Stemco develops aerodynamic testing device

Stemco has developed a new method of testing the fuel efficiency of aerodynamic Trailer Tail devices using a fleet’s own truck, trailer and driver.

According to Stemco, the palm-sized 'DataLogger' plugs directly into the truck’s J1939 diagnostic port to access engine data.

A Stemco field technician then conducts a controlled test before Stemco engineers analyse the data to precisely break down how much fuel the boat tail system will save a fleet.

“Trailer Tail technology has proven in numerous standardised aerodynamic tests that it reduces fuel consumption by over five per cent at highway speeds,” said Bob Montgomery, Vice President of the Innovative Tire & Mileage Solutions group at Stemco,

“But many fleets really want to know that it will work for them in their specific operation, not just on a test track or in someone else’s fleet. The DataLogger provides a means to prove fuel savings in a matter of hours.”

More than a dozen fleets have reportedly tested the Trailer Tail device using the DataLogger, with results consistently approximating 4.5 per cent. These results are also consistent with fuel savings reported from fleet-wide Trailer Tail deployment, Stemco said.

According to Stemco, the technology’s testing protocol and filtering algorithm were developed specifically to provide a customised data stream that isolates the aerodynamic variables while minimising the disruptive effect that inconsistent wind, temperature and traffic can have when comparing different test runs to measure fuel economy improvements.

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