News Release
UK first for OEM wheel safety solution
Earlier this year at the Hethel Engineering Centre near Norwich, an OEM solution to the problem of wheel loss was launched by VisiLok Ltd in partnership with automotive engineering consultancy, Lotus Engineering and cold-forming precision components manufacturer, Floform.
Known as VisiLok, the device is a dual-purpose road safety nut which both arrests the movement of wheel nuts on heavy goods and commercial vehicles and flags for operator attention.
VisiLok is now set to virtually eliminate the likelihood of wheel fixing defects and detachment which have been a cause of concern for truck, bus and coach operators across the UK for many years.
The device is understood to be the only global market solution currently available which can be both included in the initial customer order specification or successfully applied as a retrofit feature.
Commenting on the development, VisiLok Managing Director, Barry McGowan said: “Each year the UK alone has over 11,000 wheel fixing defects and around 7 fatalities which can be attributed directly to accidents caused by wheel fixing defects and losses.
"Although there are a number of devices on the market to prevent wheel loss, none of these provide a true solution to the problem. We subsequently set out to develop a comprehensive and safety-critical solution which would not only help to prevent wheels from coming off, but could save lives. With the recent introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in April, this aspect is even more critical."
In order to achieve this ambitious goal of a safety-critical, robust and cost-effective solution, VisiLok teamed up with automotive engineering consultancy, Lotus Engineering.
"Simon Wood, Lotus Technical Director, holds up a VisiLok nut and stud flanked by VisiLok and Lotus personnel"
Lotus Engineering, which is highly regarded as a provider of world leading transport engineering solutions, was integral to the development of the product and ensured that the device met all its functional objectives.
Simon Wood, Technical Director at Lotus Engineering said: “We are delighted to be working with VisiLok to design and validate a solution to the potentially fatal problem of wheel detachment. Using an existing VisiLok design, Lotus modified the locking device to enable manufacturing feasibility for the most effective solution for commercial vehicle operators. Lotus also carried out rigorous testing procedures to validate the performance of the road safety device under the most arduous operating conditions.”
The VisiLok visible locking wheel nut was hailed as an exciting and innovative contribution to road safety by attendees at the launch including representatives from the automotive manufacturing, passenger transport, road haulage and retail sectors as well as local authorities and trade media.
The device is now widely available across the UK with patents secured for Europe and the US.
13 May 2008