ALPHA Series

The new ALPHA Series represents the fifth generation of front end tipping solutions brought to the tipper truck market by Hyva over a period of three decades. The engineers behind this new concept had four key factors in mind: segment focus, transport efficiency, safety and reliability.

Segment focus:

To optimise transport efficiency, safety and reliability, you have to consider the typical duty and conditions prevailing in each segment. It’s not logical to attempt to design a single solution optimised for both urban construction duty and tough mining applications.

Transport efficiency:

The objective was a complete kit with maximum performance at minimum weight with the shortest possible tipping cycle. Without exception, every assembly and component was analysed and optimised to reduce material weight. The cylinder stop and lift faces were redesigned to permit exceptionally high tipping and lowering speeds. Hydraulic tube and hose diameters and working pressures were selected to minimise system oil requirements.

Safety:

The operator must have full control of the tipping system under all circumstances. Even in the unlikely event of a hose burst, the operator should preferably still be able to control the lowering of the tipper body. Hyva has achieved this by developing a totally new HT valve for mounting on the cylinder port. In addition, vehicle safety is enhanced by improvements in cylinder design to increase tipping stability, including a redesign and optimization of cylinder overlaps and the cylinder guide system.

Reliability:

Besides weight reduction, the detailed analysis of each individual assembly and component was also aimed at optimizing its service life. Hyva ran tough testing programs to validate the engineering decisions in practice.

Revolutionary

This intensive engineering program for the ALPHA tipping system resulted in the following revolutionary developments: 

• A totally new cylinder design, with changes to virtually every component apart from the sealing system. 
• A new hydraulic tank of a capacity exactly matched to the cylinder volume, with reinforced body and strap mounting to avoid high stress concentration in the tank at the mounting points, and featuring an optimised air breather system. Not only is it a functional improvement, its smart lines will enhance the appearance of any tipper truck.
• An innovative cylinder-mounted HT valve incorporating a new, highly reliable and stable pressure relief valve for maximum safety.
• A new gear pump with even greater reliability over a wider pressure range than the existing Hyva gear pump.

Intense effort

These results were achieved only after extensive research, design and analysis using sophisticated techniques such as linear and non-linear finite element analysis, and strength to weight optimization. Every design was laboratory-tested to verify that performance matched design specification, with as many as 5 test rigs running simultaneously. Many test cylinders were broken under side load, the pumps were tested through 200,000 tipping cycles using simulations, the new HT valve design was put through a similar program, and the cylinder lift and stop functions were verified on all models. The engineering phase entailed more than a thousand man-hours, and likewise the lab tests. Never in the history of Hyva was so much effort put into testing and verification, but the benefits of this thorough approach are so evident that the company intends to further intensify its testing capabilities and programs in the years ahead.

Virtually perfect

As the project progressed, with barriers falling and the achievements mounting, the engineering team became increasingly enthusiastic. Motivated to achieve transport efficiency, safety and reliability for Hyva customers in a specific segment, they have come up with a front-end tipping solution that is virtually perfect. Every tipper truck deserves a Hyva ALPHA tipping solution.