Trefol has had the MAHA equipment operational since December last year

Busy operations don’t have time for substandard machinery, and that was the problem at Trefol before the large New South Wales-based company changed to MAHA equipment in its workshop.
Trefol tests vehicle brake force, brake balance, wheel rolling resistance and deceleration to determine braking performance.
John Willis, one of the three owners of the family run company, said the previous brake testing machinery they had wasn’t a good system and they needed to look at a better system for roller brake testing incorporating load simulation.
“I just got fed up around Christmas time last year, and I rang Mick (Lauster – MAHA Managing Director) and we organised a quote and basically bit the bullet and pulled the old system out and put the MAHA in,” John said.
“Software was a massive problem with the old system. This system has got great software; we find that it is easier for the guys to use, the roller systems are heaps better than the other system, and the shaker plates are a lot better as well.
“The system is just a great system, absolutely well and truly better built and it is certainly a very superior product.”
Trefol has had the MAHA equipment operational since December last year and it is used every day by the 10 technicians working in that area of the business who have reportedly found the new machinery easy to master and very easy to use.
These technicians are required to conduct these tests as part of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) National Heavy Vehicle Inspection for heavy vehicle compliance to ensure on road safety.
The NHVIM specifies a roller brake tester with load simulation as one of its main in-service test methods to accurately verify a functioning load proportioning valve and to measure brake torque while the vehicle is on rollers in the workshop.
Load simulation is vital to ensure brake force is sufficient for all load conditions experienced by that truck.
“Because we are an inspection station here for the registrations and the RFS, we clear defects and obviously every time we break into a braking system, we make the boys put the truck over the rollers and check the brakes before it goes out. And we use it for all our servicing inspections, so the trucks go over the braking and shaker for servicing,” John said.
To ensure the system is functioning perfectly, MAHA’s Roller Brake Testing equipment is calibrated on an annual basis by factory trained technicians.
On completion of the calibration, the customer is issued with a certificate confirming the calibration which is valid for 12 months.

For more information, visit www.maha.com.au