Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik in operation with AL-KO Trailer Control
In an emergency, everything has to happen quickly – and this applies to all emergency services. Trailers for equipment or traffic redirection are often included. However, at higher speeds, a trailer can become a safety risk for helpers. That is why Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik relies on the AL-KO Trailer Control (ATC) anti-snaking system in its designs.
Greater safety for emergency services thanks to the AL-KO VT anti-snaking system
Reduced risk when handling trailers
When a call comes in at a fire brigade, every second counts. There's no time to search for the required equipment. Firefighters can get to work faster with a new trailer click system from Trebbin, Brandenburg, half an hour south of Berlin. To ensure that nothing starts to sway on the way to the scene of a fire or accident, the AL-KO Trailer Control (ATC) stabilisation system is on hand.
Floods, storm damage, animal rescues and vehicles involved in accidents – the voluntary men and women of the fire brigades are no longer just fighting fires. Their equipment now includes a wide range of materials, tools and different devices: from portable ladders and rescue jump mats, pedal cutters, through to welding equipment, hazardous material pumps and life jackets. But while emergency personnel are regularly trained to deal with even the trickiest situations, the vehicles used by these support teams are rarely up to date. Nor are they designed to store such a diverse and extensive range of items and equipment on a permanent basis.
Trailers at the fire brigade – time-consuming and difficult to handle
Containers create order
This is why some control centres use modular, interchangeable containers that hold the materials needed for a particular operation. If necessary, they can simply be moved onto an additional trailer.
It's easy, for example, because a technically sophisticated click system for trailers from Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik GmbH means this process takes only a few seconds. This medium-sized manufacturer of car trailers and lorry bodies from Trebbin in Brandenburg develops special trailers for fire brigades and police with a higher weight than 2.5 tonnes.
‘Our trailers with this system save a significant amount of time. This is particularly useful for voluntary firefighters who first have to drive from home to the fire station,’ says Dr Wolfgang Herold, Managing Partner of Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik GmbH, founded in 1997.
AL-KO ATC in Trebbin
Taking the trailer smoothly round the bend
But as operations of this kind may involve cornering at high speed, it's not only the trailer's click system that must deal with significant centrifugal forces. The trailers themselves also need to keep to the correct track through snow, rain or traffic jams, slaloming and responding to emergency lanes.
Dr Herold: ‘Fire brigades generally do not drive slowly to their missions. For example, roundabouts can quickly lead to dangerous situations and an increased risk of snaking. Routes are often unfamiliar or road conditions hazardous. This can quickly lead to a trailer going into an uncontrolled skid.’
To prevent this, Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik GmbH has enlisted an expert in chassis and suspension components. ‘We chose AL-KO Trailer Control from AL-KO Vehicle Technology. The system features an anti-snaking function that detects swaying movements using a lateral acceleration sensor,’ Dr Herold explains. If the tolerance threshold for permissible side movements is exceeded, ATC intervenes – before the rig can start swaying – by activating the wheel brakes with Bowden cables.
AL-KO ATC in the traffic control trailer of the fire brigade
Already in use at the Günzburg fire brigade
By briefly braking the trailer, the rig is stretched and straightened. This reduces lateral acceleration and eases the hazardous situation – so subtly that drivers are barely, if at all, aware of it happening.
The challenge: for utility trailers, the gross weight depends on the current load and this changes from trip to trip. The ATC is calibrated to the maximum permissible gross weight of the trailer and adapts dynamically to the load on each occasion. This creates greater safety when handling utility trailers at higher speeds and with varying loads – a benefit already recognised by the voluntary fire brigade in Günzburg, Bavaria.
AL-KO Vehicle Technology in action for the fire brigade
Delivering safety for those keeping others safe
For industry expert Dr Herold, this applies not only to fire brigades: road maintenance depots, police vehicles or the technical emergency service (THW) also benefit from the combination of click trailers from Trebbiner FahrzeugFabrik and ATC from AL-KO VT, which offers significantly more safety on the road. He knows this from personal experience behind the wheel: ‘Before deciding to use the AL-KO system for our trailers, I tested it out myself. We will install this solution in different types of trailers in future and even offer it as a sales option.’
Dr Herold had the chance to experience ATC live during the ATC Test Days at AL-KO Vehicle Technology in Kötz. ‘These Test Days are particularly important for us as developers. When it comes to safety, trust is paramount. This was won by the testers on site. We are proud to have won over customers like Dr Herold, valued for his expertise as an industry representative, thanks to quality, safety and innovation,’ says Lukas Schwehr, Product Manager at AL-KO VT.
ATC on test
Trust is paramount
‘The ATC Test Days are a good example of how sales should take place these days. Being able to confirm the quality and functionality of a product for yourself is no longer a given. All the more gratifying that Dr Herold took the opportunity and we can continue and expand our already long-standing good relationship with our ATC solution,’ adds Pierre Auf dem Brinke, Regional Sales Manager North at AL-KO VT.
ATC is designed to assist when handling trailer combinations. It cannot, and is not intended to, compensate for grossly negligent driving behaviour or such unfavourable load states that accidents can always be completely prevented. ATC is available in various versions for trailers with a maximum permissible gross weight of up to 3.5 tonnes. AL-KO Trailer Control can only be fitted in combination with an AL-KO VT axle and AL-KO VT wheel brake. The system should also only be installed by trained specialists.
