History of the AMC System
DAF XF105 manual deflector at maximum height
DAF XF105 with high lift AMC kit fitted at maximum height
Manually adjusted deflectors are difficult to use
The AMC System was conceived out of necessity to ensure that existing air management kits fitted to commercial vehicles were being used to their maximum efficiency. Every transport operator that is involved in 'high cube' business using box vans and curtain-sided trailers has a real need to control the force of 'ram air' and divert it away from flat vertical surfaces, i.e. fronts of trailers, since this increases drag and thus increases fuel consumption. Most operators have trailers of varying heights therefore it is essential that the first point of air contact - the tractor unit - has the roof spoiler/air deflector set at the optimum height.
Scania Newsroom "Every drop of fuel counts", 24 September 2008
However, manual air deflectors are very rarely adjusted and are probably set at the wrong height during at least 25% of a truck's operational lifetime.
At present the air deflector has to be adjusted manually using tools and working at height in very awkward and dangerous positions, and usually involves two people to lift the weight of the spoiler and make adjustments to either side in tandem.
Because of this drivers very rarely manually adjust the cab roof top deflectors after picking up a trailer of a different height, and most probably leave them fixed in one position for the vehicle's entire working life.
This results in the alignment of the deflector with the leading edge of the trailer being far from satisfactory, and maximum fuel economy can not be achieved under these conditions.
The AMC System allows positional adjustments to the deflector height to be made at ground level reducing health and safety issues, either from inside or outside the vehicle cab. This means that every trailer can have the exact deflector position set for every trip, increasing fuel economy by up to 11.6% compared to incorrectly set deflectors.
Further to the benefits of increased fuel economy, the AMC System also helps to achieve reduced journey times and better vehicle handling due to lower wind resistance.
