Transmon's Tyre Savure

British forklift technology company Transmon Engineering has unveiled its engine management systems designed to reduce costly downtime associated with engine and transmission damage.

According to Paul Sercombe, Transmon's sales director, a number of serious engine problems, including cracked or warped cylinder heads, can be prevented through early detection and rectification. "By ensuring that drivers cannot continue operating through the early signs of a problem, such as low oil pressure or high coolant temperatures, engine failure can be reduced," he says.

Transmon has developed the Engine Savure to continuously monitor a forklift engine and completely shut it down after a 30-second warning when a problem is detected. This prevents drivers from continuing to use equipment when warning lights are present.

An additional option goes one step further to help minimise the number of hours the truck is used and help reduce overall fuel consumption, promoting a more environmentally responsible site. It is common for drivers to leave a truck running while they step off to quickly perform another task or talk to a colleague. If the truck is left idling, it is putting hours on the clock and increasing wear, adding to unnecessary fuel costs and the overall contract costs, which are usually monitored by the hours used. Transmon's technology will power the truck down after an adjustable idle time period of between one minute and eight minutes.

"The reality is that forklift trucks are open to abuse by drivers who may have fallen into bad habits and not understand the true costs associated with the materials handling fleet. The engine use is one issue; however, another common problem is transmission wear which can be attributed to bad driving," Sercombe adds. To combat transmission wear, Transmon developed a system which prevents forklifts from being put into reverse before they've come to a halt.

"Drivers don't always bring the truck to a controlled stop before selecting the reverse gear which not only causes unnecessary wear on the transmission but also adds to the overall cost of ownership through excessive tyre wear," he explains.

He claims this system protects the transmission and reduces tyre wear by up to 400%, while also reducing housekeeping costs such as reduced floor marks and tyre dust on the product or in the atmosphere.

Each system can be fitted either to new machines (on the factory line or in the SPED department) or to machines that are already in operation (via distributors, dealers, service providers or direct with the end-user).

According to a company spokeswoman, the Engine Savure can be fitted to any IC engine - even a car. The Tyre and Gear Savure can be fitted to any IC torque flow converter transmission, however, not to hydrostatic variants or electric motor vehicles.

Transmon's systems start at GBP700 (USD1,400), depending on the application.