The cargo’s big height, the difficult route profile and several obstacles. A whole package of challenges to which the 2-axle Faymonville MegaMAX low bed semi-trailer has the technical answers.
The semi-circular container was loaded from an inland vessel onto the drop deck in Muttenz, Switzerland. The route to the unloading point in Emmen near Lucerne was 100 kilometres long. "The overall combination length of 32 metres was quite tricky to get around highway entries and exits," says Amsler employee Jeannette Schmidmeister about the first challenges that the team of drivers had to overcome. And as if that wasn’t enough: "The crash barrier height of up to 130 centimetres on both sides represented another problem. And entering and exiting roundabouts was going to be a challenge as well. Their diameter had to be considered due to make sure we could make those turns with such a long wheelbase."
Pendle axles provide effective solution
The Faymonville MegaMAX lowbed trailer is designed for such transport tasks. Jeannette Schmidmeister lists the technical aspects that helped the Amsler team to handle the 21 metre-long freight. "The maximum lifting and lowering of the hydraulic suspension by 600 millimetres enabled crash barriers and road signs to be avoided by the load, which partly protruded by 1.86 metres at the sides. And the 60° steering angle of the pendle axle bogie enabled us to complete all turning manoeuvres."
Teamwork was called for here and that works perfectly at Samuel Amsler AG. The formula for success is a good eye and precisely reacting equipment. "The radio remote control for the bogie steering is ideal," says Jeannette Schmidmeister, referring to the power steering system. "The assistant at the transport end manoeuvred the bogie with centimetre precision through the bottlenecks – and that took a big load off the driver."
Flexible use of the lowbed's components
After an overnight journey, the red and white combination successfully approached Emmen, where the steel container was unloaded from the MegaMAX. But there was no time to rest, because the low bed semi-trailer is valued everywhere and is accordingly used frequently by Samuel Amsler AG. "High payloads thanks to the low dead weight, an ideal cost-benefit ratio and a strong design," says Jeannette Schmidmeister, summarising the advantages. And since there are several Faymonville lowbeds in the vehicle fleet, it should be emphasised that Amsler can assemble all components such as beams and bolsters on different vehicles, depending on the task.