Predictive service insights, also known as prognostics, is preventative technology at its finest.
Cummins explains the use and benefits of prognostics. Prognostics products have the capability to combine remote monitoring and predictive technology with real-time equipment operation that has advanced analytics. This helps avoid unnecessary downtime and reduce cost, all while providing the reliability needed. Technology like this detects likely component failures before they occur.
It can identify performance abnormalities before a fault is triggered and rank notifications by severity, enabling customers to address the most pressing issues first and develop a smarter maintenance plan for equipment. Customers are able to intervene sooner, avoiding more costly repairs while preventing potential further issues. This proactive approach decreases unplanned downtime while enhancing an engine’s overall performance and reliability.
With real-time remote monitoring and advanced analytics, prognostics uses data-driven insights to anticipate potential faults. It can analyse those data trends and performance patterns so that future problems can be avoided before they occur.
Cummins is constantly receiving and monitoring data to evaluate the health and performance of every engine in a customer’s fleet – whether it’s ten or a thousand engines. While insights are gathered for every engine, including the healthy ones, Cummins will only notify customers of the critical few that require attention. For example, a customer with 5000 vehicles in their fleet may only receive notifications for 500 of their vehicle’s engines as the remaining 4500’s data was evaluated, and all came back with no issues. Cummins remote monitoring technology maintains a high level of accuracy across every engine in a customer’s fleet, not simply the ones with potential issues.
Ultimately, preventative maintenance can greatly extend the lifespan and performance of engines and vehicles while helping customers reduce downtime and costs. It also gives customers peace of mind knowing that Cummins continually monitors all vehicles while the customer can focus on the few that need attention. Prognostics can be enabled directly through Acumen®, Cummins’ smart computing hardware, or via your original equipment manufacturer or telematics service provider.
There are many benefits of remote prognostics. With costs and logistical challenges associated with unscheduled downtime, having a tool that provides early warnings of potential engine problems is invaluable. The ability to predict problems before they threaten smooth operations means repairs can be scheduled to align with routine maintenance stops. This increased uptime not only ensures that truck and bus services remain consistent but also improves customer satisfaction. Source
The trucks electrical propulsion is generated by the vehicle’s own solar cells.
Scania’s intensive development of tomorrow’s electrified transport solutions is inspiring many new technological ideas. One of those is a project to develop a solar-powered truck, whose electrical propulsion is generated by the vehicle’s own solar cells, sited in a trailer that’s attached to a hybrid-electric vehicle.
It’s an imaginative undertaking that has seen a small teamwork in an agile setting to come up with solutions that both build on Scania’s modular system and create new technologies. The finished prototype has been handed over to long-term Scania haulage customer and partner Ernst Express, who will test it in actual operational conditions on Swedish roads.
The starting point was the lithium-ion batteries that are used in battery-electric trucks. In the time that Scania has been working with that technology, they have seen the batteries become lighter, cheaper and more energy-dense. The questioned if the efficiency of the cells doubles, the cost halves or drops away a lot, is there a breakeven point?
An initial six-month pre-study in late 2019 and early 2020 made the team realise that it did make sense to explore this technology now. Once they’d received funding from the Swedish state innovation agency Vinnova, a full-scale project began in January 2021, with solar cell development by Uppsala University.
The plug-in hybrid truck/tractor with all the 'regular systems' (100 kWh energy storage) is connected to the trailer with additional batteries, which have 200 kWh energy storage and act as a ‘power bank’ for the truck, and they’re connected to the solar panel box that charges the power bank,” he explains.
The data already indicates that solar panels do contribute significantly to the energy you’re getting for the truck, and it’s one part of the overall puzzle when it comes to decarbonised transport. The first thing Scania needed to find out is ‘does this make sense?’ And to answer that: yes, it’s good enough to work on the scale that they are doing now. Source
It has developed a multi-energy product offering to provide customers with sustainable and profitable solutions.
In the past four years, Iveco has dedicated its energy and resources to anticipating the rapid evolution of the market. It has invested in renewing its products based on customers’ needs and expectations, accelerating innovation through partnerships with best-in-class industry players. for every business need. It has accelerated the development of its electric vehicle offering and set up a dedicated manufacturing hub in Ulm, Germany, where it manufactures the first Iveco heavy-duty electric-born truck.
Iveco has renewed its entire product range all at once for the first time in its history with a 1-billion-euro investment, the biggest ever made. In developing this state-of-the-art line-up, Iveco has focused on four pillars: business productivity, driver experience, sustainability and connectivity.
The new features and innovations, built around Customer’s businesses and aimed at making drivers’ lives easier and more comfortably, cover all vehicle systems. Improvements range from propulsion, such as the introduction of a state-of-the-art engine in the heavy-duty segment, and ergonomics with the adoption of driver-centric and car-like feel and functionalities, to advanced Human-Machine Interface with enhanced onboard technology for safer driving.
Iveco’s aspiration to move society forward and power the sustainable transformation of the transport industry drives its multi-energy approach, which offers customers a choice in the technology that best matches their operational and business requirements. Guided by the principle that technology must adapt to the mission and meet mission targets, Iveco has developed electric versions of its light and heavy ranges while continuing to improve its internal combustion engine vehicles, including those running on natural gas, to reduce their environmental impact.
IVECO is supporting its customers’ transition to zero-emission mobility with eMobility-dedicated services designed to facilitate the switch to electric vehicles by increasing productivity, reducing TCO, and maximising the vehicle’s range and energy efficiency. GATE (Green & Advanced Transport Ecosystem) is an innovative all-inclusive pay-per-use business model for the long-term rental of “green” commercial vehicles to offer “peace of mind” to customers wanting to access electric mobility. Additionally, Iveco Capital offers customers a comprehensive financial solution for electric vehicles, as well as the whole Iveco range, including financing, leasing and insurance services in all markets.
IVECO marked the opening of a new chapter in its history – the culmination of a journey that began 48 years ago – with the unveiling of a new brand identity that embodies the concept of change. The new logo stands tall in black, expressing the brand’s dynamism and innovation while maintaining a proud link with the brand’s history: a flash of light in the blue energy colour at its heart represents the crossroads between Iveco’s heritage and its new energy future. Source
This allows for lower capital cost mulching for specialised operations.
The BL0/EX is one of the smallest fixed-tooth mulchers on the market, capable of shredding light vegetation, shrubs, and trees up to 8 cm (3.2 in) in diameter. It can be used for vegetation maintenance along roadsides, railroad tracks, canals, rivers, and lakes, for managing and protecting wildlife habitats, and for maintaining commercial green areas and sporting grounds.
Bite Limiter technology is ideal for high-productivity vegetation management, designed with reliable and efficient shredding in mind. The rotor with Bite Limiter technology comes with special wear-resistant steel profiles that limit the reach (bite) of the teeth. This reduces power demand and promotes a consistent working speed, ensuring excellent performance when mulching any type of wood. Bite Limiter technology also minimizes rotor stalling and optimizes fuel consumption.
The BL0/EX’s Direct Drive motor minimizes maintenance and enables a more compact body size for better manoeuvrability. The head’s clean profile and compact design are also made possible by the hydraulic block with a flow regulator valve built into the motor, along with the thumb bracket in the frame.
The new BL0/EX can be equipped with BL/MINI blades or C/3/MINI teeth and is available in two working widths: 56 and 80 cm (22 and 31.5 in). Source
The Crambo and Terminator e-mobile models are now also available with a track chassis.
Rising energy costs and new legislation on CO2 emissions are increasing the demand in the waste management industry for mobile machines with electric drives, which can be an ideal option for many applications.
The use of electric motors enables the use of renewable energies instead of fossil fuels and thus reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. In addition, electrically powered machines achieve significantly higher energy efficiency, which has a positive effect on the operating result. These are good arguments to look for e-models when investing in new machinery.
Komptech has continuously expanded its portfolio in shredding, screening and separation technology and already offers more than 60% of its machines as e-mobile or hybrid versions. Another innovation in the field of electrification is currently already in the starting blocks: the Terminator e-mobile and Crambo e-mobile models are now also available with track chassis. These are thus the first electrically powered machines in Komptech’s product range that can now be equipped with a fully electric track undercarriage.
Power is supplied by a battery pack integrated directly into the chassis. This eliminates the need for a conventional diesel or petrol power unit. This offers a number of advantages: On the one hand, the system saves space in the machine and on the other hand, no exhaust gases are emitted, which is why operation in closed halls is possible without any problems. Furthermore, a large number of maintenance parts such as filters and oils are no longer required. This not only saves money in operation, but also protects the environment. The entire system was designed for maximum driving performance and without compromise.
In the electrified Komptech mobile machines, a highly efficient electric motor takes over the roller drive. At comparable throughput rates, up to 70 percent of energy costs can be saved. The maintenance effort is also significantly lower compared to the diesel version and is reduced to about half with the electric drive.
On the outside, the e-mobile versions of Terminator and Crambo hardly differ from the diesel-powered models. Their engine compartment, however, is much clearer: next to the electric motor, a control cabinet of protection class IP54 is built in, which protects the electronic components from dust and high outside temperatures. The integration of the control cabinet directly into the machine enables quick commissioning. In addition, the e-mobile track machines are available in two different battery storage capacities. Source
Fecon LLC recently acquired TREEfrogg LLC
TREEfrogg LLC is a manufacturer of tree trimming saw attachments for skid steers and compact track loaders. The acquisition expands the right-of-way clearing solutions offered by Fecon in the forestry mulching and vegetation management industry. Designed to fit small to midsize carriers, TREEfrogg’s patented tree trimming saws allow landscapers, landowners and DOT’s to perform tree maintenance with machines they already have quickly, safely and economically. Fecon will rebrand the saw attachments as Trim Ex. Source
Volvo FH Electric wins “Truck of the Year 2024” award
Volvo Trucks has scooped the prestigious industry award for its Volvo FH Electric. It’s the first time ever that an electric truck wins the award. In explaining their decision, the jury praised the electric truck’s performance, seamless acceleration, quietness, and vibration-free behaviour. Source
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