Fesan Makina raises the bar in dump trailers with Hardox 500 Tuf

“In order to switch to Hardox^® 500 Tuf, it is necessary to know Hardox^® 500 Tuf first. We had seen the quality and performance of Hardox^® 500 Tuf during our trip to Sweden,” Selvi says.

To increase the load capacity of their dumpers, they needed to reduce the weight of the steel used while maintaining strength. When deciding to use Hardox^® 500 Tuf, Fesan Makina started by discussing technical issues with SSAB. Analyses showed that a 1,000-1,200 kg (2,205–2,646 lbs.) lighter product could be produced with Hardox^® 500 Tuf. Hardox^® 500 Tuf offers an almost 50 HBW higher hardness, which results in a higher strength of the material, compared to Hardox^® 450. Fesan uses a 4 mm (0.157”) thick Hardox^® 500 Tuf plate instead of 5 mm (0.197”) Hardox^® 450. In other parts of the bodies, 3 mm (0.118”) Hardox^® 500 Tuf is used instead of 4 mm (0.157”) Hardox^® 450. The end result was a 1,200 kg (2,646 lbs.) lighter Accordion dumper.

With the new dumper trailer designed using Hardox^® 500 Tuf, weight wasn’t the only thing that changed. The shape of the dumper is more oval compared to the conventional angular design. As Selvi says, "We saw this oval form during our trip to Sweden and thought we could apply it to our own products." The oval form helps to distribute the weight on the vehicle and to increase durability. Before the oval design was implemented, the structural performance of the steel was tested. When the desired results were achieved, production started.

Hardox^® 500 Tuf is used for the main body of the accordion dumpers. Regarding workshop processing of Hardox^® 500 Tuf, Selvi particularly noted the bending properties, with each plate bending in the same way. This gives a geometric advantage and makes the work easier.

The lower weight of the newly produced Accordion dumper has also had a positive effect on production costs. “By using thinner steel sheets, we also gained a cost advantage, which we can pass on to the customer,” Selvi says. Owners get a two-way benefit with this product. It will cost less to purchase, and it will carry 1,200 kg (2,646 lbs.) more load.

Selvi explains how this affects the customer: "If one of our customers will load 1,200 kg more each time and move that load about 30 times a month, it will be carrying an average of 36 tonnes (39.7 tons) of excess cargo per month. This is for a single vehicle. If we consider that our customer has a fleet, it will have great impact on productivity. And when the vehicle returns empty, the new lighter design will provide both lower fuel consumption and less tire wear.”

Another positive aspect of Hardox^® 500 Tuf in the production process was the reduction of labor. In the previous design, a lot of support columns were needed. However, the new design needs fewer support columns, which reduces the amount of welding. Changing the design from angular to oval eliminated burr removal, especially before painting.

“The abrasion-resistant feature of Hardox^® is undisputed, everyone knows this, but it is also very strong,” Selvi adds.

Fesan Makina is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021. Fesan Makina Domestic Sales Officer and Founder Mehmet Baypınar reflects on this: “In just 10 years we have achieved a strong position on the Turkish market. Although we mainly focus on the production of clamshell tippers, our sales of container carriers, low beds and dry cargo semi-trailers continue at a high pace.” The company, which has been using SSAB products in its production for many years, sees the positive effect of this in its marketing. Using Hardox^® wear plate provides a great advantage when presenting Fesan Makina to its customers. It will now use this advantage with Hardox^® 500 Tuf for Accordion type dumpers.

“Our customers expect the tipper to be light and robust. Users are quite satisfied with the weight advantage provided by our current dumpers. However, we will continue our innovative development without interruption. Our next task is to extend the service life of our products produced with Hardox^® 500 Tuf,” Baypınar concludes.