Transportation

Winner: Roelofs Kipperbouw BV (Netherlands)
Partners: Norma MPM (Netherlands), Composite Technology Centre (Netherlands), TenCate Advanced Composites (Netherlands),STODT Toekomsttechniek (Netherlands), University Twente (Netherlands) Oost NV (Netherlands)
 

Conventional tippers have been made of steel or aluminium for decades.The combined efforts of a consortium of companies from different disciplines made it possible to develop an innovative composite tipper through “out-of the-box” thinking.

The prototype was made with well-known technologies used in the aerospace and defence industries: prepregs, structural foams, pultruded beams, high temperature adhesives,  insulating materials and vacuum/oven processes.To cope with the industry price requirements, it was essential to (semi-) automate the production step.

This tipper is designed to transport asphalt through a multilayer concept. The outer layers need to carry the different loads, whereas the inner layers should withstand a temperature of 180°C.

This pioneering project did not go unnoticed in the transportation industry.
The main advantage for the carrier is the capability to carry higher payloads and thus do the job with fewer rides. Not to mention, significantly lower weight (2,000 kg instead of 4,200 kg in steel); reduced fuel consumption and thus reduced pollution (CO2, NOx and soot particles) and very high insulating properties.

A market potential is several hundred units a year.

Other finalists in the Transportation category
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•  Composite lightweight, crashworthy train cab presented by NewRail (UK) with its partners Bombardier Transportation (UK) and Anthony, Patrick and Murta Exporta (Portugal).

•  Lightweight composite compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder used as a storage tank in natural gas and/or bio-gas fuelled vehicles presented by Gastank Sweden AB (Sweden) with its partners Greenes Group (Netherlands) and 3B - the fibreglass company (Belgium).