12.11.2017

Three new innovations from ALE

UK based international heavy lift and transport company ALE has launched three new products - the 600 tonne capacity AL600 girder frame trailer, the 1,000 tonne TLG1000 telescopic gantry lift system and the revolutionary Route Survey Tool.

The AL600 is now the largest girder frame trailer from ALE, capable of carrying 100 tonne more than its smaller brother, the AL500. The modular design of its neck, 15 metre main beam and seven metre load spreaders, allows it to be driven in variable configurations depending on the type of load such as steam turbines, generators and transformers. The girder frame will be typically used with two 16 axle line transporters, although one project will use two 20 axle line units to reduce the axle loads to 14 tonnes when fully loaded.
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The new 600 tonne AL600 girder frame

One of the main features is neck design, which is tapered in both planes, allowing the transporter to clear tighter bends in the road without needing to remove as much street furniture and other obstacles. It also features the latest control systems for steering, height adjustment, camera systems and shock logging - all operated from the high tech control cab at the rear.
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The AL600 will operate with between 32 and 40 axle lines

“We wanted to build a transport solution that suited our requirements to transport heavy loads that could be utilised with our current trailer fleet, whilst maintaining safety and low axle loadings,” explained technical director Ronald Hoefmans. “Other standard equipment suppliers couldn’t fulfil our needs so we made the decision to design our own. The AL600 has been designed with strength and operational capabilities like no other frame in the industry.”

The first AL600 has been built and tested at ALE's R&D facility in Breda, The Netherlands and will be shipped to its inaugural project in Chile.
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The 1,000 tonne capacity TLG1000 gantry lift system

Designed in house, the TLG1000 lift gantry system has a 1,000 tonne capacity on four towers. It has a variable track width from the standard 915mm to an extra wide 1.75 metres, for more stability where space allows. The four stage tower are designed to take three times the side loading of the current standards and products in production. The towers also maintain their maximum capacity to full height, allowing the 1,000 tonnes to be raised to 12 metres. Safety features include a mechanical lock system and monitoring systems which measure ground settlement and any movement of the tower.

“We wanted a lifting solution with a high capacity without compromising on stability,” said Hoefmans. “This lifting gantry has been designed to take substantially more horizontal loading than the standard systems currently on the market. Furthermore, it is not only stronger, but the lifting capacity of the system remains the same throughout all three telescopic stages of the lifting process.”
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The ALE Route Survey Tool

ALE’s new Route Survey Tool is a computerised system that automatically logs all details of a given route on digital maps. Critical sections of the route are measured and photos, video footage and drawings are generated for more in-depth analysis.

The compact system unit is mounted to the roof of a car or van, using four large suctions pads and collects information on the route driven, at speeds of up to 80kph. The system has a scanning range of 100 metre radius around the car and with an an accuracy of 20mm.

Safety and project efficiency is also improved as the separate Driver Assist tool helps the drivers of a transporter by integrating the survey information with the transporters systems, instructing drivers of the challenges of the route ahead, particularly valuable during complex parts of the route.

“Route surveys have been integral to the heavy transportation projects and engineering services for years. Current systems, which are manually logged, are often susceptible to human errors and can be time consuming. We wanted to design a solution that was not only safer, more accurate and reliable, but one that could also cover longer distances and was a quicker alternative,” said ALE’s R&D manager Harrie Smetsers.

“The Route Survey Tool represents a revolutionary and easy way to carry out reliable route surveys in a quick and safe manner, and is the only system on the market that conducts a consistent and precise route survey without the need to manually enter information or step outside of the vehicle.”

The first route survey tool has been fully tested and is currently being used in Indonesia. The second unit looks set to be deployed in the UK.