Aluminum Service Bodies by Reading

 

Made exclusively from recycled aluminum, our award-winning aluminum service bodies are a green alternative that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 10 percent. Aluminum work truck bodies are increasingly in demand due to the many benefits they deliver, including lightweight construction that is easier on a truck’s drive train, in addition to the fuel savings you enjoy. Aluminum also won’t rust, so your trucks look great and your service truck bodies serve many years before you would even consider a replacement. Aluminum industrial truck bodies are durable, too, delivering the reliable performance you need for difficult work.


Learn more at: https://www.readingbody.com/products/service-bodies/

A Silverado — and an Engine — for Every Need

The all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 offers six engine and transmission combinations, including an all-new 2.7L Turbo, and V-8 engines with industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management offering 17 different modes of cylinder deactivation

 DETROIT — With eight trims paired with six engine/transmission combinations, even more customers will find a 2019 Silverado 1500 perfectly tailored to their needs for performance, efficiency, technology and value.

“A major focus of the next-generation Silverado is expanding the range of choices,” said Tim Asoklis, chief engineer for the Silverado 1500. “With all-new engines and a broader model range, there’s a Silverado for everyone, whether you’re buying your first pickup or your tenth.”

The all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 propulsion lineup includes: 
•    Over half of the models will be equipped with the most advanced V-8s in the brand’s history: updated versions of Chevrolet’s proven 5.3L and 6.2L engines equipped with industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management featuring 17 different modes of cylinder deactivation.
•    An all-new, advanced 2.7L Turbo engine that replaces the 4.3L V-6 as the standard engine on the high-volume Silverado LT and new Silverado RST, expected to offer 22 percent more torque, greater fuel efficiency and a stronger power-to-weight ratio than the current model.
•    Proven 4.3L V-6 and 5.3L V-8 engines deliver full-size truck capability and performance for the most affordable trucks in the Silverado lineup.
•    An all-new, Duramax 3.0L inline-six turbo diesel will be available in early 2019.

A Silverado — and an engine — for every need
Each engine/transmission combination is matched with exterior design and interior features to create distinct personalities for each Silverado trim, based on three broad customer profiles: High Value, High Volume and High Feature.

High Value — For customers seeking full-size truck capability and the highest level of affordability, the Work Truck (WT), Custom and Custom Trail Boss trims offer two proven engine and transmission combinations:
•    Standard: 4.3L V-6 with Active Fuel Management and a six-speed automatic transmission (SAE-certified at 285 hp/305 lb-ft).
•    Available: 5.3L V-8 with Active Fuel Management and a six-speed automatic transmission (SAE-certified at 355 hp/383 lb-ft).

High Volume — For customers shopping in the heart of the truck market, the LT, RST and LT Trail Boss trims balance technology, efficiency and performance:
•    Standard for LT and RST: All-new 2.7L Turbo with Active Fuel Management and stop/start technology paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission (SAE-certified at 310 hp/348 lb-ft).
•    Standard on LT Trail Boss and available on LT and RST: An updated 5.3L V-8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and stop/start technology with an eight-speed automatic transmission (SAE certified at 355 hp/383 lb-ft).
•    Available on LT and RST: The all-new Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel with stop/start technology paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission will be available in early 2019.

High Feature — For customers shopping for a premium truck, the LTZ and High Country trims offer the highest levels of performance and technology, including:
•    Standard: Updated 5.3L V-8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and stop/start technology  paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission (SAE certified at 355 hp/383 lb-ft).
•    Available: Updated 6.2L V-8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and stop/start technology paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission (SAE certified at 420 hp/460 lb-ft).
•    Available: The all-new Duramax 3.0L inline-six Turbo-Diesel with stop/start technology paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission will be available in early 2019.

Improved Driving Experience
The performance of each engine/transmission combination benefits from a truck that is lighter and more aerodynamic than the previous model.

“With less weight and less wind resistance, we improved the driving dynamics without sacrificing fuel efficiency,” said Asoklis. “The next-gen Silverado is a bigger truck, but the chassis feels more responsive and acceleration is more pronounced. I would argue it’s the best-driving truck we have ever built.”

The 2019 Silverado is larger than before, including a wheelbase that is up to 3.9 inches (100mm) longer, yet overall length is only 1.6 inches (41mm) longer, enabling both more cargo volume and more interior room for all cab lengths. Remarkably, it’s also lighter, weighing up to 450 pounds (204 kg) less than the current Silverado when comparing crew cab V-8 models, due to extensive use of mixed materials and advanced manufacturing.

To improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the next-gen Silverado, the front grille features functional air curtains, similar to those introduced on the sixth-generation Camaro, that reduce wind drag by routing air around the front wheel wells. The powerful side profile also enhances aerodynamics, with an integrated spoiler at the rear edge of the cab that directs air onto the contoured tailgate, reducing wind drag from the bed. Most models also feature active aero shutters integrated in the front grille that close to reduce wind drag and open to provide improved engine cooling when needed. Changes like these result in a 7 percent increase in total aerodynamic efficiency.

From the family of the Most Dependable, Longest Lasting full-size pickups on the road*
For the new Silverado, Chevy set the lofty goal of improving on the legacy of the Most Dependable, Longest Lasting full-size pickups on the road. To do so, the next-gen truck will be subjected to more than 475,000 validation tests and accumulate a staggering seven million miles of real-world testing before the first 2019 Silverado 1500 is delivered to customers.

That includes a battery of tests for the Silverado engines and transmissions that will simulate a range of customer needs:
•    Each type of engine was first subjected to a “torture test” in a dynamometer test cell, running for months nonstop to simulate a lifetime of maximum hot and cold cycles.
•    Each Silverado variant is certified to the SAE J2807 standard for towing and payload capacity. Certification requires a full battery of grueling tests such as the Davis Dam test, in which the truck must carry its maximum gross combined vehicle weight up a 7 percent grade in 110-degrees F (43 degrees C) heat, with no reduction in performance, including air-conditioning.
•    Chevrolet engineers prove every Silverado engine and transmission design for lubrication capability on tilt stands, originally developed for Corvette, that tilt at an angle of up to 53 degrees and can simulate angles at a rate of up to 40 degrees a second — the equivalent of up to 1.4g.

Production plans
Silverado production commences with crew-cab V-8 models starting in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, production will expand to include regular- and double-cab models, as well as V-6 and 2.7L Turbo engines. The new Duramax 3.0L inline-six turbo diesel will be available in early 2019.

EPA fuel economy estimates and towing/payload capacities are not yet available, and will be announced closer to launch.


* Dependability based on longevity: 1987-July 2017 full-size pickup registrations.

ABOUT CHEVROLET
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Visit Transfer Flow Manufacturing

Transfer Flow, Inc. is proud to participate in Manufacturing Day by opening our factory to the public for tours. Along with other manufacturers in the area, we all show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after Manufacturing Day, we address the skilled labor shortages we face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry. Together we all help our communities and future generations thrive.

Ranch Hand Intro

The Ranch Hand Bumper manufacturing process.

EverLast™ Service Bodies

The BrandFX line of EverLast™ Service Bodies are made from advanced composite construction that deliver a high-strength and lightweight build with industry-leading durability—providing up to 20 years of continual use. That’s why BrandFX has been named the Life Cycle Value Leader.

Our composite body design offers numerous advantages compared to traditional steel and aluminum bodies, including zero-corrosion and zero-oxidation construction that will not bend, dent, crack or rust. The lighter weight bodies are also up to 60% lighter, improving fuel efficiency and reducing wear on tire, brakes, and suspension systems. To top it all off, these premium service bodies are designed to maintain their quality appearance for a sleek, professional look across entire service fleets.

Feel free to download our whitepaper, Advanced Composite Construction Changing the Truck Body Business. for in-depth discussion about how composite bodies are revolutionizing the industry.

Electric Powertrains Are the Future. Will Fleets Be Ready?

 

Most readers of Government Fleet are seasoned professionals pursuing careers either in public fleet management or in corporate roles in support of public sector fleets. For a moment, however, put aside your current career history and aspirations and try to remember when you were a younger person, weighing career options and considering just what path to take.

The public fleet industry is on the threshold of a truly cosmic shift, and it’s quite possible that young people today are looking at our industry and questioning those options. We should, as those young people may be doing, consider what this shift will mean when it occurs.

The shift will be toward a predominance of electromotive powertrain technology and away from the internal combustion engine (ICE). Is it true that the demise of the ICE is greatly overstated, or, should we, like those young people still contemplating their career paths, be reading the tea leaves and presume they portend a very different future for us?

LEARN MORE AT: http://www.greenfleetmagazine.com/channel/electric/article/story/2018/03/electric-powertrains-are-the-future-will-fleets-be-ready.aspx

Advanced Software Design Technology Leads GM into Next Generation of Vehicle Lightweighting

Alliance with Autodesk includes advanced AI-based generative design technology and 3D printing advancements to help lighten and transform future

 DETROIT – General Motors is using new, advanced software design technology to introduce the next generation of vehicle lightweighting. The technology is key to developing efficient and lighter alternative propulsion and zero emission vehicles.

GM is the first automaker in North America to use new generative design software technology from Bay Area-based software company Autodesk. It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design, generating hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user, such as weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. The user then determines the best part design option.

“This disruptive technology provides tremendous advancements in how we can design and develop components for our future vehicles to make them lighter and more efficient, said GM Vice President Ken Kelzer, Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems. “When we pair the design technology with manufacturing advancements such as 3D printing, our approach to vehicle development is completely transformed and is fundamentally different to co-create with the computer in ways we simply couldn’t have imagined before.”

GM is leading the industry into the next phase of vehicle lightweighting. The new design technology provides significantly more vehicle mass reduction and parts consolidation  opportunities that cannot be achieved through traditional design optimization methods.

GM is utilizing the innovative technology on future product designs. GM and Autodesk engineers have applied this new technology to produce a proof-of-concept part – a seat bracket – that is 40 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger than the original part. It also consolidates eight different components into one 3D-printed part.

As part of a multi-year alliance focused on innovation, GM and Autodesk will collaborate on projects involving generative design, additive manufacturing, and materials science. Executives and engineers from the two companies will participate in a series of onsite engagements to exchange ideas, learnings, and expertise. GM also has on-demand access to Autodesk’s full portfolio of software and technical specialists.

“Generative design is the future of manufacturing, and GM is a pioneer in using it to lightweight their future vehicles,” said Scott Reese, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Manufacturing and Construction Products. “Generative technologies fundamentally change how engineering work is done because the manufacturing process is built into design options from the start. GM engineers will be able to explore hundreds of ready-to-be-manufactured, high-performance design options faster than they were able to validate a single design the old way.”

GM has been a leading end-user and innovator in additive manufacturing. For more than three decades, GM has used 3D printing to create three-dimensional parts directly from digital data through successive addition of layers of material. GM possessed the first and has some of the auto industry’s most comprehensive 3D printing capabilities in the world with more than 50 rapid prototype machines that have produced more than 250,000 prototype parts over the last decade.

Since 2016, GM has launched 14 new vehicle models with a total mass reduction of more than 5,000 lbs., or more than 350 pounds per vehicle. Most of the weight reduction are a result of material and technology advancements. Of those models, more than half of the vehicles shed 300-pounds or more including the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which reduced mass by up to 450-pounds.

Eliminating mass in parts where material is not required for performance combined with parts consolidation yields benefits for vehicle owners including the potential for more interior space and vehicle content, increased range, and enhanced vehicle performance. It also paves the way for new features for customers and provides vehicle designers a canvas on which to explore designs and shapes not seen today.

General Motors Co.  (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), its subsidiaries and joint venture entities produce and sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. GM has leadership positions in several of the world's most significant automotive markets and is committed to lead the future of personal mobility. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.
Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) makes software for people who make things. If you've ever driven a high-performance car, admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a great film, chances are you've experienced what millions of Autodesk customers are doing with our software. Autodesk gives you the power to make anything. For more information visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk.