December 3 - Heavy transport vehicle specialist Scheuerle is claiming a world first with the launch of a new platform trailer, the InterCombi PB.
Equipped with shiftable drive axles, and powered by a shiftable PowerPack Unit (PPU), the InterCombi can replace an additional tractor or banking machine on hilly transport routes, and can also be operated as a self-propelled unit, or coupled with other InterCombi platform trailers.
"It is the same height, width, and has the same couplings as standard platform trailers from the Scheurle Combi series," said Scheurle's Juliane Fürst.
"The peculiarity is that it is equipped with drive axles and can be powered by a PPU.
"It means that we are now offering the optimum replacement wherever you would previously have needed an additional tractor or banking machine."
Using the new equipment on a steep incline, the driver would start the150 kW PPU before setting off, and, as soon as a single tractor no longer had sufficient power to manage the incline, in other words the speed dropped below 14 km/h, the driving gear would start automatically to provide sufficient thrust.
The additional driving gear also shuts off automatically once an incline has been overcome and road conditions enable speed to be increased again.
"This means that the InterCombi is also the right vehicle for normal road traffic in a trailer combination," said Fürst.
"Once the driving gear is switched off, the drive unit can achieve a speed of 80 km/h in the transport combination. The InterCombi technology is also characterised by a stable chassis construction, axle compensation of +/- 325 mm and a steering angle of 60°."
For in-plant transports, the drive unit with PPU, with, or without, InterCombi platform trailers, can be uncoupled from the tractor, and can be controlled as a self-propelled transport combination using a mobile control unit. The hydrostatic drive, lifting and lowering functions, hydraulic steering, brake system and electric power supply can also be controlled using this unit.
