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VARIETY SHOW AT NEC

From jacks to jigs and beacons to ball joints, The SMMT's Automotive Trade Show had it all.

There was plenty to interest the commercial vehicle workshop manager and technician alike at this year's Automotive Trade Show.

New from beacon specialist Delta Design is the Turbo Bar Series light bar with xenon gas discharge tubes. The bar has a beacon at either end producing three images each which the company believesis unique. The benefits of xenon lighting are very low current consumption (a single xenon beacon takes quarter of the power of a rotating one), longevity (guaranteed for 3,000 hours) and no moving parts.

The initial cost of all xenon beacons is higher—as much as three times the cost of a rotating beacon, but payback time is said to be short. The Turbo Bar comes in three sizes500, 1,200 and 1,500nun, typical prices are £162.76, £392 and £42(170. And customers can specify a back-illuminated sign in the centre.

Also new is a steel beacon guard as a precaution against accidental damage and Delta Design has gained E Approval its single beacon units. For further information write No 66 on reader reply card.

Nederman has introduced an infra-redcontrolled exhaust extraction reel which has up and down movement as well as longitudinal. This reduces the number of reels which need to be installed in a workshop and reduces costs. The installation is tailored to the workshop and the unit is controlled with a handheld IR transmitter which works like a TV channel changer. Gases are extracted up the rubber hose and then along the length of the supporting gantry (up to 200m long). Suction is provided by an electric pump so no demands are made on a workshop's compressed air supply. Write No 67 on card.

The new Glo-Leak leak tracer from Primalec Leak Detection Products attracted much attention. Harmless leak tracing fluids added to vehicle systems fluoresce brightly when the Glo-Leak UV lamp is pointed their way. Primalec claims that every leak in a system, however small, will be found. Prices for complete kits start at £114.65. Write No 68 on card.

Nottingham-based Unic International (UK) was showing its new Italian-made electro-hydraulic oil filter crusher, the UFC 16. It has a crushing capacity of 16 tonnes and will crush between one and three filters at a time. Approximately 95% of used oil is removed and waste volume is reduced by 80%. The machine will accommodate a 300mm filter and collects the extracted oil in drums within the cabinet.

The 1UFC16 has a CE specification and works from a single-phase 240V supply. The supplier says the big advantage of this machine is its speed—filters are crushed in 1720 seconds. The cost is £1,565. Write No 69 on card.

Nike Power Equipment was exhibiting its ZMF112 air/hydraulic oil filter press. This compact unit can be mounted directly on to a standard 204-litre (45-gallon) waste oil drum and will crush filters up to 350mm high and 130nun in diameter.

The machine is activated with a pedal-operated hydraulic pump and has a press capacity of 12 tonnes. The air pressure required is 6-10 bar and the maximum hydraulic working pressure 700 bar. The ZMF112 is currently available at the special offer price oi £999. Write No 70 on card.

Weber-Hydraulik had on display its extensive range of British-built lifting equipment including some new air/hydraulic-powered bottle and trolley jacks plus trolley-type transmission jacks. All are fitted with safetyoverload valves and have 12-month warranties.

Intended primarily for breakdown and tyre replacement use, the 'bottles' have lifting capacities of 12, 20 and 30tonnes and can be operated either by air—at a minimum of 90psi, maximum 180psi—or manually. The trolley jack, a single-lift unit, has a 20-tonne capacity and the maker says its selling price of £465 is competitive. Write No 71 on card.

New from CompAir AutoPower is a range of cast iron, heavy industrial duty compressors ranging in motor size 5.5 to 25hp. These slow-speed machines have cast-iron cylinders, valve bases and flywheels plus stainless steel valves and drop-forged crankshafts. Durability and reliability are the key qualities, says CompAir and claims these machines will outlast the standard equivalents by some 10 years.

Free air deliveries range from 18.5 to 78.5cfm. Prices start at about £855 for the 5.5hp model and rise to £2,695 for the 25hp machine. Write No 72 on card.

HPC Compressed Air Systems chose ATS '95 to launch the Air Treatment Package. This is a skid-mounted unit for downstream treatment of both compressed air and condensate. Air from the receiver is passed though the first filter, on into a refrigerant drier (down to 2-3°C), then through the second filter and on into the air lines for consumption.

During the process all the condensate from the air is passed into an oil and water separator so that it can be disposed of legally afterwards. Before now these components would have had to have been purchased separately.

No plumbing-in is required, it's simply a matter of plugging in and getting started. It is designed to be matched with the 85drn SK26 rotary screw compressor. A smaller unit, available later in the year, will operate with the SK19 machine producing around 60cfm.

The larger HPC Air Treatment Package costs about £3,500. Write No 73 on card.

Josam Products, the chassis, cab and axle repair and alignment specialist, is now making its frame presses and most accessories in aluminium alloy, making the equipment lighter and easier to handle.

Its induction heater, new to the UK, does away with the need for an oxy-acetylene heat source. It's more efficient and localised than a flame and is therefore more controllable.

Less stripping is required so the repair process is quicker. The unit costs about £20,000. Write No 74 on card. Ingersoll-Rand launched the model 111 (3/8in drive) and model 1111 (1/2in drive) Reactionless Ratchets, replacing the 110A and 1100A tools, for improved perfor mance and extended working life.

Both versions have a free speed rundown of 300rpm which is twice as fast as the standard wrenches. Torque output is 13-68Nm (10-501b/ft) and the operator is protected by a unique hammer clutch mechanism which is said to absorb torque reaction when the tool stalls. The new models each weigh 1.15kg and have a positive forward lock and reverse control. There is an external grease fitting for simple lubrication. Prices are £190 and £197.

Another addition to the air tool range is the 7804R high performance reversible angle drill with maximum free running speed of 1,200rpm. This tool incorporates a variable speed throttle to ease starting, a quality Jacob's chuck and a rear exhaust to direct expelled air away from the user. The new 7804R costs £193. Write No 75 on card.

Sykes-Pick,avant was exhibiting in force with an array of diagnostic equipment and hand tools. The new ranges reflect the need for specialised diesel servicing and testing equipment. Write No 76 on card.

Kingfisher Sales & Marketing was exhibiting PR88 barrier cream which is watersoluble product and, it says, the only one on the market that is wax-based. The dirt sticks to the wax rather than the user's skin and can be washed off. There is also PR99 which is water insoluble (for wet work) and PR2000 which is a skin reconditioner to be used after work. These are all German products.

Also new is 'Scrubs In-A-Bucket' which comes from the US. It is a waterless hand cleaning system combining a liquid hand cleaner and a non-scratching, abrasive towel. The solvents used are all natural and the product is non-toxic. A handy dispensing canister contains 72 perforated scrub towels. Write No 77 on card.

Engine instrumentation and engineering specialist AVL United Kingdom was presenting the AVL DiSystem 845 which is an eight-transducer diesel engine diagnostic system.

It offers three main functions—injection system analysis which will pin-point the problem without component removal, power and torque measurement (on-screen curve produced) and relative compression cranking test with cylinder identification. The complete 845 kit costs £12,000.

AVL also offers a range of four-gas analysers, the DiSmoke 435 being designed for purely diesel applications. This unit costs about £7,000. And then is the AVL DiScope 865 which can test any type of transducer likely to be found on a modern engine.

One of the standard functions is looking at electronically controlled diesels and so this is one to bear in mind for the future. The price of this is currently £2,950. Write No 78 on card.

The Oilman 4000 is a PC-based oil stock management package for the workshop marketed by Leicester-based Orion. It is the only DTI-approved system of its type currently available. The package allows oil to be dispensed through remote keypads (as many as necessary) around the workshop which the technicians must access by a PIN or job/quan tity number. A print-out details the amount involved and numbers the operations.

Orion says that the idea of the system is to cut down on the wastage and miss-use of oil and also to control the stock by reordering automatically. Cost is according to installation. Write No 79 on card.

For bodyshops Amersham International was showing the Stat-Attack Ionising Gun. This device, designed to eradicate the cause of paint contamination at source, is used like an air gun to clean the panel immediately before painting. The gun relies on the radioactive material Polonium 210 for its effect. It will operate for 12 months, without any cleaning, recharging or servicing, says AI. After this a new cartridge will be required.

The Stat-Attack Ionising Gun will cost a bodyshop £24.95 per week. Write No 80 on card.

A new HVLP spray gun was on show from Iwata (UK)—the LPS2. The gun is suitable for top coats up to 50 seconds viscosity This level of performance is achieved by a two-stage operation. Pre-atomisation occurs within the air cap and then the job is completed outside.

This system allows the application of high viscosity paint products. Iwata says this improved atomisation negates the need to heat the paint and solves the problem of pre-drying often associated with HVLP equipment.

Gun controls are conventional although the spray pattern adjustment, found on the side of the gun, is thumb-operated to maximise control. The LPS2 will sell for about £300 and can be ordered with pressure pot (fed from a feed in the fluid inlet nipple to simplify disconnection), two-litre remote pot or a pump. A complete system costs from £400 to £700. Write No 81 on card.

Lion Industries is the sole importer of American-made Sharpe spray guns and had on display the 975 HVLP Pressure gun which is especially suited to CVs. The gun, which has stainless steel passages and a Teflon-coated paint cup (inside and out), applies a low pressure to the cup from a mini regulator below the handle. The gun can also be connected to a two-litre pressure cup or any pressure tank. The cost is £257.55. Write No 82 on card.

New from Safety-Kleen is the Mk4 Dual Action Spraygun Cleaner. With this machine you can hand-clean to remove dried-on paint and simultaneously operate the automatic cleaning cycle for more recently used equipment. The unit will deal with gravity-feed and suction guns and can cope with both water and solvent-based paints. A plastic lining helps keep the machine clean and all contact surfaces are stainless steel. Limited numbers of the Mk4 are available now It will be added to Safety-Kleen's existing range later this year. Write No 83 on card.

Farecla Products was demonstrating its latest flatting paste, G-Matt. It's an abrasive designed to be applied with a damp cloth to paintwork to provide a key for local repairs The product contains no oil or solvent and is primarily water-based. The cost is £4.37 for a 450g tube. Write No 84 on card.

IVII3D Group was displaying its new BSX Powerdrive Bruteform batteries. These heavyduty units have thicker plates, envelope separators and stronger construction to maximise lifespan. Durability vibration resistance and cold cranking performance are said to be impressive and the range offers 95% coverage of the CV market from just six models. Write No 85 on card.

Woodhead RSR was promoting its onestop shop facilities through its UK outlets. It claims to stock all commercial vehicle components, everything from road springs to oil filters and has added Tungstone Batteries to the list. Also new is the Fleetguard Filtration scheme to provide total engine protection. Air, fuel, oil, hydraulic and water separation filters are included plus a no-quibble warranty, unrivalled availability and technical assistance. Write No 86 on card.

Tool Connection's display included a new security bit set. This contains bits for inserting and removing tamper-proof torx drive, hex key and screws used to deter user adjustment.

Also on display was a palm grip ratchet for use in confined spaces. It is a 3/8 drive reversible ratchet which is only about lOmm thick. Equally useful is a double-ended ratcheting box spanner with stepped female hexagons. The one spanner fits 10, 12, 13 and 14mm a/f bolts.

For those needing controlled heat in small quantities, Tool Connection has a cassette torch which uses a lighter as a fuel source. Write No 87 on card.