ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) business group has announced it will manufacture the Meritor Air Link suspension in its Sistemas Automotirices de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. joint venture facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Manufacturing will begin effective immediately in the QS9000-certified facility.
The company added the Air Link suspension to its lineup through a licensing agreement inked with Raydan Manufacturing, Inc. of Alberta, Canada in 2004. The agreement covers suspension applications up to and including 52,000 lb. GAWR for commercial truck and specialty and military vehicles.
"Applying our industrialization and supply chain management tools to the Meritor Air Link suspension will allow us the opportunity to respond to our customers' unique needs, including modules and systems, while controlling all aspects of quality and cost," said Larry Dowers, general manager of Product Strategy.
ArvinMeritor said its engineers have taken the suspension through the paces in its technical center in Troy -- initially through simulation modeling, then through demanding lab durability tests modeled from actual road profile data. The suspension achieved over three million customer-equivalent miles in laboratory system validation, the company said.
Air Link's walking beam air suspension design offers the ride and handling advantages of an air suspension for heavy haul applications, ArvinMeritor stated. Other design advantages include desirable roll stability characteristics and lower suspension maintenance as a result of fewer moving parts.
"We are pleased the Air Link's 12 years of proven experience in the vocational market will be expanded on with ArvinMeritor's global manufacturing base," said Ray English, president & CEO of Raydan Manufacturing. "The Meritor tandem module approach will provide an air ride option to customers using mechanical and rubber block suspensions as a cushion for drivers and reduced wear and tear on the vehicle.”
