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Aebi VT450 Vario as a multifunctional carrier vehicle

43 years separate the Aebi TP1000A and VT450 transporters, both of which can be found in Wengen, in the canton of Bern. The "elder statesman" among the transporters is showing no signs of fatigue and is still in use. But the older generation is only used nowadays for simpler transport assignments, and for the refuse vehicle, a Vmeili which has seen better days, the time has also come for its well-deserved retirement. In the car-free community of Wengen, Bischoff Transporte AG, the company contracted to deliver municipal waste disposal services, therefore began to look for a vehicle to succeed it. The desire was to find a refuse vehicle with a refuse compactor, but in fact also a transporter with a hook lift and a vehicle with a hook crane and trough. Three attachments on one vehicle?

(Not) a challenge for the machine builders from Aebi from Burgdorf. Working in collaboration with Sobag Fahrzeugbau AG from Rothrist, the Aebi VT450 Vario transporter was transformed into a multifunctional carrier vehicle that can be used with three different attachments.

With a great deal of dedication and skill, the experts from Sobag developed a refuse collecting device suitable for the Aebi VT450 Vario with a capacity of 7 m3 and an integrated refuse compactor.

If the refuse attachment is not required, it can swiftly be lowered down on supporting feet and temporarily stored away. In just a few minutes, a hook lift or alternatively a hook crane, each with a matching trough, is then fitted.

The Danish loader crane HMF 535 K2, which is sold by the company Haueter Kran AG in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, is mounted on a hook unwinder platform. The HMF 535 K2 has a hydraulic outreach of 6.40 m and a lifting capacity of up to 670 kg. Thanks to the intelligent, safe and simple structural stability system, the crane operator is able to utilise the maximum performance capacity of the crane in the full working area without the supporting pull-out boxes needing to be extended. The HMF loader crane is also equipped with a grab control system and is used in many varied ways with different attachments. Thanks to the radio remote control, the crane operator is able to stand in the place where he has the best view of the attachment and outside of the danger zone at the same time.

In a car-free community such as Wengen, the crucial factors that matter for the commercial vehicles that are used are not just performance capacity, but in particular also efficiency. The different alternative attachments on just one vehicle mean that resources are exploited in the best way possible. The power-split drive of the Aebi VT450 also offered a persuasive choice. Particularly when it is used as a refuse vehicle, constant "stopping and starting" is unavoidable – deadly for any clutch. This is not the case with the Aebi VT450. Here it is possible to drive steplessly instead of engaging the clutch. This pays off when it comes to costs for maintenance and wear and tear and also ensures that drivers enjoy a comfortable drive.

The Vario transmission in the Aebi VT450 is a self-contained system – everything is made from one unit. This in turn means servicing just one system, rather than maintaining two systems. But what is even more important and can be felt directly in the comfort of the ride is that the driver does not have to stop to switch between hydrostatic and mechanical drive, but simply drives steplessly and can do so from 0 – 50 km/h. This is unique.

Power is produced by the VM turbo diesel engine delivering 80 kW (109 hp) and a torque of 420 Nm at 1400 rpm and a torque rise of 40%.

We wish the Aebi VT450 and the team from Bischoff Transporte AG a safe journey at all times.