Equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, reflects on more than 20 years of success with its SAF INTRA axle and suspension range.
SAF-Holland’s SAF INTRA is available in many variants for various transport tasks. The air suspension system is subject to continuous development. Its economical and maintenance-friendly design has set new technical standards, particularly with hydraulic final drive and electrically driven axles.
Product development with fleet customers is key to SAF-Holland’s innovation.
“We develop products that support safety and continuously optimise these to ensure low operating and maintenance costs for our customers,” said SAF-Holland Vice President Engineering EMEA, Stephan Heiderich.
“During the practical tests, our new developments then have to prove that they can live up to our customer’s expectations on the road as well.”
On the test beds, the durability of the SAF INTRA suspension has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, according to the manufacturer, while the mileage is 1.8 times higher than for the original unit.
Similarly, the weight of the system has been reduced significantly. Each SAF INTRA axle, for instance, weighs 70kg less – on three axles, that saves about 210kg which fleet operators can convert into higher payload.
Axles from the SAF INTRA range follow a special design principle that ensures lower wear and more planning reliability.
The functional suspension arm and the axle tube reportedly form a permanently connected, maintenance-free unit.
“The patented Safe-Guard design of the functional suspension arm additionally protects the brake cylinder against damage,” SAF-Holland said. “The shock absorbers, which are positioned directly in the functional suspension arm, are also well secured.”
SAF INTRA CD TRAK – the drive for trailers
The SAF INTRA CD TRAK moves the drive into the trailer: With a hydraulically driven motor, the axle supports the tractor unit, for example on hills and when setting out on difficult terrain – at the press of a button in the driver’s cab. The integrated auxiliary drive has a durable, low-maintenance design and guarantees a particularly long service life for the trailer axle.
Electrified: SAF TRAKe and SAF TRAKr
SAF-Holland launches two electric trailer axles so trucks and trailers can drive without emissions in the near future. The SAF TRAKr regenerative braking axle recovers motion energy which is converted into electricity. This is used to run auxiliary consuming units in the trailer, for example the cooling unit in refrigerated trucks. In addition, SAF TRAKe uses the stored energy to support the main drive of the tractor unit, for example in difficult road conditions.
SAF INTRADISC plus INTEGRAL with two-part brake disc
The two-part brake disc of the SAF INTRADISC plus INTEGRAL is a world’s first: The special compound casting process prevents the formation of hot spots which can cause tensions and cracks in the material and ultimately a failure of the disc. This design therefore extends the service life of the brake discs and pads. Fleet operators benefit from planning reliability, higher efficiency and higher cost effectiveness.
10-year warranty for SAF INTRA PC PREMIUM COATED
The three-layer PREMIUM COATED process promises corrosion protection and great durability for the INTRA range. A high zinc content in the coating achieves high corrosion protection and preserves the value of the trailer in the long term. SAF-Holland underlines this by offering a 10-year warranty against corrosion.
