Rigid way to contro load temperatun
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Smaller vehicles now aspire to the standards needed for type approval. Bill Brock visits a Lancashire bodybuilder leading the way
ATP (Accord Transport Penissables) is the agreed standard in Europe for the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs.
Buckstone Motor Bodies of Shaw, near Oldham, Lancs, believe they are the first body builders to gain type approval for their range of temperature controlled bodies for rigid vehicles.
Since November 21, 1980, all new temperature controlled transport equipment engaged on international journeys wishing to enter Austria, .Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Russia or Yugoslavia have had to carry evidence of certification. Before this date certificates lasting three years could be issued following an examination and brief in-field testing. Many types of transport equipment were submitted during the winter, when the temperature is at its lowest.
Until recently only large vehicles have aspired to the standards required for type ap
proval. The smaller volume of rigid vehicles makes them more susceptible to even a small temperature drain. The new chamber testing procedure is much more stringent. Measurements recorded in a controlled environment at a temperature of 30°C are used to assess the performance of the insulation material in individual panels and given a rating of efficiency called a K factor.
Refrigeration equipment is graded by its ability to maintain the required internal temperature while the whole construction is classified according to its K coefficient and thermal capacity.
Buckstone Motor Bodies' development costs for their 60Series MK ill temperature controlled body are estimated at about £100,000. Type approval has been achieved with all the company's models from 2.4m (8ft) to 8.8rn 29ft).
The modular system of construction incorporates many new extrusions — 31 aluminium, two plastic and three polystyrene, in addition to four aluminium castings. Each contributes to the body's o,verall thermal efficiency.
During the development period the company made many visits to the Ship Owners' Refrigerated Cargo Research Association's test laboratories at Cambridge. Each time the heat , paths were identified and reduced or eliminated before the subsequent visit.
Finally, using what is considered to be the worst thermally efficient bodybuild specification, which includes equipment such as meat rails and a meat loader, the MK III body achieved Class A, B and C certificates. These are valid for six years from the equipment's date of manufacture and should carry external distinguishing marks, FRC, propriate to the body's use performance.
Without extra equipment bodies operate more efficie which makes the K factor 134 than the minimum required.
Buckstones' kit system of duction incorporate a serie interlocking extrusions to the sides, roof and floor gether.
Unlike the company's Series dry-freight vans, exte front and side panels are jointed to the vertical oil Each is precision punche( accept the rivets and can b( placed at any time with a E dard panel in the event damage.
The reverse side consist fibre reinforced plywood. two skins are separated by n spacers and so are devoil metallic contact. Polyurett foam insulation is injected t. dividual wall, roof, floor door modules under pressur A holding press is used to trict panel deformation ch.. the curing process, which in a heat build-up as the foar chemicals interact. Each of walls are made with 10C (4in) of insulation and the has 134rnrn (5.25in) while floor is 100mm (4in) thick in( ing 78mm (3in) insulation.
In all but the 3.05m body, the roof section con1 steel inserts which will at meat rails at the time of m facture or at a later date i quired and without modifica The front bulkhead is structed with a steel insert w close fitting rubber sea accept any type of mechal freezer unit specified. As ag for Petter the company would normally fit units in that range, but the freezer unit may be changed at any time during the life of the body without rebuilding the whole of the front bulk head.
A three-point seal-silicon, sponge rubber and mastic, is contained between each of the whole panels so that final assembly resembles an inner box totally insulated from the outer skin, but is built to take ancillary equipment such as a meat loader and tail lift.
The ATP certificate, even when issued for the most difficult bodies, is not affected by the addition of equipment.
Production at Buckstone for temperature controlled bodies is running at about 10 per week, alongside the company's dry freight build, but the total production facility is estimated to be much higher — between 40 and 50, depending upon the size of individual units.
Development of a very mod
This paint facility is unique ir the bodybuilding business Three tunnel booths each 24n(80ft) long, fitted with hydraulic platforms, enable the conven. tional hot-spray system to be ap. plied from floor level to the ful height of the vehicle.
Each booth is conditioned by an external clean air intake, heated to 65°F. Paint laden air is extracted at floor level anc passed through a water wash before re-entry at the rate of complete change every 3C seconds.
After spraying has been corn plated, the booth is transforma into a low-bake oven in which al is passed through at 160°F to ac celerate the finishing time.
Each of the 24m (80ft) booth: can be sectioned off to product six smaller independent 12n(40ft) booths.
The whole site, which is jus one of four in the BuckstonE complex complementing thE company's storage and aseem bly plants, can cater for 20( vehicles at the various stages o' preparation and paint comple tion.
At present there is no indica tion of ATP becoming a manda tory requirement for vehicle solely operating within the UK. A vehicle needs ATP type approve only if its domestic journe) forms part of a longer interna. tional journey which is not in terrupted by a sea crossing o. more than 150km (93.2 miles).
However, pressure from cus. tomers, increasingly demandinc. improved guarantees as to thE quality of goods on delivery, wil instigate a steady growth in thc use of fully approved vehicles or all types of journeys even if thE Department of Transport or thE Department of Health do noi step in with legislation at sornE future date.
The MK III 50-Series tempera ture controlled body can be seer at the first TemperaturE Controlled Storage and Distribu. tion International Exhibition tc be held at the NEC, Birmingham, June 2-5.