DAF expands Plug & Play for maximum efficiency
As part of its DAF Transport Efficiency philosophy, DAF Trucks has further enhanced the body builder friendliness of its New Generation DAF rigid trucks. The Dutch truck manufacturer has expanded its Plug & Play programme, increased payloads by up to 160 kilogrammes and is offering new hole pattern options for its chassis rails.
DAF introduced its Plug & Play body builder programme last year, together with the introduction of its full suite of double-driven tractors and rigids for off- and on-road applications. This Plug & Play programme was designed in close cooperation with 25 leading body builders in Europe, with the aim of optimising the specification, ordering and body-building processes for rigid trucks.
The programme allows the customer, builder and dealer to jointly select pre-specified and tailored plug-and-play body building options in DAF’s order system.
The underlying aim is to make the ‘marriage’ of a body with the DAF chassis as simple as possible. After mounting the body onto the chassis (using the factory-installed body mounting modules), the connectors are connected and the body is immediately ready for use.
To make this possible, DAF rigid trucks can leave the factory (on request) fully prepared for quick assembly and high quality, first-time-right integration of the superstructure and the vehicle.
DAF is also expanding its unique DAF Plug & Play programme to include a series of universal factory preparations for all other body builders outside of the 25 that are already participating. These plug & play options are available for the installation of five dedicated vehicle applications: hook lifts, cranes, tippers, mixers and skip loaders.
Cornelis van der Lee, director rigid and vocational trucks at DAF Trucks said: “These superstructures represent around 90 per cent of the body market. Customers and dealers can now work together with almost any body builder to decide which universal ex-factory chassis preparations are required for an ultra-quick installation of a superstructure.
“DAF can take care not only of the chassis configurations but also of the correct placement of the connectors. This enables instant communication between the superstructure and the Driver Information Panel on the dashboard and the switches in the cab. The result is much shorter lead times in the body building process, which in turn enhances the operational readiness of newly ordered New Generation DAF rigid trucks. DAF is leading the way in body-builder-friendliness.”