-year, Among the smaller players, onto our roads is key to addressing and their market share falling by 7%. Dennis Eagle has seen sales fall by environmental concerns.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 11 FLEET NEWS
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS TAKES ON 70 NEW VANS
partan Motor Factors has commissioned 70 new S Mercedes-Benz Citans as the company seeks to grow following its acquisition by MWR Sales Ltd earlier in the year. All the new Citans are 109 CDI models with long L2 bodies and fuel-efficient 90 hp, 1.5-litre engines. BlueEFFICIENCY measures fitted as standard include the ECO start/ stop function, low rolling resistance tyres, and optimised alternator and battery management systems. It has a combined cycle of up to 65.7 mpg,
and CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km. The new vans are now working from Spartan’s network of 13 depots in South Wales and Southwest England delivering motor parts and related products to independent garages and motor traders across the region. To read the full story, click here.
RORY J HOLBROOK PUT FIRST NEW DAF TRIDEM
orfolk-based aggregate supply specialist, Rory J Holbrook, has Nbecome the first company to put the latest DAF 8x4 rear-steer ‘tridem’ chassis on the road. Rory J Holbrook recently received the first two CF 410 FAW sleeper-cabbed trucks from a total order of six units from Norwich-based DAF dealer Ford & Slater. With rear-steer capability, sleeper-cab, air-suspension, a lightweight ‘highway’ chassis and Fruehauf’s all-new Aggri- Roll (Mk III) non-tipping ‘V’ body, Rory J.Holbrook describes the new DAF fleet as a ‘unique proposition’ for road surfacing and associated operations. To read the full story, click here.
12 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER FLEET NEWS
CARRIER TRANSICOLD OPENREACH INVESTS BIG LAUNCHES PRODUCTS IN ELECTRIC VANS
elecommunications specialist Openreach T has ordered 270 Vauxhall Vivaro-e vans and nine Corsa-e cars as part of the company’s commitment to electric-powered vehicles. efrigerated transport equipment Openreach is one of the UK’s R provider Carrier Transicold largest fleet operators, with about sales to be fully electric by 2030 has introduced three new transport 27,000 vehicles and has run diesel (with exceptions for the small refrigeration units for truck, trailer versions of the Vauxhall vans for number of vehicles where this may and LCV fleets. the past 15 years. not be possible). This includes the first PIEK- This order comes shortly after Clive Selley, Openreach CEO, said: certified version of Carrier Transicold’s The UK Electric Fleets Coalition, “Our order… is an important first flagship Vector HE 19 (High of which Openreach is a founding step as we begin to move our fleet, the Efficiency) trailer unit, which will member, released its policy asks to second largest commercial fleet in the now operate below 60 decibels – the the Government, asking for a target UK, to being fully electric.” equivalent of normal conversation – in to be set for 100% of new car and van To read the full story, click here. either a mono or multi-temperature configuration. The second launch is the Xarios 8 refrigeration system. It has improved efficiency and a third more ABACUS PUTS FIRST NEW MAN cooling capacity compared to the TGX ON ROAD current Xarios 600, along with a low refrigerant charge, a new evaporator ventilation motor and brushless outhampton- condenser ventilation system to reduce based road wear on parts, and lower maintenance S freight services costs, according to the company. provider Abacus Lastly is the Neos HE 100 S for light Logistics Ltd has recently commercial vehicles. This electrically taken delivery of the first driven system optimises energy New Generation MAN TGX consumption, while maintaining tractor unit to be handed a cooling capacity and look almost over in the UK. equivalent to the standard Neos The 44-tonne TGX 6×2, 100 S system. 26.510 tractor, in brilliant To read the full story, click here. Traffic White with Abacus’ distinctive A-roadway design livery, features the New features a new low friction drive Generation flagship GX cab. axle which, through its long axle For all the latest news on truck Powered by the latest drive ratio, helps optimise fuel- and van launches, model updates, generation MAN Euro6D D26, 12.4 efficiency to the tune of an 8% news for operators and drivers litre, 510 hp, six-cylinder engine, saving when compared to previous from around the sector and fleet which deliverers 2,600Nm from Euro6C drivetrain. news, visit The Truck Expert 930rpm, the New Generation TGX To read the full story, click here. and The Van Expert.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 13 AUGMENTED REALITY
A NEW REALITY
Augmented reality is an emerging technology that is set to revolutionise the commercial vehicle workshop in the coming years and improve efficiency and reduce vehicle downtime. By Dan Parton
ike all commercial would be rolled out across the company’s Centre (TSC) in Milton Keynes to send vehicle manufacturers Van Centre network. precise visual instructions remotely to and workshops, The AR system sees technicians at each technicians at Van Centres to ensure L Volkswagen Commercial of the 67 Volkswagen Van Centres and any maintenance issues can be fixed Vehicles are always 30 Authorised Repairers across the UK as quickly and efficiently as possible, striving to find ways of reducing fleet having access to a pair of the RealWear minimising the time a van spends off downtime. So when a year-long trial of glasses, which includes microphone, head the road. augmented reality (AR) headsets resulted camera, display screen and voice activation. If technicians face complex or unusual in savings of a year of downtime – worth This system allows experts based servicing points – which Volkswagen £250,000 – then it was inevitable it at Volkswagen’s Technical Support expects to be around 500 across the UK
14 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER AUGMENTED REALITY
in 2020 - they can use the technology to “We have 97 workshops in our network and connect directly with the TSC. The expert some will use the technology more than “The technology can then support the field technician others simply because of the volume of is aimed at through the diagnosis and repair by work each workshop sees. However, once supporting master augmenting images, wiring diagrams and the technology embeds at a broader level, I technicians mainly adding repair suggestions into their view. anticipate that the headsets and technology who are typically Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will become a daily tool.” the people in the offers a range of vehicles, each with a workshop where range of powertrain options and bespoke TECHNICIAN BUY-IN the pressure builds conversions. This means technicians face a up most” raft of servicing variations each day which Anderson adds that the system has had might require specialist assistance. buy-in from the technicians from the start. The trial was found to have saved “The technology is aimed at supporting customers a year of downtime – equal to master technicians mainly who are typically almost £250,000 – with repair efficiency the people in the workshop where the up by 93%. In addition, not having to pressure builds up most,” he says. “Quite physically travel to the trial centres also rightly, the customer wants their vehicle meant a reduction of over 2.5 tonnes of back and within the business, the master
CO2 for the TSC. technician is the one who everyone is “The technology has a very big looking at to deliver this – regardless of impact,” says Paul Anderson, aftersales the complexity. So, having the augmented programmes and marketing manager reality technology at hand means we can at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. support them faster and at a deeper level. “Now that we have the headsets in the “This was an area that we honestly didn’t workshops already, we are confident that consider at the conceptual stage. Our we can build further on this. thoughts were in getting the vehicle back “However, the biggest impact is the scale on the road and ensuring greater customer of our reach. Not everything requires a satisfaction and cost savings in downtime physical visit from our technical team but for our business-use customers. It was early without seeing the issue it’s hard to make into the pilot phase that we realised that that call. That’s where this technology supporting the technicians helped them operates most effectively because it cuts to feel more engaged with the technical out deliberation completely and moves the team, and that could make a positive repair on instantly.” difference in employee satisfaction. It’s Currently, each site uses the technology shaped our thinking for the national rollout once or twice in a month, Anderson says. as staff attrition in technical roles within the industry is a big challenge to try and overcome. This can go part-way to dealing with that in my view.” The AR technology has also been easy to use, with little training needed, Anderson adds. “During the pilot phase we co- developed material that was needed so that we could have a light touch with the set-up of the technology,” he says. “The RealWear team who provide the headsets also have comprehensive videos on YouTube that take the user though the set-up process. There’s also the fact that this is remote technology so once the Wi-Fi is set up, the technical team can activate whatever they require without the need for the technician to understand the full range of voice controls needed.”
SEPTEMBER 2020 15 AUGMENTED REALITY
INCREASING IMPORTANCE “If you can look at a fault and the service history of that component and what has AR technology is already important to happened and then give a probability basis Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles as it – for example, the symptoms have seen improves efficiency, but it has also had times before and 90% of the time this was benefits during the recent coronavirus the root cause and we suggest you do this. pandemic, where there has been a need to “It is about getting to the root cause operate under remote conditions wherever much faster and giving a better customer possible, Anderson says. “The timing of our experience and reducing the cost for the rollout meant that we were fully prepared to dealership themselves. It is harvesting support our customers who in some sectors data across the whole network to allow the are experiencing remarkable growth and need technician to make a better decision on their full fleet operating every minute,” he says. behalf of his employer and the customer.” “Having an infinitely more efficient process in place means we can not only meet TRAINING the demands of our customers but crucially, do it in a controlled and safe way virtually.” AR is also starting to play more of a role This is going to become more important in training technicians, adds Yorke-Biggs. in the industry over the coming years, “A lot of OEMS now, for the training according to Bradley Yorke-Biggs, CEO [of technicians], rather go to the head and professor of practice at the Institute office and sit in a room for a week and be of Digital Engineering, a virtual industry/ physically talked through the engine, the academic institute working with the UK parts, the components, the interior of the automotive and digital sectors. commercial vehicle, it is being moved into “Vehicles are becoming hugely more a more immersive experience so the guy complex and a lot of that is around software doesn’t have to leave the dealership.” and systems of intelligence within it,” AR also makes it much faster to he says. “So if you have an unusual fault publish technical updates, Yorke-Biggs diagnostic code that hasn’t been seen before adds. “It takes a lot of time to translate or isn’t in the dealer manual and you need what you do from an engineering point someone to talk you through it if it, that’s of view into a technical document or what it should be used for. manual that you publish online or “They [the technician] can put a pair of physically. It is quite a long-winded AR glasses on and it can annotate what they process that isn’t very flexible or agile. If are looking at very intelligently.” you can move that to a digital world, if AR has the potential to go further and the OEM makes a change to a product, increase efficiencies even more, using some [even] minor updates, you can quickly of the huge amounts of data that is now and seamlessly update your training in being collected by vehicles. a digital or immersive world.”
Technicians receive information through the RealWear headset. (left) The technician located elsewhere can see what the field technician sees
16 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER AUGMENTED REALITY
FUTURE
AR will become much more of an industry standard in workshops and in training setups among OEMs and dealers in the next couple of years, as they seek to become more efficient, Yorke-Biggs believes. Within five years, there will also be more data-driven decisions being made. “There is a huge amount of data being generated in the field but what we aren’t too good at is taking that data and using it for business benefit and I think that will be the leap over the next five years. We will become much better at harvesting that data and creating insight from it and feeding it back into the service network, warranty decisions and the engineering process to fundamentally improve products,” Yorke-Biggs says. Anderson agrees that AR will become an industry standard too. “The reason why Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles “Having an infinitely UK has led the way is based purely on more efficient customer centricity,” he says. “This has process in place been proved to deliver exactly what means we can we need and where that happens, not only meet the customers clearly want to see more of it demands of our in everything they do. I believe customers customers but will come to expect this as a result of the crucially, do it in a work that we are doing. controlled and safe “I predict that 10 years from now most way virtually” workshop manuals will be augmented into the repair process through technology such as this.”
SEPTEMBER 2020 17 SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT
Sustainability is increasingly at the forefront of thinking for manufacturers and operators alike, but it is about much more than zero emissions from the tailpipe. By Dan Parton
wedish startup truck European Space Agency and is currently manufacturer Volta used in 16 motor racing series around Trucks has made the world. some bold claims as Flax is a sustainably farmed crop where S it has made its the entire plant is used: flax seeds for entrance into the linseed oil, the fibres for fabrics, and any marketplace, non more so than its leftovers as animal feed or fertiliser. mission to become the world’s most Volta Trucks’ supplier, Swiss company sustainable truck manufacturer. Bcomp, uses the harvested Flax fibre to For instance, the Volta Zero, the first create its ampliTex technical fabric. purpose-built full electric large commercial The Flax fibre’s quality, yarn thickness vehicle designed for inner city deliveries, and twist are all highly engineered, and the which will be launched on September weave is reinforced by Bcomp’s patented 3 – more on that in the October issue powerRibs grid technology. The result is a of Commercial Vehicle Engineer – has a extremely lightweight, high-performance full electric drivetrain that, by 2025, will fibre reinforcement that is almost CO2 see operators of Volta Trucks eliminate neutral over its lifecycle. around 180,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, The Flax matting is then combined the equivalent annual CO2 usage of 24,000 with a biodegradable resin produced by houses, the company says. UK-based composites manufacturer Bamd But Volta Trucks’ commitment to to produce the body panels for the Volta sustainability goes much further than the Zero. The fully bio-based resin, derived drivetrain. The Volta Zero will be the first from rape seed oil, creates a naturally road vehicle to use a sustainably sourced brown coloured matting. A black natural natural flax material and biodegradable pigment dye is added to complete its resins in the construction of exterior body darker, technical appearance. Bamd’s panels, with the cab’s dark body panels and manufacturing processes aims for total The Volta Zero, which has many interior trims constructed from the recyclability of all tooling materials, panels made from a material natural material. The high-tech Flax weave including solvent-free, water-based sealers that is nearly CO2 neutral over was developed in collaboration with the and release agents. its lifecycle
18 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SUSTAINABILITY
When looking for materials to make the body panels out of, a key consideration was that they Holistic approach “But it was always about a far more were lightweight, says Fowler. holistic approach to sustainability. When “Carbon fibre would have been the “For Volta Trucks, when we first any vehicle is produced, a significant obvious answer. However, carbon considered the design and development amount of CO2 is released, and we wanted fibre has a CO2 intensive production of an electric commercial vehicle, the to minimise that output. We can do that by process, and isn’t recyclable at elimination of tailpipe emissions was one carefully considering the materials we use end-of-life. In terms of vehicle safety, large consideration, removing the CO2 in construction, hence why, for example, it doesn’t perform well in an accident, and particulates from city centres, thus we’ve become the first manufacturer to use when it shatters into shards which improving the air quality and health of a carbon-neutral flax and biodegradable isn’t good for an inner city vehicle the inhabitants,” says Rob Fowler, CEO of resin composite in the construction of working in close proximity to Volta Trucks. exterior body panels.” pedestrians and cyclists.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 19 SUSTAINABILITY
“We discovered the flax and biodegradable resin composite had all of the lightweight benefits of carbon fibre, but was almost CO2 neutral in construction, is bendable and breaks in an accident, which is much better for inner city operations, but was also non- conductive, which is important for an electric vehicle. “So we set ourselves the ambition of using as much as possible in the construction of the vehicle, where structure permits. Nobody had ever used it for the construction of exterior body panels on a road vehicle before, but as a pioneer in the electrification and vehicle segments, this almost made us want to use this innovative material more. I’m very pleased that it’s worked as well as it does, and up close, it has a fantastic technical weave appearance that really complements the overall appearance of the truck.” Volta Trucks’ commitment to sustainability continues with the chemical makeup of the battery. “We wanted to find a solution that didn’t use any of the precious metals in the battery, to avoid the sourcing issues of these materials. We’ve succeeded in all of these ambitions, thus minimising the environmental impact the Volta Zero will have in its Volta Zero is also production and operations,” Fowler says. zero emission Whether other truck manufacturers follow Volta Trucks’ lead remains to be seen, but Fowler hopes so. “We know that materials used in most of today’s vehicles have CO2 intensive production processes, which isn’t sustainable for the future,” he says.
“We discovered the flax and biodegradable resin composite had all of the lightweight benefits of carbon fibre, but was almost CO neutral in 2 Bcomp Powerribs construction” technology in close up
20 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SUSTAINABILITY
Ryder truck that has Trailar solar mats on the roof
Blazing a trail board batteries can power the auxiliary equipment so there is no requirement to As Volta Trucks shows, sustainability connect the trailer to the tractor unit so is about much more than just the the trailer is effectively self-sufficient,” powertrain. There are other methods of says Grogut. “So you don’t need Anderson
reducing CO2 emissions and saving fuel, leads, you don’t ned to remember to such as using solar mats, which transport unplug it when you set off and the and logistics company Ryder is using. electrical energy is stored on the trailer The solar mats, made by Trailar, are and not taken from the tractor unit and ultra-thin, flexible solar film matting therefore there is a fuel saving too.” systems fitted to the roof space of, for There are also cost savings in that it example, a rigid truck that is directly helps to maintain the battery voltage connected to its battery. It harvests when the vehicle is not being used. “We “I am sure that engineers will continue to natural energy, which is used to power all have a fleet of vehicles where a good find interesting and innovative materials on-board ancillary equipment while also number are fitted with Trailar and we for the construction of future vehicles, helping to reduce emissions through less have done a direct comparison and there and we’ll ensure Volta Trucks is at the engine idling and to extend the life of has been a reduction of interventions forefront of that innovation. the battery. between services primarily driven from “That’s one of the significant benefits “We are essentially reducing the the fact we have not gone out to the of being a start-up business, that we are electrical load on the alternator, which vehicles where the battery has been not incumbered by the use of any old- has a dramatic effect on fuel economy drained,” says Grogut. fashioned and legacy materials. due to the parasitic losses through the Shaun Stephenson, head of engineering With sustainability at the heart of the alternator,” says David Grogut, senior at Ryder, adds that Trailar has been Volta Trucks brand, we will continue engineer at Ryder. through extensive testing to prove its to push the boundaries of technical The manufacturer says it can cut fuel effectiveness. “The proving trials they innovation. Where that takes us in the consumption by about 5% and lower [Trailar] have done at MIRA, we [Ryder] future, only time will tell, but I can say CO2 emissions by four tonnes per vehicle have put it through test beds, we’ve had it that we will continue to drive down the each year. on rolling roads, so we are fairly confident environmental impact of our vehicles Trailar can also be fitted to vans and that unit is robust,” he says. “Their in construction and operation to the trailers. “The benefit of fitting it to independent trials and our independent absolute minimum.” a trailer is that the trailer’s own on- trials have given us that confidence.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 21 SUSTAINABILITY
Easy maintenance How the solar mats look The Trailar system is also easy to install and in situ on a truck maintain. “Installation takes about three to four hours depending on the vehicle design,” says Grogut. “Essentially the solar mats are bonded to the vehicle roof, a conduit is run down the front bulkhead, a controller is fixed to the front bulkhead and then a wiring loom is connected to the vehicle batteries and there are about four current sensors that connect to the vehicle systems that measure the voltage or current draw. Then there is a connection to the FMS unit, and the ignition feed, all to give the control unit the information it needs to optimise the charging and feedback its information. “The length of time it takes to fit depends on the complexity of the build – different bulkhead designs, different cable routings but once it is fitted there is no maintenance other than making sure the solar mats are clean but in terms of maintenance in the workshop nothing is required. Because the system is connected and intelligent it will identify itself if there is a problem.” With the ease of use, as well as the
CO2 savings, Stephenson believes that solutions such as Trailar will become more commonplace as OEMs seek to reduce emissions wherever possible and improve their Vecto score. Trailar is just one way that Ryder is attempting to boost the sustainability of its vehicles and reduce CO2 emissions. “We are trialling different tyres with various clients and have [different types of] aerodynamics fitted to our rental fleet to improve fuel performance and drag and looking at different body designs and streamlining,” says Stephenson. “We are working with OEMs and understanding what their Vecto scores are because that will influence customer buying habits going forwards.”
“Installation takes about three to four hours Low rolling resistance depending on the tyres can help make fuel vehicle design” savings of 5-6%
22 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SUSTAINABILITY
Cutting CO2
David Cebon, professor of mechanical engineering at Cambridge University and director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (CSRF), agrees that there are many ways that manufacturers and operators can cut CO2 emissions and improve their sustainability. “There are a whole bunch of things [such as] improving aerodynamics, light weighting, low rolling resistance tyres,” he says. “Aerodynamics done well can give you 9-10% [CO2] benefit, light weighting something similar, low rolling resistance tyres 5-6%, fuels and lubricants about 2-3%. More efficient diesel engines can be to 4-5% better, but it costs billions of Euros so there are higher barriers to those. Supermarkets delivering groceries can help to take “These are things that should be done cars off the road and therefore cut CO2 emissions and are being done. There are other things like driver training. If you train a driver to do eco driving, they can reduce Logistical changes doing any useful work, but if you can pick fuel consumption by 7-8%. But one of the up a load on the way back it is,” problems with that is shortly after they Making logistical changes can also help to says Cebon. have learnt to drive better, they forget save CO2, Cebon adds. For instance, using “Also, instead of having two half full what they learnt and a week later they high capacity vehicles. At the smallest trucks you put them together to make one typically aren’t better than they were scale, having a 3.5t van take 20 lots of full truck which goes to two places that before. So you need a system to feed 30kg family shopping to houses is might be nearby one another.” back their performance and have them much more efficient that 20 family continuously improving. If you can do cars each take a load of shopping back Collective action that you can improve the benefits but to their house. there are barriers because you have to “The family car is the least efficient However, as Cebon notes, there are rollout a feedback mechanism across your freight vehicle known to man,” Cebon many things individual companies can entire fleet. says. “If you take it out of there and put do to become more sustainable, but if it “We have companies in our consortium it into a van it hardly uses any more fuel is to have an impact on the worldwide [CSFR] that do this really well. They have than one car, but it takes 20 cars off the problem of greenhouse gases, the a driver training programme, a league road. There is a huge efficiency benefit. solutions must be able to be taken up by table of drivers, drivers who do better get “It could be using a 14t truck rather most fleets. “If only a few can implement a pay bonus and a certificate and stuff than a 7.5t truck or you use a road train them it won’t make any difference to the like that so they are keen to compete with as distinct from a tractor and semi-trailer. overall problem,” he says. “It will make each other and do better. By setting the All give efficiency benefits.” a difference to their fuel consumption culture in the company you can get the Likewise, simple concepts such as back and costs and what they say in their CSR driver feedback going on all the time. It hauls and consolidating loads can make a reports, but it won’t make a difference to doesn’t just have to be technology. You can difference. “If you come home empty it is the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.” get about 10% CO2 saving through this.” expensive in fuel terms as the truck is not This will be most likely in conjunction with the search for alternative fuels,
which is where the biggest savings in CO2 emissions will come from in the future, “The family car is the least efficient freight Cebon says. He says that electrification is the biggest and best way of reducing vehicle known to man” emissions, especially as the electric grid gradually decarbonises.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 23 SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
SAFE SPACE
Health and safety measures in commercial vehicle workshops should be at the forefront of everyone’s thinking – from managers down to trainees – if the dangers inherent in them are to be successfully mitigated. By Dan Parton
reaking health and safety rules can lead to hefty penalties, as maritime B freight and logistics company Simec Ports (UK) Ltd found out to its cost in July. Simec Ports, formerly known as Cargo Services (UK) Ltd, was hit with a £200,000 fine after it was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 following an incident where a worker suffered multiple bone fractures to his foot when a forklift truck was driven over it. Newport Magistrates Court heard how the worker was injured when a 15-tonne forklift truck drove over his foot during unloading and stacking of steel coils in a shed at premises in Corporation Road, Newport. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on January 5, 2018, found that there was inadequate control of workplace transport risks. The company had also failed to conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of controls for workplace transport.
24 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
Simec Ports was fined £200,000 Common causes and ordered to pay costs of £8,732.04. “Failure to ensure Speaking after the case, HSE inspector, Richard Powell, head of personal injury that workplace Sian Donne said: “Failure to ensure that at JMW Solicitors, says that the most transport is workplace transport is managed safely is common causes of injury in a commercial managed safely a serious breach of fundamental health vehicle workplace are related to the is a serious breach and safety duties.” operation of transportation, such as of fundamental It shows that breaching health and moving vehicles hitting people, people health and safety rules can have serious consequences falling off them, vehicles overturning and safety duties” for not only the person who is injured objects falling off a vehicle. “These types of – or worse – as a result, but also the accidents usually result in the most severe company responsible. injuries, with some incidents proving Health and safety is therefore at the fatal,” he says. forefront of people’s minds – or should Powell adds that there are also a number be – especially those who provide third- of influential factors that can result in party workshop services, says Phil Lloyd, accidents in the workplace: head of engineering policy at Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport • Uneven ground can destabilise vehicles Association. “Talking to our members and trip up employees they are very keen on when they receive • Wet or slippery floors can cause a service from a third party provider that vehicles to skid and workers to slip there is some way of measuring their • Poor lighting and the layout of the [health and safety credentials] – they look premises can impair visibility for accreditations, which gives them some • Unsafe storage and transportation assurance that the conditions, facilities, of loads, especially toxic, flammable, training, health and safety regime and corrosive or explosive materials. equipment calibration are all certain parameters and they receive a service Powell notes that it is the legal duty of they expect. an employer or business owner to ensure “It is becoming more challenging staff and visitors are kept safe and [with more] legislation coming into play well while on the premises. Other and you don’t just have to comply with it, responsibilities include conforming you have to be seen to comply with it to regulation laid out by the HSE and and demonstrate your level of compliance holding a valid insurance policy should – you have to provide evidence to any accidents happen. support your claims you have a safe “To ensure workers are protected, those working environment.” in charge must take measures to reduce the risks in the workplace,” Powell says. “Steps taken might include providing suitable personal protective equipment to allow for certain tasks to be completed safely, ensuring all machinery is in working condition and providing training to all employees on health and safety procedures.” “Understanding what hazards are likely to present themselves in the workplace at any time is an impossible task, which is why carrying out regular risk assessments is imperative. A review should be conducted on each activity and appropriate control measures should be taken to minimise the risk of an accident.”
SEPTEMBER 2020 25 SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
“A good mantra to remember when manual Darren Hockley handling is three words: avoid, assess, reduce” Regular risk assessments
Darren Hockley, managing director of DeltaNet International, which specialises in developing health and safety eLearning courses, agrees about the importance of regular risk assessments. “After completing a risk assessment, decisions can then be made about whether enough precautions have been taken to prevent employees, members of the public, contractors and service users from harm, or whether further action is required to keep people safe.” Hockley notes that one in three workplace injuries are linked to manual handling issues including back, arm, leg and joint injuries, as well as repetitive strain injuries. “It may seem obvious but neglecting to properly train staff on the best way to approach manual handling activities, or allowing supervisors to neglect risk assessments, could easily land your workshop in hot water. “While employers are responsible for assessing and mitigating risks and offering employee training on the subject, employees are responsible for following these procedures, assessing their own Working at height needs to be carefully considered capabilities for undertaking manual handling, and informing their manager if they have a health condition or injury that affects their ability to perform manual Avoiding vibration injuries “Damage from HAV is often permanent handling tasks. – so it’s especially important to take “Providing employees with mechanical Commercial vehicle employees are also preventative precautions to mitigate this and non-mechanical equipment may help vulnerable to developing Hand Arm risk,” says Hockley. them to avoid manual handling or help Vibration (HAV), which can cause “The Control of Vibration at Work reduce the risks of these activities. Using damage to nerves, blood vessels and Regulations detail the steps employers trolleys, conveyor belts, roll cages, or fork- joints as a result of improper and long- need to take to protect employees from lift trucks all contribute to reduced risks. term use of hand-held or hand-guided vibration exposure. These include, “A good mantra to remember when power tools, and includes conditions monitoring and controlling exposure, giving manual handling is three words: avoid, such as vibration white finger or carpal instructions on how to use equipment assess, reduce.” tunnel syndrome. safely, and checking manufacturers
26 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
Key cabinets can provide organisation and security
“In a workplace where keys change hands regularly, such as those with commercial vehicles, key cabinets help to provide organisation and security”
Key to success with a storage cabinet; management can ensure that each key is checked in Sometimes, relatively simple measures and out when needed for locking rooms, can improve safety, such as by installing equipment, or vehicles. It is vital that key cabinets. “In a workplace where keys only those who are qualified to use change hands regularly, such as those certain machinery have access to the with commercial vehicles, key cabinets corresponding keys.” help to provide organisation and Graham adds that mechanics are often compliance with the Supply of Machinery security,” says Andy Graham, managing faced with multiple projects throughout (Safety) Regulations 2008. director of Reece Safety. “They help to the day, so finding the keys needed for “Ergonomic design of the workplace keep track of keys and provide a single each vehicle would be time consuming if including where and how equipment location where they are easy for workers not correctly stored and accounted for. is used, can help reduce exposure to to find when needed. Key cabinets “By ensuring that each employee is often vibration. For example, do you use are great for making keys for vehicles, responsible for locking out and turning auxiliary equipment such as tool machinery and other equipment easily off their equipment or vehicle when supports, tensioners and balancers, to accessible within the workplace for those finishing a task, the transition between help vibration exposure? Supporting tools who have permission. projects can be made smoother. This during use can reduce the grip and force “Being able to physically manage and also promotes personal responsibility required to operate them.” keep a record of keys can be made easier and accountability.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 27 SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
Number one focus
With so many dangers in the commercial vehicle workshop, safety has to be the number one priority, and is for Mercedes- Benz Trucks, says Sean McMillen, operations manager at Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK’s Wentworth Park complex near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. He is responsible for health and safety across the entire 72-acre site. “Our industry is inherently dangerous, not least because of the size of the vehicles we work with,” he says. “Nothing is more important to Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK than ensuring the health and safety of our own people, as well as contractors and other visitors to our facilities.” This means health and safety has been ingrained in the culture of Wentworth Park complex. For instance, the instruction trainees receive is heavily Sean McMillen focused on the critical importance of safe working practices, McMillen says. “We prefer to ‘grow our own’, but if we were to recruit a senior technician they would undergo a thorough induction process to ensure they understood and “Nothing is more important to Mercedes-Benz could work in accordance with our safety Trucks UK than ensuring the health and safety procedures,” he adds. of our own people, as well as contractors and other McMillen adds that whether through visitors to our facilities” refresher courses or other forms of update, Mercedes-Benz ensure that health and safety is always ‘front of mind’ for members of the shopfloor team. shift’ system for breaks, so technicians can previous week. Every incident, no matter Thought has also been put into the sit one per table in the canteen.” how minor, is recorded, and a remedy layout of the workshop and the equipment identified to prevent it from happening in it, and it is all in line with best Transparency again. Colleagues are also informed of the health and safety practice, according to solution in writing, via email, as well as McMillen. “Unlike dealer workshops, we There is also an openness about safety, verbally. We address small issues before receive a lot of visitors here at Wentworth with all team members encouraged to they can become more serious. This is why Park – there is a designated walkway speak up about any safety concerns they we insist upon tidiness – not only is a tidy through the facility from which they are have. “Every member of the technical workshop more efficient, it is also safer. not permitted to stray without permission.” team, but particularly our young “Company procedure dictates that Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has apprentices, knows that if ever they feel serious accidents must be investigated by also meant that working practices have they are being put at risk they must raise it an independent third-party. However, in been adapted. “Our technicians are issued with me immediately,” McMillen says. the three years since I joined Mercedes- with personal hand sanitisers and work in “We are totally transparent where Benz Trucks UK we have not had one even two-metre-wide bays, so for most jobs social health and safety is concerned. Here moderately serious accident at Wentworth distancing is not an issue,” he says. “When at Wentworth Park we hold a ‘Toolbox Park. While there is never any room for a task requires two or more technicians to Meeting’ every Friday afternoon, at which complacency, this speaks volumes for our work together, they wear face masks and the workshop team gets together to discuss commitment to safety, and the success of visors. We have also introduced a ‘split any issues that may have arisen over the our approach.”
28 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER
TRANSMISSION SERVICING INTERVALS
A WEIGHTY MATTER
Waste management firm Biffa is on target to save £200,000 this year – just by adjusting the transmission service intervals of its fleet. Other fleets could make savings too by changing how often they change their oil. By Dan Parton
ransmission services are Elite and Mercedes-Benz Econic trucks using Allison TES 295 approved lubricants a regular part of truck in the UK, it found that the fleet’s service that are fully synthetic based. maintenance, but the intervals could safely be extended without In addition to making significant savings T intervals between diminishing transmission performance, on annual oil and filter costs, the revised services can often be efficiency or durability. service intervals are saving Biffa 3,600 hours defined by habit, and this means that they Biffa had previously renewed the in labour and vehicle downtime annually. may not be run at the optimum time and transmission fluid and filters on its Dennis There have also been significant savings – financial and environmental Eagle trucks – which run municipal services environmental benefits: oil consumption – could be missed. such as refuse collection around the and disposal has also been reduced by This was the case for sustainable country – every 12 months, 600 hours or 33,500 litres each year, making a positive waste management specialists Biffa 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles), whichever contribution to Biffa’s ‘Resourceful, Municipal Ltd, until they took advice came first. Now, those intervals have been Responsible’ 10-year sustainability strategy, from Allison Transmission. extended to 36 months, 3,000 hours or which was launched earlier this year and When Allison examined the schedules for 120,000 kilometres (74,565 miles). This has includes the aim of reducing the company’s Biffa’s 1,150 Allison-equipped Dennis Eagle been made possible by Biffa changing to carbon emissions by 50%.
30 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER TRANSMISSION SERVICING INTERVALS
value of the vehicle, as opposed to the up-front cost of the oil. The up-front costs are higher than a mineral oil, but for value you can’t compare.” However, OEMs and dealers still cater for all types of fleets and offer synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral oils. “Some operators may think it is better to buy cheap oil and replace it every few months or every few thousand miles,” notes Wilson. For Wilson, it is often a case of having to convince customers that there is an alternative to the way they have always managed transmission service intervals. “Where there is an old-school technician or workshop foreman, because they have always [worked this way], it is difficult to change that habit,” he says.
“The lubricants saved over 10 years is 335,000 litres Optimum times and when you look at the uptime – the increased productivity available it is 46,000 hours. Moving from set transmission service These are monumental numbers” intervals to an optimised interval should be done by using a prognostics system, which are found on many transmissions today, Wilson adds. “This “Like many fleets, our service intervals “For instance, it has better low and high is the electronic information of measuring are somewhat defined by how we’ve always temperature viscosity, better viscosity the amount of times the engine or done it, with the aim of ensuring our index, better chemical sheer stability transmission has started, the mileage vehicles are well maintained and deliver and that enables the operator or OEM the vehicle has done or even the hours efficient, long service,” says Steve Lea, fleet to extend the drain period, which has – and on top of that these very complex commercial manager at Biffa Municipal environmental benefits because you are electronic systems are also able to tell you Ltd. “We were aware there may have been not wasting oil. Allison tends to use a what the viscosity level is and if some over-servicing, but after hearing fully synthetic oil in its transmissions.” there are worn or wearing components the recommendations of the UK team at Synthetic oils are more expensive than within the engine or transmission. It is Allison, we were very surprised by the huge their mineral equivalents, but that cost is really sophisticated technology that is able £200,000 annual savings to be gained more than offset by the savings accrued in to back up these high-quality lubricants.” from adopting different practices. We have the length of their lifespan by not having By doing this, fleets – no matter what gone from servicing some double-shifted to carry out services. the size – can make significant savings RCVs [refuse collection vehicles] twice per “There are some synthetic oils that will just as Biffa have, Wilson says. “In terms year to just three times in their 10-year life.” stay in the transmission or engine for of monetary value, £200,000 savings the life of the vehicle,” says Wilson. “In was the headline figure [for Biffa] but Oil: synthetic v mineral Allison’s case, our oil can be extended bear in mind they have a fleet of 1,000 in severe operations up to 48 months, vehicles that are kept for 10 years, so The type of oil used can have a big impact on 150,000 miles or 6,000 hours, whichever they expect these to run for 10 years transmission service intervals, with synthetic comes first. That is significant when you trouble free – so times that by 10 and it is oil having a much longer life than traditional compare the servicing intervals that £2 million in savings and that is huge,” he mineral oil, says Nathan Wilson, account Biffa was adhering to previously, which says. “The lubricants saved over 10 years and market development manager at Allison was every 12 months or 600 hours or is 335,000 litres and when you look at Transmission, UK & ROI. “Synthetic 9,000 miles. the uptime – the increased productivity oils have become increasingly popular “An operator that has a commercial available it is 46,000 hours. These are as they have lots advantages,” he says. mind looks at the overall life and the monumental numbers.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > SEPTEMBER 2020 31 32 SEPTEMBER 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER