Trailer aerodynamic device maker Freight Wing has formally introduced side skirts specifically designed for intermodal trailers; skirts that Sean Graham, Freight Wing’s president, said deliver fuel economy savings similar to models deployed on dry van trailers, which is roughly 5% to 7%.
“Configuring chassis side skirts for 46-foot intermodal trailers was a bit of an engineering challenge, but we designed a unit that is clamped onto the I-beams, below where the intermodal box rests,” Graham said. “This keeps the two-piece side skirts intact and free from damage during loading. The skirts are also flexible and hinged to the trailer via fiberglass rods, allowing them to bend and flex when bottoming out at loading docks.”
Freight Wing two side skirt construction options are available; one using its original Dense Matrix Polyethylene (DMP) plastic compound or one made from a composite material that offer a low coefficient of thermal expansion, allowing the skirts to hold their flat panel shape better and giving them a more clean and “mirrored” look.
