Volvo Trucks has launched a new online database, allowing bodybuilders to design their products in parallel with the production of the truck, cutting lead-times by up to two weeks.
Chassis specific 3D drawings provide the body builder with comprehensive technical information on the vehicle’s chassis.
This will help bodybuilders to ascertain the exact space needed to house certain components and ensure that their design will fit the chassis properly. They can create a corresponding 3D image of their construction to check that it fits properly and and all fixtures and fittings are catered for.
Tor Hesselgren, Body Builder Development at Volvo Trucks, says, “The major advantage of 3D drawings is that they allow for a parallel workflow in which the chassis and the bodywork can be produced simultaneously, instead of consecutively. Put simply, the bodybuilder doesn’t need to wait for the truck to be finished to find out crucial information about the chassis.”
The flexibility, in designing the body while the truck is being manufactured, is estimated to save customers between seven and 14 days lead-time on an order.
“We know that it is critical for our customers that the delivery does not drag on, as their own transport tasks can stand or fall according to the access they have to this particular truck. Therefore it feels especially good to contribute to the efficiency of this process,” says Peter Hardin, Product Manager of the Volvo FM and FMX.
