What Are Self-Propelled Modular Transporters And How ...

At JB Rawcliffe & Sons Ltd, we&#;re experts in transporting heavy cargo for several sectors and perform tasks with the use of a wide range of heavy equipment that possess extreme load capacity.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website.

The heavy loads we deal with are transported around the UK with heavy haulage trucks and a variety of specialist equipment. One such piece of equipment is a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT).

What is a self-propelled modular transporter?

A self-propelled modular transporter is a platform vehicle that features a large number of wheels and consists of different modules with an axle line count of four, five, six or eight.

Each module has its own engine and steering control system. A self-propelled modular transporter is perfect for transporting massive objects like oil refining sections, motors, large sections of bridges, and other items that are too big for a truck.

How do we use self-propelled modular transporters?

At JB Rawcliffe & Sons Ltd, we&#;re able to call upon 28 lines of SPMTs, that offer a capacity of over tonnes, for the movement of even the heaviest cargo.

Our SPMTs are ideally suited for a variety of trailer lengths and can be adapted to multiple widths to transport wide loads. This depends on the load capacity, dimensions and the scale of the project and, as a result, these adjustments make SPMTs perfect for operation in severe conditions.

Some of our SPMTs also feature a reduced height and compact design which makes them easier to operate in small spaces.

Arguably the best thing about SPMTs is that they can be coupled side to side and end to end, which enables us to carry even more cargo.

We can also operate remote units as single transporters. These mechanical steering trailers are controlled by electro-hydraulic motors and offer exceptional control, even in the tightest spaces.

Features of SPMTs

SPMTs have the highest load capacities in the world and can transport huge cargo. For this reason, they have transformed the construction of bridges. There are several other interesting features that SPMTs boast, such as:

• SPMTs can drive automatically without the tractor&#;s traction

• They can be customised in length and width to fit transportation requirements

• Each axle line is controlled independently

• Engineers control SPMTs via a computer or handheld device, while some have a driver cabin

What&#;s the difference between an SPMT and a modular trailer?

A modular trailer is a special platform trailer that features swing axles, steerable axles, and hydraulic suspensions. They&#;re used to transport oversized loads that are difficult to disassemble, but they are different to self-propelled modular transporters.

An SPMT is a platform vehicle that consists of wheels that drive and turn independently. It&#;s used on-site to transport huge, bulky items.

The main difference between an SPMT and a modular trailer is that the former is self-contained and the latter requires a tractor unit.

Why you should hire an SPMT from JB Rawcliffe & Sons Ltd

At JB Rawcliffe and Sons Ltd, we believe we&#;re one of the best and most dedicated companies at hauling large and heavy objects for all of our clients. For this reason alone, we think you should hire an SPMT from us.

However, there are plenty more reasons.

For a start, we&#;re capable of offering state-of-the-art equipment for all types of business transportation needs for clients throughout the UK, especially our self-propelled transporters.

Available in a wide range of width configurations to suit an especially large load, we can supply machinery to suit the scale of your company&#;s projects and your load dimensions, while ensuring the maximum possible safety and efficiency throughout.

We also pride ourselves on offering a friendly, supportive and professional service to everybody who hires our equipment.

We work with a number of sectors to provide expert road transportation of fully-loaded haulage equipment so we&#;re confident that we&#;ll be able to help you with whatever your cargo needs are.

We&#;ll always take into account your needs before we offer a suitable solution for your high-load transportation needs.

Contact JB Rawcliffe & Sons Ltd to hire a self-propelled modular transporter

If you feel like your business needs the support of our heavy haulage self-propelled modular transporters, don&#;t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Discuss your requirements with our specialists by calling us on 737 880. Alternatively, drop us an at , and we&#;ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Vehicle for carrying very large objects

A self-propelled modular transporter or sometimes self-propelled modular trailer (SPMT) is a platform heavy hauler with a large array of wheels which is an upgraded version of a hydraulic modular trailer. SPMTs are used for transporting massive objects, such as large bridge sections,[1] oil refining equipment, cranes, motors, spacecraft and other objects that are too big or heavy for trucks. Ballast tractors can however provide traction and braking for the SPMTs on inclines and descents.

SPMTs are used in many industry sectors worldwide such as the construction and oil industries, in the shipyard and offshore industry, for road transportation, on plant construction sites and even for moving oil platforms.[2] They have begun to be used to replace bridge spans in the United States, Europe, Asia[3] and more recently Canada.

Specifications

A typical SPMT has a grid of computer-controlled axles, usually 2 axles across and 4&#;8 axles along.[4] When two (or more) axles are placed in series, this is called an axle line. All axles are individually controllable, in order to evenly distribute weight and to steer accurately. Each axle can swivel through 270°, with some manufacturers offering up to a full 360° of motion. The axles are coordinated by the control system to allow the SPMT to turn, move sideways or even rotate in place. Some SPMTs allow the axles to telescope independently of each other so that the load can be kept flat and evenly distributed while moving over uneven terrain. Each axle can also contain a hydrostatic drive unit.

A hydraulic power pack can be attached to the SPMT to provide power for steering, suspension and drive functions. This power pack is driven by an internal combustion engine. A single power pack can drive a string of SPMTs. As SPMTs often carry the world's heaviest loads on wheeled vehicles, they are very slow, often moving at under one mile per hour (1.6 km/h) while fully loaded. Some SPMTs are controlled by a worker with a hand-held control panel, while others have a driver cabin. Multiple SPMTs can be linked (lengthwise and side-by-side) to transport massive building-sized objects. The linked SPMTs can be controlled from a single control panel.[5]

History

The first modular self-propelled trailers were built in the s. In the early s, heavy haulage company Mammoet[6] refined the concept into the form seen today.[7] They set the width of the modules at 2.44 m, so the modules would fit on an ISO container flatrack. They also added 360° steering.[8] They commissioned Scheuerle[9] to develop and build the first units. Deliveries started in . The two companies defined the standard units: a 4-axle SPMT, a 6-axle SPMT and a hydraulic power pack. Over the years, new types of modules were added to this system[4] to accommodate a range of payloads.

In ESTA (the European Association of Abnormal Load Transport and Mobile Cranes) published the first SPMT best practice guide[10] to help address the problem of trailers occasionally tipping over, which happened even when the operating rules and stability calculations had been precisely followed.

Some shipbuilding companies have started to use SPMT instead of gantry cranes for carrying ship sections. This has reduced the cost of transporting huge loads by millions of dollars.[11]

In Mammoet and Scheuerle developed and employed world's first electric SPMT. This was done with the help of an Electric power pack unit (EPPU) which replaced the gas powered PPU. The ESPMTs help to reduce carbon footprint of the companies and also the haulage industry. These electric modules are safer and quieter when compared with the diesel modules, which can benefit operations which are held in mines and energy plants.[12]

ESTA has plans to develop European Trailer Operator's License (ETOL) for SPMT operators, this idea is backed by top company operating in heavy haulage sector like Goldhofer and Tii Group. There will be training and practice to obtain this specific license which the SPMT operators have to complete before handling these heavy machines on public roads, but this will improve the safety standards of the industry.[13]

Achievements

Executing the salvage operation of the sunken ferry MV Sewol in the East China Sea in , the company ALE used SPMTs equivalent to a 600-axle line and a load weight of 17,000 t (18,739 short tons; 16,732 long tons), exceeding two world records.[14][15]

In December Shell plc a London based oil company ordered decommission of their 20,300ton FPSO Curlew ship when it reached the end of its operational life. This operation was assigned to AF Offshore Decom, a decommissioning specialist company based in Oslo which partnered with Mammoet of Utrecht to load-in and set-down the structure in Norway with the help of 748 SPMT axle line. This claimed to break two world records, one for the heaviest SPMT movement and another for most SPMT axle lines used for transportation.[16]

In February Sinotrans Heavy-Lift a China based heavy transport company moved a hotel building 500 meters in Sanya, Hainan using 254 axle lines of Scheuerle SPMT with the help of 15 power packs. This was claimed to be the world's heaviest building transportation ever. The building in the subject was almost 300ft long, 115 ft wide, 65 ft high and weighed 7,500 tons. The relocation was done to comply with the environmental regulations of the state.[17]

In December China Shipping Vastwin Project Logistic a China based logistics company a subsidiary of China based multinational company COSCO Shipping moved five number of buildings at the Ningxia Saishang Jiangnan Museum located in Ningxia based in Northern China. The relocation was done to adhere with the environmental regulations. The buildings in subject were 11,450 tonnes in total of five with the main building weighing 10,000 tonnes, 43 mtr high, 36.9 mtr long and 31.5 mtr wide which was moved on 300 lines of SPMT and ten powerpacks. This resulted in breaking three records of most heights, heaviest building transportation over the longest distance.[18]

Notable manufacturers

Operators

See also

References