Brazilian semi-trailer specialist Randon Implementos and Volvo Trucks have combined forces to introduce a new semi-trailer dump truck that leans heavily into automation and reduces vehicle weight by as much as a ton.
The new “Concept Trailer” is being tested during Brazil’s critical grain harvest on routes connecting farming regions to the main ports. It is equipped with automated features and sensors and built to a design that reduces the total weight of the trailer. The new product is intended to optimise performance and reduce the operating costs of the transporter, said its creators.
The system is part of an joint project in Brazil to develop a concept bulk transporter. Industry stalwarts Hyva and Continental have also been drafted in to help to design new hydraulic systems and high-performing tyres.
The Concept Trailer reduces weight of the road train dumper by having fewer welded seams on its high-strength aluminum and steel frame. The result is a product that is a ton lighter than current similar models and it uses manufacturing processes that are unprecedented in this sector, claims Randon Implementos: “The other difference is the design. The aerodynamic drag is reduced thanks to the lack of vertical struts on the body of the trailer and the inclusion of deflectors. It has an anti-tip system that helps to correct it in hazardous conditions.”
The Concept Trailer also boasts a set of electronics intended to improve operational efficiency and safety, such as a rear sensor and camera that is interlinked to the braking system, which trigger it automatically if there are obstacles in the way.
Coupling and decoupling has also been optimised. Sensors on the fifth wheel and an electric lifting device make this procedure safer and ergonomically easier. The cargo can be covered by a fully automated tarp, activated by remote control, which saves time and means that the driver does not need climb onto the trailer. In addition, the system identifies when the trailer is not loaded and automatically raises the axles, reducing tire wear and fuel consumption.
“This new product has a special design, is a ton lighter and is fully connected to the tractor and the driver – it brings the future to the present, as a new concept in transporting cargo. The company’s next step is to apply the technology from this concept we are launching now, to the next generation of products that are already part of the company’s portfolio”, explains the superintendent director of the Assembly division of the Randon Companies, Sandro Trentin.
