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STAS: AN AFFINITY WITH ALUMINIUM
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• UK bulk hauliers have regularly flirted with all-aluminium trailers in the quest for maximum payloads. However, the durability of these early designs has left a had impression with many operators. The market would have been a let better a long time age if these people hadn't made their mistakes," says Tanghe. "We know a great deal about how to handle aluminium and how to weld it. We've worked closely with the metallurgy departments of Belgian universities to develop the best technology."
The biggest mistake, says Taal*, is to replicate an existing steel chassis design in aluminium arid expect it to behave in the same way. Stas takes a noticeably different approach to aluminium chassis construction, starting with a choice of 15,20 or 25mrr thick top flanges (depending en the trailer's application) which measure 200mm across; the standard is normal! 150mm. "A wider flange offers more support to the body," says Tanghe.
With a steel chassis there would be n( Problem attaching the web direct), to th top and bottom flange with 90° welds, be
Is warns that this creates acceptable stress points on an 'minium chassis, Instead the design 'tures two large, T-shaped
trusiorts with a slot at the end of the rms. The narrower web is then Ided into the slots by a robot welder o a neutral stress area.lhe firm a fits ``swallow ta ir cross
anbers to spread loads over the in rails, avoiding critical iess/weld points. Where steel 'cities aluminium it is also galvanised stop any chemical reaction.