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New Hardox® 500 Tuf lives up to its promises
Minimal wear of Hardox® 500 Tuf confirmed after +40,000 metric tons of crushed rock
Using elastic properties of Hardox steel, KH-KIPPER designed a new W1M tipper body for transportation in difficult exploitation conditions in mines.
The kinetic energy of the impact, even of rocks with considerable fraction, is perfectly absorbed. Vehicles equipped with such a body are a perfect solution for repetitive transport cycles of the load from the place of extraction to e.g the crusher. A new type of tipper bodies meets the requirements of customers who expect light but strong vehicles.
KH-KIPPER is the leading Polish manufacturer of tipper bodies on chassis over 12 t GVW. KH-KIPPER has been cooperating closely with SSAB for years and is an active member of HARDOX IN MY BODY program. In 2015 as one of first three companies in the world, it joined another program - MY INNER STRENX.
„The best materials such as high-strength steels that we use helped us to optimize products in terms of strength and lightness, and membership in SSAB’s brand programs enables us to improve production processes. Nearly all new KH-KIPPER products are almost completely made of Hardox and Strenx steels. Both steel types ensure strength and stiffness of structures with the use of thinner steel sheets. Our tipper bodies have reduced weight but improved performance, safety and durability. Many improvements would not be possible without strong and professional technical support from SSAB. We have access to the latest product know-how, workshop processes and innovative designs with the use of Hardox and Strenx. There are regular meetings and trainings related to welding and other steel processing techniques, where our employees from different departments can gain practical knowledge but also share our experience with SSAB’s experts. SSAB is one of our major and best suppliers and business partners”, says Andrzej Kamionka, the president of KH-KIPPER.
A new tipper body design made with the use of wear-resistant steel Hardox enabled to reduce the body’s weight and thus increased the tipper’s payload. A reinforced sandwich type floor is made of several millimeter Hardox plate on top, shock-absorbing rubber layer and a third special construction layer with numerous vertical profiles withstanding the impacts of big rocks. Therefore it is possible to eliminate most of the additional elements stiffening the floor. Hardox was selected also due to easy cutting, forming and welding with the use of traditional methods.
MEGA company from Nysa, Poland, is one of the youngest Polish manufacturers of transportation vehicles; it has been established in 2004. From the very beginning, the company’s strength has lied in people – the team is well prepared to weld and assemble various steel structures. Therefore, a new company, which could not compete right away with the biggest companies in this branch, has focused on a small scale production tailored to the customer needs. Currently MEGA produces around 800 vehicles a year; its portfolio includes tipper bodies, trailers, low-floor vehicles, agricultural machines, wood transportation vehicles, etc. Main customers are in Poland, Russia and Western Europe.
One of the growth directions in MEGA was to reduce the weight of vehicles and in order to reach this target the company has started to use high-strength and wear-resistant steels. From the beginning, the main supplier was SSAB. SSAB steels require to follow special technological procedures related to e.g. welding temperature for Hardox steels and weld sequence in case of Domex, so there would be no welding deformations. With technical support provided by SSAB, new procedures were smoothly and quickly implemented and today welding quality speaks for itself.
Practically, each vehicle manufactured in MEGA is different. Even if a tipper body looks like the last one made for the same customer, meantime there are often some new ideas to change thickness or height of side walls. It turned out that the best material to implement such changes is wear-resistant steel Hardox from SSAB. This type of production requires however advanced machinery but also this problem was successfully solved. Instead of investing in expensive machines and equipment, MEGA orders long elements made of Hardox sheets from SSAB Shape centre in Oborniki. In practice, 100% of elements made of Hardox is delivered from Oborniki, always just in time and with high accuracy.
Besides tipper bodies, MEGA manufactures also low-floor trailers and semi-trailers designed for transportation of construction machines. Their long elements are currently made of Strenx steels from SSAB. Strenx replaced S355 steels what resulted in weight reduction by 850 kg. At the same time strength was increased to such an extent that technical payload is now higher by 9000 kg. Strenx is also used in the production of axes. Own axes are a distinguishing mark for MEGA’s vehicles and their parts are made of SSAB’s high-strength steel.
„When it comes to the weight of vehicles, there is a huge gap between S355 steels and special steels. Taking into account a frame only, we can save few hundred kilograms, increasing strength at the same time”, says Wojciech Machowski, engineering and design department manager. „Strenx steels are much easier to bend with small radiuses, they do not crack, enabling thus structure optimization. And tipper bodies must have Hardox logo, customers do not accept anything else”, adds Wojciech Konstanty, production manager in MEGA.
A concrete solution for light, durable and smart pumps
When Turkish pump manufacturer Betonstar wanted to introduce new innovations in design and technology for its concrete pumps, it turned to SSAB. And in addition to Betonstar’s innovative mindset, they refused to compromise on raw materials or quality. That’s why they decided to use Hardox© and Strenx™ steels to produce lighter, more durable machines that they could show for the first time to an international market at the Bauma Trade Show.
Betonstar’s history with SSAB goes back a long way, to 1998. They were the first company in Turkey to use Hardox tubing in the manufacture of concrete pumps. This helps them differentiate themselves from other brands on the market that use SD52 and double-walled pipe.
The company has a 15% share of the Turkish concrete pump market, and uses Hardox and Strenx steels in its new generation of concrete pumps.
“We can manufacture concrete pumps that are both light and durable using SSAB’s products,” says Oğuz Diken, general manager of Betonstar. “As a result of the R&D work that we began in 2014, we have brought technical innovations and improved durability and weight savings to our pumps.”
In 2016, they began to implement these machine innovations in terms of both design and technology.
Innovative R&D pays off in a smart way
“In studies conducted in cooperation with TÜBİTAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, the malfunctions caused by sensors during a change of direction were completely resolved. As a result of the R&D work we conducted, our engineers completed our Smartstar application, which makes the concrete pumps smarter,” Diken says. This Smartstar application enables the machines themselves to identify and resolve any malfunctions in the pumps. It represents a significant step towards manufacturing “smart” concrete pumps.
Quality products and technical support
Betonstar prides itself on being highly selective when it comes to the raw materials it uses to manufacture its concrete pumps. Diken explains that they have requirements regarding origin and quality for the products they purchase and that they only procure construction steel pipe from SSAB.
A long-time customer, Betonstar has collaborated with SSAB since 1998 and has long experience of using primarily Strenx 700, Strenx 900 and Hardox Tube 500.
“SSAB is a brand that has proven itself around the world in the manufacture of high-strength steel. And the company has supported us in every area from day one. We know we can get any kind of assistance from SSAB anytime we want, starting with technical personnel support,” he concludes.
Custom orders and problem-free production with Hardox steel
Arslan Damper believes that quality raw materials and rigorous supplier testing help to keep its trucks rolling. It uses both Hardox and Strenx steels from SSAB to custom manufacture dumptruck bodies for high-profile brands like Man, Ford Otosan, Renault and Mercedes Benz.
A multifaceted manufacturer of machinery and equipment, the company primarily builds custom bodies for dumptrucks but has also begun to manufacture salt-spreading equipment, water tankers and scrap trailers. Founded in Soma, Turkey, in 1981, Arslan Damper has production at a 35,000-square-meter factory in Aliağa Izmir on the western coast of Turkey.
The company holds a strong market position in the Aegean region in dumptruck bodies and trailers and is also a supplier to the State Supply Office, Turkey’s main government procurement agency, which has awarded roughly 250 contracts each year to the company.
General Manager Engin Arslan says, “We have approved contracts with companies that manufacture chassis, including Ford Otosan, Mercedes Benz, Man, Temsa Mitsubishi and Otokar. These brands are sold both domestically and abroad.”
Choosing the best materials crucial for custom manufacture
Because Arslan Damper manufactures custom dumper bodies and not standard ones, direct communication with the customer is a key aspect of their business. In 2015 they filled 710 special orders, and in 2016 they exceeded their goal of 750 bodies.
“In our business, the materials being hauled by the customer are critical. The hardness of the material, the weight per cubic meter, the distance the materials will be transported, and how many trips the vehicle make per day are all criteria we take into account during the manufacture. Our aim is to find out this information and manufacture the product accordingly,” Arslan says.
Worksite conditions play a key role in determining the level of quality needed, and the choice of materials is critical to quality production. The company carefully selects the raw materials used and always keeps inventory on hand to meet product delivery deadlines. Arslan explains that it’s important for them to work in the most organized way possible to meet their daily goal of starting and completing three dumper bodies each day. “Working this way makes it possible for us to satisfy our customers’ needs and acquire large jobs. We don’t want the customer to lose money because they are waiting around,” he points out.
Keeping quality objective on the right track
The company has created a defect tracking system that records feedback from customers in order to improve the customer experience and to be able to review the equipment or materials used. Product development is then conducted based on this feedback. Arslan says, “We are one of the top two companies in our class in Turkey. We pride ourselves on doing custom manufacturing and tracking every single product we make. And we have service points throughout the country.”
Arslan Damper has a different approach to service that many of its peers in the region. The company has on-site intervention contracts, mainly with hydraulic system suppliers, for parts that they use, and they work with companies that have an extensive service network.
A preventive, personalized approach to service
The company is currently working on adopting lean manufacturing, and it operates according to a simple principle: Don’t deliver or receive defective materials. Once a week, the engineers and foremen gather to examine the finished product, and identify and note defects so that they can prevent them. The companies they do business with have different kinds of requests for service. “When companies that have our vehicles request service from us, we send out a team,” he says. “The team prepares a materials list and gives it to the company. When it is approved, we send a team of electricians and hydraulic experts to do all of the maintenance on the vehicles.”
Different steel types for different applications
In addition to bodies and trailers, Arslan Damper manufactures hook lifts, which use both Hardox and Strenx steels from SSAB. Because these steels are lightweight yet sturdy, they make a good fit for hook-lift production. The company also uses 3-millimeter Hardox wear plate in the containers they manufacture for the hook lifts.
Hardox wear plate also makes an appearance in many other products Arslan Damper produces – from sanitary equipment to snowplows and scrap trailers. The 54-cubic-meter scrap trailers made with Hardox are traditional 14-tonne trailers but can be manufactured to weigh 10.5 tonnes with a capacity of 40 cubic meters.
Products and people you can trust
Arslan explains that they have worked with SSAB ever since Hardox wear plates were introduced to Turkey and that they have never been let down by SSAB’s commitment to quality products and support. Arslan says, “We use both Hardox and Strenx steels and haven’t had any complaints from our customers yet. For us, this is an important benchmark – we have large-volume production and we’ve got to avoid getting complaints from customers.”
Arslan Damper has used Hardox 450 in thicknesses ranging from 4 mm to 12 mm, and prefers Strenx 700 MC up to 5 mm. In addition to buying steel from SSAB, the company receives technical support for some of its products. “One of the important things for us is being able to procure the raw materials we need immediately,” he says. “In this regard we have confidence in SSAB, and so far we have always been able to obtain materials when we need them.”
EcoUpgraded cases
Together with our customers, SSAB continually upgrades steel and equipment designs. SSAB EcoUpgraded saves CO2 both in steel production and during the full lifetime of the machine.
From the CO2 payback time and onwards, every extra hour brings additional savings.
