Stertil Supplies Auto Chassis Wash Lift For Bus Eireann

Stertil Koni, the UK’s leading vehicle lift specialist, has installed a 35 tonne capacity galvanised Skylift as part of an automatic chassis wash system for Bus Eireann.

As Ireland’s national bus and coach operator, Bus Eireann was keen to investigate the possibility of saving space whilst improving the efficiency of vehicle chassis washing operations at its Broadstone depot in Dublin. Consequently, engineers from Stertil Koni and WNV Systems - a specialist automatic cleaning equipment manufacturer – worked closely to design a solution that integrated a galvanised Skylift within a fully automatic chassis wash system.

The galvanised 35 tonne Stertil Koni Skylift, type SKY350-12, is recessed into the work bay floor thereby enabling vehicles to be driven onto the lift’s 12 metre long parallel platforms. Once the bus or coach is in position on the Skylift, the automated high pressure chassis wash programme commences. At the completion of this cycle, the lift is used to raise the vehicle to a height of 1.75 metres to allow ‘spot cleaning’ by a technician using a manual high pressure washer lance. This operation is simplified by the design of the Skylift which is free of cross beams and posts to allow unrestricted access to the underside of raised vehicles. 

All Skylifts can be installed to a width compatible with a customer’s needs and within space limitations of the workshop. This is aided by the Skylift’s vertical lifting and lowering movement which, unlike a parallelogram lift, means there are no obtrusive overhangs. Easily installed, moved and maintained, the Skylift is the ultimate lift in terms of efficiency, versatility and safety. Varying platform lengths accommodate any vehicle including lorries, trucks, tractors and articulated buses whilst remaining unobstructed from all sides. Significantly, all models can be installed either recessed or surface mounted with a range of platform lengths from eight to 12 metres.

The Skylift can be used in tandem, linking two lifts in a line to provide a total lifting capacity up to 70 tonnes. The user can operate the two lifts as a synchronised pair or operate both lifts independently. This is especially necessary when lifting articulated vehicles, trucks and semi-trailers or vehicles with an uneven weight distribution, such as a truck and crane combination.

Controlling the lift is made easy and safe for the user from the well-positioned control console. Also, since the Skylift lift is electronically controlled, a number of specific requirements may be programmed into its operation – for example, a reduced lifting height – whilst an internal LCD display provides constant system information. Importantly, an independent mechanical locking mechanism is always active to ensure total operator safety.

“Our chassis washing operations are now extremely efficient,” says Kevin Tully, Bus Eireann’s regional engineering manager. “Also, because the Skylift and the automated wash system are accommodated within the same footprint, we have achieved considerable space savings. Stertil Koni and WNV Systems collaborated well to deliver an innovative and cost effective solution.”

Website Link: www.buseireann.ie