Drones delivering packages…. Self-driving automobiles making test runs on public roads…. With stories such as these appearing in the news, is it any stretch to imagine that the waste collection vehicles of the future will become so sophisticated and automated as to have no need for human crews?
Maybe, maybe not.
While there have been many advancements made in emissions control systems in response to increasing regulations, there also have been a number of developments in terms of integration and computerization, points out Curtis Dorwart, refuse segment manager for Mack trucks.
Mack recently launched GuardDog Connect, a telematics system that proactively monitors vehicle performance even before the operator is aware of an issue.
| Credit: Autocar |
GuardDog Connect identifies fault codes, diagnostic needs, maintenance milestones, and solutions. It provides alerts to the key decision-makers, the OneCall customer care center, and the service providers.
It enables repair service to be scheduled, ensures there are available parts, keeps all parties on the same page through communication efforts, and tracks maintenance and repair information to reduce administrative costs.
“It essentially knows the truck is going to have a problem and then informs our OneCall center, our service hotline that alerts the customer that this truck is having a problem,” Dorwart says. OneCall technicians evaluate the fault code for further action.
“We can tell if it’s a serious problem, if it’s going to be a truck-down situation right away, or if it’s something that can wait until it has service,” says Dorwart.
After ascertaining the status, Mack One Call personnel work with the fleet manager in the MSW operation to determine a dealership for service to which OneCall has forwarded the necessary information, such as needed parts, service instructions, and diagnostic information.
“We can call the fleet manager, send them a text message or an e-mail,” says Dorwart of the communications method. “It’s their determination how they want to be contacted, and then we call them with our ASIST system, which provides real-time management between the customer and the dealer as far as what’s going on with the truck and if its needs additional approval for additional repairs.
“It can go right into repair without having to go into triage,” Dorwart adds. “Most of the time, that eliminates the need for additional downtime.”
GuardDog Connect also can serve to help out MSW operations with compliance issues, Dorwart notes.
GuardDog Connect is Mack’s effort to intensively pursue the practice of being able to actively monitor equipment when it’s in the field from the point of a potential problem through the service and repair to get the truck back on the road as quickly as possible and with as minimal disruption, Dorwart points out.
“We’re trying to keep the uptime and productivity side of the business strong,” he adds. “Those are two important issues for refuse haulers. They can’t afford to have the truck down. The customer is going to get very cranky if the trash has to sit there on the curb for more than a few hours past the normal pickup time, so we’re really pushing hard to get the vehicles up and running as much as possible and be proactive.”
The ROI can vary; Dorwart points out that the system could pay for itself quickly under certain circumstances.
“The loss of an hour or two picking up a route can be devastatingly huge,” he says. “You might have to send a truck out there that you don’t have-you might have to rent something. You have to pay overtime. You’ve got the additional wear and tear on the other equipment.”
Going forward, Dorwart envisions that Mack Trucks will be increasing the function of the telematics solutions.
“The challenge to do more with less is out there from the standpoint of cost as well as safety,” he points out. “I see that more automation will come in as the risks allow. You’re going to see more of the RFID-type things that identify containers to be able to do it more effectively with billing.”
That might open the door to further integration between such factors as RFID tracking systems passing through a gateway such as GuardDog Connect to bundle services, he says.
New Way, a division of Scranton Manufacturing, is rolling out new integrations into its automated units currently under construction.
“We’re integrating farther into the chassis using the different CAN [controller area network] bus systems available for the J1939 network to get more accurate information so that we can pull the different signals-the RPMs, the engine load, what gear it’s in-a better integration into the chassis using fewer components than we had to in the past so it’s more of a seamless integration,” says Chris Milligan, engineering manager for New Way.
The new features will give end users the ability to troubleshoot a problem easier and faster, Milligan notes, adding that maintenance issues are a common issue for the refuse market.
“It’s easier to give them the warning lights and information upfront,” he says. “Our newest units coming out will have a display in the cab with all of the information available. You can look at all of the inputs and outputs of the unit, the status of the machine, the ability to put maintenance reminders on there and hopefully get more maintenance done on these machines.”
The new integrations will be on New Way’s front loaders and to some degree on the rear loaders.
“The rear loaders will not have a display in the cab but we will be further integrating with the chassis over the J1939 and CAN bus networks to give the end users more options,” Milligan says.
In the past, one had to run more wires to accommodate electrical devices.
“On the Sidewinder unit, we pulled about 300 pounds of copper out of the wiring harness by going this route,” Milligan says.
Some four years ago, New Way started a program in which the company went to basic LED diagnostics, enabling operators to see all of the inputs and outputs with the machine in a main control box.
“They still have that ability, but they will also have a screen with that same information on it so it gives them the ability to double check,” says Milligan. “You see something going on in the screen and can go back to the other module to see if it is communicating back and forth and you are getting the signals you need.”
Another benefit is it allows for troubleshooting over the phone, he adds.
“You can have less-skilled personnel working on the machine and still be able to get it fixed up on the road in a decent amount of time,” he says.
If it’s an issue that the owner or operator cannot resolve, they always can contact the distributor, Milligan says.
“If the distributor needs more help, they’ll come directly to us,” he adds. “We do have some customers that will call us directly to resolve issues. And if it’s urgent, we do fly to whatever location it is and take care of the problem.”
A return on investment is derived through time saved in being able to resolve issues within a phone call or two, Milligan says.
“It’s all about time and getting the machine back up on the road,” he adds.
Engines and transmissions continue to advance as technology is integrated to support those advances.
A growing number of chassis are being equipped with CNG engines, points out Tim Kaiser, senior design engineer for the McNeilus Companies.
“With the larger, more powerful Cummins ISX-G engine becoming available in many chassis, CNG is becoming increasingly attractive for end users,” he says.
Multiple chassis manufacturers are teaming up with third-party companies to offer various hybrid drive systems, Kaiser adds.
“Systems generally aim to harness energy created during the frequent stops made on refuse routes,” he says. “This energy is then used to accelerate the vehicle, saving on fuel consumption and brake wear.”
Chassis manufacturers are teaming up with body builders to configure products that are easier to manufacture for both sides, eliminate or reduce unused or discarded components, and reduce the amount of modifications required for body installation, notes Kaiser.
Chassis manufacturers are installing components that body builders have historically installed, such as transmission PTOs and CNG components or entire fuel systems, he adds. A case in point would be chassis frame rails having prepunched holes for the body-builder’s components.
Going forward, Kaiser envisions further integration of body components into the refuse body itself.
“Removing as many items as possible that are currently installed on the chassis frame rails will allow for greater chassis variability and ease of body installation, additional communication between the chassis control system and body control system,” he adds. “One example would be axle scales that measure vehicle weight. The weight threshold could be programmable to stop body functions to prevent overloading the truck.”
The McNeilus Companies’ control system integrates differently with the various bodies the company builds, notes Cody Clifton, project engineer of electrical/controls for McNeilus Companies.
“Some of our simpler refuse platforms, like the rear-loader or the AutoReach, don’t use digital monitoring and are still operating using relay logic, notes Clifton. “More of the complex systems on the refuse side, like the zero-radius front loader and the manual automated, do use digital monitoring and interface with the chassis. This is achieved using microcontrollers and CAN protocols.”
These systems watch CAN messages from the ECU, TCU, and VECU.
“We use this interface mostly to provide inputs into our control algorithms and provide interlocks on our body during certain conditions, such as not allowing the operator to operate the automated side-loader arm while driving down the highway,” says Clifton.
“These techniques are used to protect our system, driver, and the surrounding environment,” he adds.
McNeilus utilizes internal monitoring for short- and open-circuit conditions on such components as solenoids and lights, monitoring the system status with various sensor technologies: pressure, location, and temperature transducers.
“All these system interactions are displayed in our color display for ease of troubleshooting for operator and maintenance personnel,” Clifton says. “We are always looking to the future for advancements in controls to enhance the operator’s experience. Using new techniques and working closely with the chassis suppliers is crucial to achieve these advancements.”
Dan Gleason, sales director for Luxfer Gas Cylinders, concurs with Kaiser that a growing number of chassis are being equipped with CNG engines.
Gleason points out that the technology his company has provided over the past decade has focused on lightweight solutions.
“That is critical, particularly with the refuse industry,” he says. “Traditionally, most of the natural-gas storage technology has been quite heavy and inefficient. Lighter weight allows more flexibility in where the cylinders are mounted.”
As far as the role that gas cylinders play in smart technology: “The only part we would play in that would be pressure readings and temperature readings for the operators to look at and possibly integrate with the OEM system as far as fuel economy calculations and, of course, when they’re out of fuel,” notes Gleason.
Lighter weight offers greater efficiencies, Gleason points out.
“Weight reductions and increased fuel capacity makes the refuse operations more efficient if they can complete their designated routes without stopping to refill and carry an adequate amount of fuel so they don’t have to go to an offsite or auxiliary refilling station to get more fuel,” he says.
One technology that has been discussed is on the refilling valve with some type of integration with the compressor systems, Gleason says.
Such technology would encompass electronic feedback from the vehicle during the filling procedure to the compression station to communicate what the temperature and pressure is onboard at the cylinders so the vehicle can get a maximum fill.
“This is not been adopted, mostly by either the compression industry, which manages the refill stations or by people needing to pay for that technology,” he says.
The level of activity in the CNG market is driving more technology in the natural gas marketplace, Gleason notes.
“We’re seeing many more competitors entering into the marketplace and a lot more selection,” he says. “The integration is now moving from a huge selection of integrators out into the marketplace and back into the OEM body builders of the world,” he says. “We’re getting to see some very innovative and creative ways of providing alternative fuels onboard these vehicles.”
Hino has endeavored to be ahead of the curve on compliance issues, notes Adrian Ratza, marketing manager for Hino Trucks, a Toyota Group company.
With respect to EPA regulations, the SCR/DPF/OBD systems are a case in point. And with mandates towards fuel economy improvement on the horizon, Hino Trucks will continue to strive towards further efficiencies, he adds.
“At the same time, we are looking at options to increase horsepower capabilities while maintaining efficiency to provide more application options for Hino Trucks,” notes Ratza.
Those benefits are being augmented by the technology integrated into the systems.
Hino Trucks recently partnered with Telogis to provide Hino Insight 2.0, powered by Telogis. The telematics solution gives Hino end users a dashboard to be able to track fleet diagnostics reports along with performance against established targets.
“With our first telematics solution, Insight, we had some tracking capabilities for the past couple of years, but Hino Insight 2.0 will provide another level of integration that will truly give Hino customers meaningful and actionable data that will enable them to make a positive impact on their fleet,” notes Ratza.
Such factors include route optimization, real-time work order management, truck-specific navigation, telematics, and mobile integration services. The Insight 2.0 Dashboard enables fleet managers to simultaneously access key metrics and real-time vehicle and driver-related information.
In the near future, the integration level will increase.
“Our original Insight solution is and has been available as standard on our 195h and 195h-DC models and as an option on all other models, while Insight 2.0 will be available for installation in fall 2014,” says Ratza. “Initially, it will be standard on our hybrid models and optional on all other models while we are looking at alternatives to standardize Insight 2.0 across our entire model lineup in the next few years.”
In chassis integration, Parker Hannifin’s RunWise is an advanced series hybrid drive system that replaces a Class 8 refuse truck’s conventional drive train with a series hybrid drive system, bringing together the variable features of a hydrostatic drive for urban routes during refuse collection with a mechanical drive for efficient operation at highway speeds.
“We are a series hybrid, which is a little bit more advanced than a parallel system,” says Tom DeCoster, business development manager for Parker Hannifin, North America. “A parallel system bolts on after a standard transmission. Our system replaces an Allison transmission. We have our own transmission, plus the energy recovery storage. Our transmission is both hydrostatic in first and second gear and direct drive in third gear.”
The RunWise hybrid drive system is built around the power drive unit (PDU), C24 variable displacement bent-axis hydraulic pump/motors, and composite bladder accumulators, which are designed for high-power, high-start-and-stop applications.
An onboard controller coordinates pumps, hydrostatic motors, and accumulators to power the vehicle when in hydrostatic mode during start-and-stop operation during refuse collection.
As the truck reaches highway speed, the PDU transfers from hydrostatic drive (low speed, 0-25 mph; high speed, 26-45 mph) to mechanical direct drive designed for efficient operation at highway speeds of 46 to more than 60 mph, maximizing operational efficiency.
RunWise is designed to capture more than 71% of a vehicle’s otherwise lost braking energy by combining hydraulic components, advanced control software, and brake energy recovery technology.
“The engine is fully managed and optimized during the entire hydrostatic operation, and we control the engine-that’s part of the series architecture-so we can get optimal efficiency from the engine, plus all of the brake energy recovery,” DeCoster says.
The stored energy is reused to power the truck during collection routes.
The system provides all of the braking in normal applications, with the exception of an ABS event or the rare case that the energy storage is completely full, he adds.
“The benefit is twofold,” DeCoster points out. “One is we capture all of that brake energy that normally goes out as heat in the brakes and store it. The next launch for acceleration is done on stored energy rather than flaring the engine up and burning fuel. In addition to that, because you are doing all of the braking hydrostatically, you’re not using your foundation brakes.”
Hydraulic hybrid platforms are considered best suited for heavier vehicles with more intensive start-and-stop duty cycles.
The system is designed to provide reductions in fuel consumption and emissions and improve vehicle performance.
While an MSW operation may change brakes every several months, with the Parker Hannifin system “you’re going to do it once during the life of the truck,” DeCoster points out. “Not only do you get the fuel savings, but you get a brake savings. Users get a triple benefit: They get fuel savings, brake savings and they get acceleration from can to can, so it ends up being a productivity game as well.”
The Autocar E3 hybrid drive truck incorporating the Parker Hannifin RunWise transmission is a hydraulic drive transmission deriving up to 50% fuel economy improvements, says Trevor Bridges, Autocar’s vice president of powertrain integration and strategy. The company also offers the Cummins Westport ISX12 G natural-gas engine.
Autocar and Parker Hannifin offer on-the-road transmission monitoring to calculate fuel economy improvements, Bridges says.
Onboard transmission and engine diagnostics enables fault codes to be pulled on a dashboard digital display. Transmission diagnostics are delivered via satellite. Common language codes enable operators to identify problems for precise repair solutions.
Autocar is working with its suppliers to reduce transmission and engine weight. “Weight is payload,” Bridges points out.
Telematics are on all of the RunWise units.
“Telematics gives us information about how our system is operating while it’s in collection mode,” notes DeCoster. “We can do a couple of things for the end user: We can tell them how many stops they use, how much fuel they burned. We also can look at our equipment, our pumps, and our energy storage, and, based off of the data, we can tell whether or not everything is operating efficiently or effectively.”
Route optimization suggestions also can be derived from the data, he adds.
The system’s benefits, in conjunction with the telematics, can help end users gain between 10% and 15% improvement in productivity, DeCoster says.
“Anytime you can get more work done with the same amount of equipment or manpower, that’s obviously a win,” he adds.
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