Extreme loads, rough terrain and the highest safety requirements - the operator needed a special two-axle heavy-duty trailer for the energy supply in open-cast mining and presented Gloria Fahrzeugbau Bierewirtz GmbH & Co KG with a tricky task.The trailer was to be used to reliably transport and lay belt coils weighing 50 tons for the open-cast mining equipment. As a specialist for customized heavy-duty axles, TECMA found a clever solution that could reliably withstand the high loads and Gloria was able to deliver a perfect solution for its customer.

In the rugged environment of open-cast mining, one thing counts above all: robust, reliable technology. Gloria Fahrzeugbau, a traditional company based in Grevenbroich, specializes in the development and construction of tailor-made truck bodies and special trailers. With decades of experience in the construction of sophisticated vehicle solutions, the company was the ideal partner for the development of a heavy-duty trailer. This was to transport heavy belt coils for the numerous conveyor belts used in open-cast mining.

The requirements were enormous: a total load capacity of 85 tons distributed over just 2 axles, high braking power, ground clearance for rough terrain and extreme load capacity. When designing the trailer, it quickly became clear that the axles and brakes in particular would be under extreme strain. Not an easy task - and certainly not one that could be fulfilled with standard components.

In the search for a suitable partner, the choice quickly fell on TECMA. The SAF-HOLLAND brand has specialized in the customer-specific design and manufacture of axles and suspensions for over 30 years and is renowned for its heavy-duty solutions.

Due to this unique position and the long-standing cooperation with SAF-HOLLAND, TECMA was commissioned to develop an appropriate axle and brake solution for the specific requirements of Gloria Fahrzeugbau. The cooperation took place in close coordination between all parties involved.

FEM calculations (finite element method) were used to determine the optimum axle design. The result was a heavy-duty axle that easily meets the specifications, such as the exceptionally large track width of 2,630 mm and the enormous load capacity of 42.5 tons per axle. The calculations took into account all the important factors such as load capacity, stability and safety in order to withstand the extreme conditions in open-cast mining.

The brake design proved to be more difficult. While the braking energy required was relatively low due to the low maximum driving speed of 8 km/h, the combination of high axle loads and large wheels required a very high braking torque. TECMA found a surprisingly clever solution to this requirement.

After drum brakes were unable to achieve acceptable braking values, the decision was made to use disc brakes. And with the defined braking system, an extremely simple but effective solution was found: two brake callipers per wheel end. This technical “trick” of doubling the brake callipers also doubled the braking torque.
Fortunately, the customer was also enthusiastic about the solution and gave the go-ahead for the implementation of the concept. Once development was complete, the entire construction, known internally as the “Big Duck” due to its size and color, was put through its paces together with the TÜV - with outstanding braking values.

Felix Bierewirtz, Managing Director of Gloria Fahrzeugbau, is visibly satisfied: “The entire collaboration with TECMA went very smoothly. The required specifications were met in full, and all technical and scheduling agreements were reliably adhered to. Special applications are always based to a certain extent on trust between the partners involved. This trust existed here from the very beginning and was confirmed in every phase of the project.”

With this successful project, TECMA and SAF-HOLLAND show that innovative technology and partnership-based cooperation lead to outstanding results, even under the toughest conditions. The trailer has now been used in open-cast mining for over a year without complaint and has proven to be a reliable, robust solution.