Tilt measurement system for safer heavy-duty transports

The Challenge: A High Center of Gravity

The system saw its inaugural use when Baumann transported a gigantic heat exchanger in October 2020. The company is one of a select few freight businesses in Germany that specialize in oversized cargo. 

The Challenge: A High Center of Gravity

One particularly challenging aspect of transporting large and heavy items is the high center of gravity, which increases the risk of the entire vehicle tipping over. This means the tilt angle of the load has to be continuously monitored during transit, so that hydraulic adjustments can be made in order to keep the tilt angle within specified parameters. For less critical transports, the company uses a simple pendulum that is attached to the load along with a scale. If that pendulum swings beyond a certain point, the operator of the hydraulic systems can adjust the tilt angle manually during transport. However, this method was not precise enough for such a large cargo, as there was only an extremely small tolerance for its tilt angle.

Electronic Monitoring Solution

In search of a precise electronic monitoring solution, Baumann approached Althen. As there was no suitable measurement device on the market, a new solution was custom-developed for the project. The MTMS, or Mobile Tilt Monitoring System, comprises a measurement unit with a sensor in a robust die-cast aluminum casing connected to a bright large-scale LED display that is legible from a distance of 20 meters. Its measurement range is +/- 10 degrees from horizontal. This is quite a narrow range, since transporting heavy goods with a high center of gravity only allows very small amounts of tilt.

Easy-to-Read LED Bar Display

In addition to a numerical display, Althen and Baumann decided to add a color-coded LED bar display that makes it easy to monitor the current tilt angle and immediately alerts the operator of excessive tilt angles. The measurement system is easy to attach to any load and to configure for specific allowable tilt angles. Thanks to the newly developed display, the tilt angle of the inaugural load could be kept within the designated green area throughout its four-day journey.

An Industry First

This electronic tilt monitoring system is the first of its kind in the heavy transport industry. It offers a significant safety improvement for those transporting over-sized goods. Reinhard Treutler, CAD technician at Baumann, and his colleagues are satisfied: “Upon arrival, our employees said: ‘From now on, we’ll always use this system.’ Our customers also seem to understand and appreciate the safety benefits. We greatly value the added safety that this solution provides for our employees and our company. That is why going forward, all our heavy transports that involve a high center of gravity and increased tipping risk will be done using the Althen tilt monitoring system.”