Wilcox exceeds IRTE classification in tilt tests

An Edbro product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 26, 2006

Wilcox commercial vehicles has achieved IRTE Category 'A' certification for the latest version of its Wilcox monocoque tipping trailer, following recent tests at the Chobham tilt test facility.

Wilcox Exceeds IRTE Category 'A' Classification in Tilt Tests Wilcox Commercial Vehicles has achieved IRTE Category 'A' certification for the latest version of its Wilcox Monocoque tipping trailer, following recent tests at the Chobham tilt test facility.

One of the premier aluminium body builders for commercial vehicles in the UK, Wilcox achieved Category "A" classification of the 44,560 kg trailer and tractor unit using a CS18 hydraulic tipping cylinder from Edbro, one of the lightest units on the market.

"Providing greater safety for users of our trailers is our paramount concern," said Chris Bartlett, Technical Director of Wilcox Commercial Vehicles.

"The re-engineering of our trailer chassis is part of this process.

We redesigned the trailer chassis with the objective of achieving greater stability, and the re-design has been a complete success, not only achieving IRTE Category 'A', but exceeding it comfortably in tilt tests at the Chobham test facility".

"This result proves once again that benefits of weight saving resulting from the use of aluminium in our trailer designs does not mean any sacrifice to stability," said Mr Bartlett.

"In fact, what it does prove is that appropriate design leads to both benefits of lightness and torsional stiffness".

The Wilcox Monocoque is a tri- axle, 48m cubed trailer.

For the tilt tests, its gross weight (tractor + trailer) was 44, 560kgs or 44.5 tonnes.

The tests comprised two parts: one at half tilt of 35 dregee, and one at full tilt of 45 degree.

In both cases the tilt table was raised in half degree increments until the truck and trailer combination reached a tilt angle of 7.5 degrees.

Having achieved the required figure for IRTE Category 'A' classification, the tests then went further, incrementing the tractor and trailer to 8.5 degrees.

"We are delighted with this result," said Chris Bartlett, "but the fact is that we could have gone further still.

This performance is testament to the high stability and rigidity of our new design, and also to the design and quality in manufacture of the Edbro CS18 tipping cylinder".

The CS18 is part of a new generation of tipping cylinders from Edbro for rigid truck and trailer applications up to 70 tonnes lift capacity.

The CS series offers users the benefits of lightweight, from a one-piece laser-welded tube construction, faster tipping speeds, increased payloads, and fit-and-forget reliability.

"We have a long-standing relationship with Edbro, having used their hydraulic tipping cylinders for over 30-years," said Chris Bartlett "We continue to use Edbro cylinders not only for their reliability, but also for their lightness, which perfectly complements the benefits of our weight-saving trailer designs.