Hi-Reliability: quality, high reliability of the components, low maintenance costs
The new STRALIS is manufactured at the Madrid plant according to World Class Manufacturing (WCM) principles. These were introduced several years ago into the manufacturing system of the Fiat Industrial Group, which chose to adopt one of the world’s highest manufacturing standards. WCM is an integrated model that views factory organisation as a whole and places particular attention on managing environmental aspects by eliminating manufacturing waste.
The new STRALIS was developed by placing the highest possible emphasis on quality aspects. Quality controls during the manufacturing process have been increased by 40% compared with earlier versions of the vehicle. The new functions, the materials used, and the development processes have been subjected to the strictest quality control, which extended to the creation of experimental fleets on which numerous reliability tests were undertaken. These included 6 million km of driving under especially severe conditions, in order to verify the vehicle’s endurance, and 11 million km of road reliability testing under normal load and driving conditions, some of which was performed by customers.
In order to maintain its first-rate features in the long term, the cabin of the new STRALIS has been treated with a thick cataphoretic coating. Chassis components are protected by top-of-the-line surface treatments, and as an option, the underside of the chassis can be protected with an anti-abrasive wax coating. All of these changes mean increased reliability and reduced maintenance costs.
The new STRALIS offers the choice of three transmission types: 9 and 16 speed manual, automated EUROTRONIC with integrated lever on the steering wheel switch and 6 speed automatic. All transmissions have a high level of reliability and low maintenance costs. The speeds are optimised to increase the productivity and efficiency of the vehicle. The manual transmissions offer greater ease of operation thanks to the "servo-shift" system for more comfortable driving.
The automated 12 speed EUROTRONIC ZF transmissions offer, besides the comfort, significant benefits in terms of cost of ownership: the automatic logic chooses the ideal speed based on economic driving principles, protects the transmission against over revving, and reduces clutch wear, noise and fuel consumption. Upon request the manual and automated transmissions can be equipped with an INTARDER hydrodynamic retarder, which improves braking efficiency and reduces consumption of brake friction material.
The Allison automatic transmission ensures optimum efficiency of the motion transmission in the case of multi-drop applications, such as urban waste collection, recycling or urban distribution. The integrated converter is a hydraulic clutch that is not subject to wear.
The different types of axles offered by the new STRALIS enable the vehicle to be perfectly adapted to the mission of the customer. The front axles have maximum permissible loads of up to 9 tons. The standard rear axles are single reduction type, with maximum permissible loads of up to 13 tons. There are also differential lock and double reduction rear axles (central and on hubs). The choice of axle drive ratios from 2.64 to 5.29 ensures the most efficient use of the vehicle for every need and location.
The range is complemented by the availability of vehicles with three or four fixed or lifting axles, optional self-steering axles, with single or twin wheels. The frame is manufactured with side members, double-bottle neck and with a high yield point steel C-section. The thickness is 6.7 or 7.7 mm depending on the wheelbase and the model.
The STRALIS can be equipped with different suspension systems: parabolic, rear pneumatic, full pneumatic. The parabolic suspensions are lightweight and provide excellent driving comfort under all load conditions. The air suspensions feature ECAS automated position control (Electronically-Controlled Air Suspension) to maintain the height of the frame while driving and to adjust it while loading, unloading and coupling the semitrailer.
