Tracked mobile solutions: agile, mobile and suitable for all terrains.
When I say “tracked chassis”, most people in my vicinity directly come up with: “tank”. That image makes total sense to them. However, there are many potential applications for tracked chassis. Just think of tracked mobile solutions in recycling, offshore, foundation-building and harvesting machines. In this blog I will take you through some innovative tracked mobile solutions.
Getting bogged down in a field
Nothing is as irritating as having your wheeled vehicle get stuck in the mud while harvesting: your machine is standing still, getting it unstuck takes a lot of time and the costs are mounting. Once the wheels have become stuck, you can assume that this will happen again sooner or later. Total damage: high costs, work left undone and dissatisfied customers.
Above is a good example of a field that is easily accessible by tracked vehicle, but not with wheels.
Winter harvests
Leek, for example, is a vegetable harvested mainly in autumn and winter. Thus it regularly happens that harvesting takes place in a field as described above. The often poorly accessible soil is the main reason why manufacturers of leek-harvesting machines choose to construct their machines on tracks.
A machine on wheels drives over the soil, while a tracked vehicle moves on its own track or chain. The tracked vehicle has a greater bearing surface, which means that it is less likely to sink into the soil and get stranded. The soil pressure is better distributed, thus a machine on a tracked chassis will provide a far better performance under difficult circumstances.
Machine to work instead of work to machine
Another example: if a machine is not mobile, the work must be brought to the machine. This happens time and again, costing enormous time and effort.
A VTS customer working in the scrap-recycling industry is the first supplier to construct scrap-recycling installations on tracks. This means that transporting large quantities of scrap to the machine is a thing of the past. The machine is now remotely controlled by the crane operator, travelling from scrap heap to scrap heap. The greatest advantage of this is the time saved.
The tracked chassis with steel chains and flat plates is also excellently suited to travelling across the site, even if sharp scrap remains have been left on the floor.
A VTS tracked chassis with flat plates that is being used in the scrap-recycling industry.
Turning in a small space
Finally, a machine on a tracked chassis is very flexible and can easily turn around its own axis.
The reason for Wopa to construct the hydraulic hoof-trimming box on a tracked chassis. Its agility is ideal to have the machine remote controlled when it enters a stable; the rubber tracks make it possible to drive over a threshold, while not damaging the surface.
The hoof-trimming box by Wopa with a VTS tracked chassis.
Mobility, agility, surface pressure
Mobility, agility and a poorly distributed surface pressure are all characteristics that could be significantly improved by turning a machine into a tracked vehicle. Are you interested in turning your machine into a tracked vehicle or do you simply want to take a look at VTS? Let us know.
You are always welcome!
Sam Leeneman – sales VTS Track Solutions
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