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Page 61
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There was a time when the most high-tech part of a trailer was a dual-filament light bulb but some of the multi-deck trailers built by Don-Bur today are so sophisticated they contain their own on-board power supplies and computers.
When things go wrong with these complicated machines, whether through component failure or operator error, it can take a significant chunk out of a delivery schedule to get a repair carried out on site. Events such as a jammed floor paddle lock, a damaged sensor or even an inadvertently knocked stop button can bring operations to a halt.
Don-Bur's answer to this is the box of TRICS (Trailer Reporting Interface and Control System), a diagnostic unit permanently connected to the trailer's ECU. Made by Siemens, the box monitors a number of functions and displays any errors on a screen. The exact nature of the functions can be specified to suit an individual operator's needs, but would typically include lock actuation, stop control status and battery voltage. It can even incorporate GPS locating and a GPRS connection for remote diagnostics, as well as on-board weighing.