The Latest: Trump defends plan to impose tariffs
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and trade (all times local):
FlowBelow Aerodynamic Systems Optional on International Trucks and Strick Trailers
International Trucks customers can now order FlowBelow's Quick Release wheel covers and have them factory-installed on new LT and RH truck models.
">Tractor-trailer aerodynamic device supplier FlowBelow announced to the 2018 TMC Annual Meeting Sunday that it has entered into agreements with a major truck OEM and trailer OE to provide its systems as an optional equipment spec.
FlowBelow's “Quick Release” wheel covers and Tractor AeroKit System will now be offered as optional equipment on all new International LT and RH Series trucks. The FlowBelow systems can now be ordered through the International dealer network with the installation work completed at the International Truck Plant and Truck Speciality Center.
The Tractor AeroKit reduces aerodynamic turbulence on a truck by streamlining air past the drive wheels.
FlowBelow also announced Sunday that its AeroSlider aerodynamic system will now be offered as a factory-installed option on Strick Trailer and have the system installed at the company's trailer manufacturing facility in Monroe, Ind.
The Tractor AeroSlider system mounts directly to a trailer's sliding suspension and travels with it underneath the trailer flooring. The system is designed to smooth out the complex airflow found around trailer wheels and in the wake of a trailer moving at highway speeds.
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Italy's younger voters split between right and left
Millennials in Italy dissatisfied with the economy were likely split between support for the center-right and center-left, says Marco Elser of Lonsin Capital.
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If consumers respond well to a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, Apple would probably increase the screen size of its baseline iPhone X.
Phillips Offers Update on Ultimate Connected Smart Trailer
Phillips Connect Technologies provided the update today during a press conference held in conjunction with the 2018 Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibit. Photos: Jim Park ">
Atlanta, Ga. — Phillips Connect Technologies detailed the significant strides they have made in the past twelve months with their smart trailer product development. The company provided the update today during a press conference held in conjunction with the 2018 Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibit.
Phillips Connect Technologies, a business of Phillips Industries, first spoke of TrailerNet during the 2017 TMC meeting. It is an open, completely agnostic platform for consolidating all smart-trailer sensors (from any supplier) into one central hub, using one data plan to deliver alerts to the driver, and customizable fleet management dashboards to the fleet's operations or dispatch teams.
The package of products is designed to communicate and integrate into one master channel of information gathered by smart-trailer components, capturing activities and conditions that fleets require to make sound operational and business decision. The open platform strategy, adopted by PCT since its inception, is based on the premise that customers want choices and every company has its own unique needs. The goal of PCT is to partner with every equipment and smart-trailer component manufacturer to provide the best combination for each customer, while offering one data plan and designing the system for easy plug and play.
Fleets currently have such capability, but it's usually built around multiple data channels from multiple suppliers," says Gerry Mead, executive director of innovation for Phillips Industries. "That often makes this a cost prohibitive proposition, forcing fleets to choose from hierarchy of data. TrailerNet makes the inclusion of all possible trailer-product ...Read the rest of this story
Stemco Introduces Trifecta Pre-Adjusted Hub Assembly
The Trifecta Pre-Adjusted Hub Assembly from Stemco could revolutionize wheel installation.
">The Trifecta Pre-Adjusted Hub Assembly from Stemco could revolutionize wheel installation. Its eye-popping simplicity has left technicians slack-jawed in surprise with its simplicity and ease of installation. The new wheel end system was developed in partnership with Webb Wheel Products and announced at the 2018 Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibit in Atlanta.
Designed for safety, performance and confidence, the Trifecta Pre-Adjusted Hub Assembly features the industry-first Discover XR (extreme runtime) wheel seal with GlideLock technology. The seal glides on and is self-locking, reducing installation force by 50%, with no pre-lube required.
The combination of the Discover XR wheel seal, Webb Wheel's hub and the Defender composite hub cap provides the a high level of contamination and corrosion resistance. The Trifecta assembly also features Stemco's Zip-Torq unitized axle spindle nut, increasing simplicity and safety for end users. There are no additional clips, keepers, snap rings or screws to install. The self-ratcheting locking feature prevents inadvertent back-offs, Stemco says.
Additionally, Stemco President Todd Anderson said installation of the new hub assembly requires no bearing adjustment, ensuring the hub is installed correctly, quickly and easily.
"When we took this to fleets to demonstrate its ease of installation, technicians went through the procedures and were stunned to discover how simple and repeatable it was and that it no special tools," he said. "The new Zip Torq nut literally allows the mechanic to install, adjust and walk away."
<img src="http://www.automotive-fleet.com/fc_images/news/m-stemco2-1.jpg" border="0" alt="
The Trifecta Pre-Adjusted Hub Assembly was developed in partnership with Webb Wheel Products.
">Anderson says when installed according to specifications, the wheel end will be well within established TMC tolerance recommendations, "usually somewhere between three-thousandths of an inch of freeplay to a very slight preload, which is ...Read the rest of this story
Michelin Unveils Energy Guard Tractor-Trailer Aerodynamic Solution
Michelin's new Energy Guard tractor trailer aerodynamic system features a new, wake reducer tab that works like a spoiler and reduces the air recirculation zone behind a trailer at highway speeds. Photo: Michelin
">New Michelin Energy Guard aerodynamic system includes a patent-pending rear-facing Wake Reducer tab.
Michelin is one of the oldest legacy companies serving the global trucking industry today. But according to Adam Murphy, Vice President of business to business marketing for Michelin, the company doesn't so much view itself as a “tire” manufacturer today, as it does a supplier of integrated transportation system.
Taken in that light, the launch today of Michelin's new Energy Guard aerodynamic system for tractor-trailers doesn't seem like quite the departure it would've just a few years ago. According to Murphy, Michelin's approach to tractor-trailer aerodynamics is a solution that increases fuel economy, decreases maintenance costs and requires no driver interaction to achieve those gains.
Energy Guard consists of a trailer skirt, trailer-end fairings, aerodynamic mud flaps and a patent-pending wake reducer, which Michelin says eliminates the need for “boat tail” fairings or combining aerodynamic products from different suppliers.
Murphy said Energy One features several innovations in its patent-pending design, including a trailer skirt that fully integrates with other aerodynamic components. The skirts are made from resilient, modern composites that bend out of the way when striking a objects. The wake reducer is much smaller in size than “boat tail” fairings in use today, Murphy said, but still minimizes the effect of the air recirculation zone that creates drag behind a trailer. Even better, he said, both are systems automatically functioning once installed and always activated without any driver actions.
According to testing carried out by Michelin, Murphy said the new Energy Guard aerodynamic system can deliver 7.4% fuel savings at 65 mph compared to tractor-trailer with no aerodynamic ...Read the rest of this story