Armcon’s volumetric concrete mixers are stronger, lighter, and better looking with subframes redesigned in Strenx®
January 21, 2022
5 min read
Case details
Product
Strenx® 700MC D/ECountry
United Kingdom
Company
Armcon
Industry
Trailers and body builders
Brand program
My Inner Strenx®, Hardox® In My Body
When volumetric concrete mixer producer Armcon needed to comply with vehicle weight restrictions, reduce costs and cut lead times yet maintain durability and quality, it turned to Strenx® 700MC and Hardox® 450.
Gains from moving from S275 steel to high-strength steel
Armcon Limited, located in Cheshire in the UK, implemented a lightweight design of its latest volumetric concrete mixer “DuraLight” using Strenx® 700MC high-strength structural steel and Hardox® 450 abrasion-resistant steel. Moving up from S275 steel made the mixers easier to produce, lighter and more attractive.
Strenx® 700MC brings some substantial benefits to subframe structures, such as lighter and stronger high-strength structures compared with S275 steel alternatives.
Learn how Strenx® 700MC makes your equipment stronger and lighter
Upgrading from S275 steel made the mixers easier to produce in the workshop, lighter and more attractive
Using thinner steel dimensions enables lighter subframes, enabling vehicle owners and operators to meet stricter restrictions on maximum vehicle weight allowed on roads.
Stronger yet lighter next-generation heavy vehicles on the road ahead
The truck industry is set to transition to electric power and self-driving vehicles soon. This means they will need substantially lighter components to make room for the heavy batteries necessary for achieving high mileage.
Fleet owners recognize that an investment in driver comfort items and other amenities is critical to attracting and retaining drivers. But all these items add weight to a truck, making lightweighting important in order to continue shipping their current quantities of freight.
Armcon did its own lightweighting with the support of SSAB to achieve the optimal strength-to-weight ratio in its volumetric concrete mixers. The company succeeded in redesigning the subframe and aggregate bin, now reaching 8m3 at 32 tonnes.
A 3-D CAD drawing of Armcon’s concrete mixer truck with components made in Strenx® structural steel.
Certified My Inner Strenx® bin supports and subframe ensure the highest levels of performance and quality.
Volumetric concrete mixers with certified subframes good for business
Armcon is making the most out of SSAB steels. Their volumetric concrete mixers ensure high performance by combining a hard and tough body (Hardox® In My Body certified) with a My Inner Strenx® subframe made of Strenx® 700MC. Each of Armcon’s certified subframes features the My Inner Strenx® sign of quality that customers can trace as proof of product performance.
See what My Inner Strenx® can do for your businessStrenx® 700MC workshop benefits
At Armcon, Strenx® is used for the subframe that all other parts are attached to, as well as for the support ribs for the aggregate bin and cement bin. The mixer frame is also constructed from Strenx® to allow reduced weight while maintaining high strength.
Armcon is a long-time user of SSAB’s high-strength structural steel grades. The consistent properties of these steels enable new manufacturing processes, like tight bending, roll forming, punching with good finishing, and repeatable stamping for Armcon. In addition, Strenx® has a relatively low carbon equivalent giving it high strength and ensuring good welding results with a low impact on the heat-affected zone.
According to Armcon, bending Strenx® is so much easier than with mild steel. It behaves the same for every bend. Mild steel varies a lot and needs more setup and checking to get the bends right. This way, the change to Strenx® steel brought Armcon considerable savings in production time.
Learn more about the workshop performance of Strenx® 700 steelsCustomer benefits
• Moved from a yield strength of 275 MPa to 700 MPa, enabling lighter and stronger subframe structures
• With thinner steel gauges, the lighter subframes enable mixer owners and operators to meet stricter gross vehicle weight (GVW) limitations allowed on roads
• Subframe delivers high strength and improved durability at a low weight
• Strenx® performance steel brings workshop benefits – easy to bend and weld
• Maximized mixer lifespan and less downtime
Read moreGet a Strenx® upgrading consultation
Find out what upgrading to Strenx® can do for your products and your business.
The bin supports and subframe of Armcron’s concrete mixer are made of high-strength Strenx® 700MC steel.
Strenx® 700 takes performance above and beyond
Whatever application you’re using it for, Strenx® 700 steel has the strength and toughness you need to make it stronger and lighter.
Discover the capabilities of Strenx® 700 steels
Drive your performance with My Inner Strenx®
My Inner Strenx® is a program for manufacturers who possess the drive to make the best possible products using Strenx® performance steel.
What My Inner Strenx® means for you
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