Pioneering future technology on board trucks

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 26, 2002

"Centralised Air Management" is a new concept that for the first time allows all of a truck's pneumatic components and devices to be mounted in one area on the truck chassis.

Pneumatics technology is widely established for onboard truck applications - from primary air braking systems to axle lift and seat height adjustment.

Traditionally however, the components that make up these pneumatic systems - from switches and fittings to manifolds and valves - have been dispersed at various points around the chassis and cab.

Reducing potential leakage is also a key issue.

So in addition to looking for continual reductions in space, weight and cost, truck designers are increasingly interested in repackaging proven functionality in ways which deliver greater flexibility, reliability and serviceability.

To ensure its truck customers stay ahead of the game, global pneumatics expert Norgren has introduced a radical approach by wiping the slate clean and introducing a pioneering new concept - "Centralised Air Management" (CAM).

This involves modularising the pneumatic components and devices on the truck, enabling them for the first time to be mounted in one area on the truck chassis.

By providing a central point for air-line connections, CAM significantly reduces the total amount of pipe work, connections and possible leak points throughout the truck.

CAM brings significant savings in air system assembly time, while the innovative all-plastic casing and new sealing mechanism further enhance reliability.

In addition, the amount of space required for pneumatic controls under the dashboard is reduced, freeing up more space for other components.

The new CAM concept greatly reduces the length of air lines between the cab and the chassis, simplifies repair and importantly, reduces cost.

In addition, it contributes to valuable vehicle up time through increased serviceability - diagnostics can be performed on a CAM unit in situ via the truck's main 'computer', so in the unlikely event that something should go wrong, it can be easily rectified.

Norgren is leading the field of onboard pneumatics though its group of Technical Centres throughout the world.

With 270 dedicated engineers focused on developing pneumatic systems for all manner of applications, Norgren has an enviable level of experience in innovating tailored solutions for its customers.

Truck customers order a variety of custom vehicles, and so a system to easily customise the pneumatic valving is highly desirable.

Norgren's approach therefore has been to offer a flexible CAM unit that can be easily upgraded at a later date - for example, some vehicle dealers prefer to add on options to trucks after they are built - and so CAM has been designed using individual modules to easily accommodate this need.

This is a new concept in trucking.

Those in the trucking industry that have already seen prototypes have been greatly impressed with the improved serviceability and ease of system upgrading.

The story doesn't stop there, however.

As each customer has its own specifications, what one truck manufacturer requires from a custom management system is often quite different from another's.

For Norgren, designing tailor-made solutions for key global customers is all part of the service.

(This was Engineeringtalk's Top Story on 25 November 2002).