Scheuerle/Kamag launches K25 system in US

On a steaming hot day in Houston across the street from NASA Johnson Space Center, Scheuerle/Kamag launched its new K25 heavy haul system to its customers in the US.

Bernd Schwengsbier, president of TII Sales, termed the K25 as "a groundbreaking heavy haul option that emerged from the combined know-how of experts in the specialized transportation industry worldwide. TII Sales is the parent company of Scheuerle, Kamag and Nicolas, and the K25 is a joint project of Scheuerle and Kamag.

Schwengsbier said the K25 is an especially practical hauling system for the US market, and the roll out of the K25 in the US was important because not many stateside customers had the opportunity to see it at Bauma. Fittingly the introduction event for the K25 was on the 25^th day of June and during the 25^th week of the year. He said the reasons for developing the K25 were many, with customer requests the most important.

"There are lots of trailers in this market," he said. "Kamag is not really well known in the road industry. It is known for its working steel yards and ship yards and for SPMTs. But with the K24 we had developed a coupling system that is popular on the market. We took our blueprints for the K24 and made improvements. This is a very innovative concept which makes the daily work much easier."

The K25 is a new concept in heavy haul from the two companies - it is an autonomous platform trailer that distinguishes itself from previous platform trailers, Schwengsbier said. The modular design of the K25 facilitates many combination possibilities, and it can be adjusted to the requirements of almost any transport task, he said. The K25 is legal on public roads and for in-plant tasks. The trailer has several special versions and accessories.

The K25 has the highest bending moment on the market, a steering angle of plus or minus 60 degrees or plus or minus 140 degrees on the K25 SPE, the company claims. It features the largest oil volume in its class and also is designed with freely accessible steering rods, special lashing eyes for optimal load securement, wear-resistant design, sturdy vehicle construction with extreme maneuverability, and end to end and side by side coupling, according to the company.

By reinforcing the main beam, the permissible bending moment has been increased by 16 percent, giving the K25 a higher bending moment or high load reserves, the company said. Beam height has been maximized so that the distance to the ground with lowered platform and minimum tire size is 20 mm.

The K25 has an oil tank integrated into the vehicle frame and, with the largest oil volume in its class, the K25 enables the operation of transport combinations of up to 25 axle lines without an additional tank. The coupling fins on the K25 have been reinforced to 40 mm, allowing for more wear and stabilizing end to end coupled vehicle combinations when driving around bends.

The steering rod location is designed for easy access and easy removal and coupling, without the need for time-consuming threading of the steering rods. Depending on the configuration, only one end of the steering rod needs to be loosened for relinking in a loaded state.

Accessories for the K25 include the Power Booster configuration, which has shiftable drive axles and can be towed at 50 mph or propelled by an equally shiftable power pack unit (PPU). This development offers additional traction (thrust) without using an additional thrust machine on routes with inclines. The K25 PB can be operated as a self-propelled unit or coupled to other K25 platform trailers.

At the customer event were representatives of Transport Systems and Products, Precision Engineering and Rigging Gear Sales, which will represent the new K25 to its customers in the United States. Toni Sabia, president of Transport Systems and Products, said reaction to the K25 has been strong and that a planned US tour of the trailer to customers around the country will allow them to see firsthand the innovation incorporated in the unit.

"We are excited about this new and innovative addition to the TII line of products," she said. "The K25 is an innovative vehicle concept based on the new Universal Development Platform of the TII Group. As with the other TII products, components that have been in use for years form the basis for the new vehicle concept. Whether on public roads or in-plant use, the K25 will prove to be a cost-effective option for the heavy transport industry."

She said the K25 will also be available for viewing at the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop in September in San Diego.

The K25 SL, split type, has longitudinal pitch and can be extended into a 3-file combination with the K25 series. Using additional spacers between the vehicle halves means that the vehicle widths of 4,000 mm can be realized.

The K25 SP is the self-propelled version of the unit. The hydrostatic drive, the steering and the lift hydraulics in the pendulum axles are powered by a PPU. The K25 S can be naturally coupled to the drawing platform trailers.

The K25 SPE is the self propelled/electronically steered version of the unit. The "tractor" designed for the K25 is hydrostatically driven and is available for 4- and 6-axle units. The different steering options include all wheel steering along and crosswise, diagonal steering along and crosswise, frontwheel and rear wheel steering as wells as circular steering. The steering of the K25 SPE is plus or minus 140 degrees.

The K25 is also available in the ES (extra strong) option which is made from S960 steel and the K25 UL is the ultra light weight version of the system.

Accessories for the trailer include a gooseneck system, various deck options, remote control (both cable and radio), as well as a bolsters designed for longer loads, including concrete beams and wind tower components.