COST-SAVING TOOL FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES EXTENDS TYRE LIFE, IMPROVES ROAD SAFETY
The pandemic is leaving no industry or business untouched. For South African transport companies that were already reeling under the economic downturn, the effects of an extended lockdown impacting on an ailing economy, could prove catastrophic. With the sustainability of their businesses in question, transporters are looking for any means available to reduce overheads and lower running costs.
SA TREADS sheds light on a device that could save transporters thousands with respect to tyre breakdowns and blowouts, whilst also improving rolling resistance and enhancing road safety. It is widely accepted that improper inflation and ambient temperature are the primary reasons why tyres fail. Plus, improper inflation of commercial vehicle tyres has a direct impact on the safety of the vehicle, the cost of operation and even the environment.
Improper tyre inflation also leads to poor vehicle handling. Stopping distances increase with under inflated tyres. What’s more, there is an increased potential for skidding or loss of control in a curve or when changing lanes when driving on under inflated tyres. And that’s not all. Increased rolling resistance increases your fuel consumption and in turn, produces more CO2 emissions. Improperly inflated tyres are also more susceptible to blowouts, which causes more debris on the roads.
This explains why tyre companies are coming up with a variety of devices that ensure the correct inflation pressure is maintained throughout the journey, thereby preventing costly downtime and ensuring that the tyre’s optimum lifespan and mileage is achieved.
One such example is Continental’s ContiPressureCheck monitoring system for commercial vehicles. A direct tyre pressure monitoring system, mounted on the inside liner of the tyre, the device is used to measure inflation and temperature changes. Designed with a multitude of capabilities, ContiPressureCheck sensors – fixed to the tyre using cyberbond – provide: ID storage, temperature and pressure monitoring, self-diagnosis, automatic single tyre exchange detection, under pressure warning, extreme under pressure warning, high temperature warning and fast pressure loss detection.
“Running costs have been a worry for transport companies in the people and goods segment for many years, as countless surveys show. Cutting expenses has become the single-most important factor for success in the field. With its tire pressure monitoring system, ContiPressureCheck, Continental is helping transportation companies get to grips with their costs – because incorrect tyre pressure is responsible for huge additional expenses.,” said Monica Ramsunder, Marketing Manager for Continental Tyre SA.
“ContiPressureCheck can help prevent unnecessary additional costs. The system provides precise data on tire pressure and temperature, and is a valuable indicator for efficient fuel and tire management in the fleet. It enables the driver to monitor tyre condition in real time, and to react quickly if there is a deviation from the defined value.
“If any changes in air pressure or temperature are detected, the sensor inside the tyre immediately sends the data wirelessly to the central control unit or CCU. This data is then processed and sent to the in-cab display every 2-4 minutes. If a pressure loss, or high temperature reading occurs, it is transmitted every 3-5 seconds to the in-cab display, thereby allowing the driver to take corrective action and avoid a breakdown before it happens,” said Ramsunder.
The system is being dubbed as an inexpensive solution for measuring tyre inflation pressure and temperature and that it pays for itself the first time it prevents a tyre breakdown. Improper inflation not only increases fuel consumption, but also the chance of a breakdown due to blow outs and reduces tread life, all of which drive overall fleet costs up.
The ContiPressureCheck tyre monitoring system can be adapted to the demands of every fleet, with numerous combinations available such as: truck only, truck trailer, trailer only, or bus/coach.
