Occupational Vehicles: Comparing Mechanical and Air Suspension Seats
Proper seating is essential for your occupational vehicles as well as wheeled industrial equipment, particularly for the drivers. Generally, people whose daily work involves handling trucks, tractors, excavators and similar equipment are exposed to adverse conditions. In simple terms, their bodies will experience shocks and vibrations as they operate the equipment, especially on rough terrain. Over time, the effects of this daily stress will manifest as damage to the spinal cord, neck and other associated physiological structures.
Therefore, it is critical for you to install good seats which will minimise the physical strain during equipment and vehicle operation. Suspension seats are designed and fabricated to fulfil this objective. Basically, the seats will minimise the amount of shock and general vibration transmitted from the body of the vehicle, through the seat and to the driver's body. There are numerous pertinent products in the market, so consider this comparison of the two primary types of occupational vehicle suspension seats before making your purchase.
Mechanical Suspension Seats
Mechanical suspension seats are designed using the same concepts used in creating passenger car suspensions. The system incorporates mechanical coil springs with integrated levers, articulated scissor joints for easy movement and shock absorbers with energy damping characteristics. The design allows the internal mechanisms to isolate the shocks and vibration passing through the equipment and reduce its impact. Typically, a mechanical suspension seat can be adjusted to fit the height of the operator. Moreover, most products provide a significant allowance for users with significant weight differences.
Air Suspension Seats
The design of air suspension seats is more advanced in comparison to the mechanical alternative. Therefore, their popularity has been high since the inception of the technology. Like its counterpart, this type of seat has shock absorbers or dampeners and articulated scissor joints. However, the design goes further and incorporates an airbag beneath the seat. This provides improved performance with regard to minimising vibrations generated by both lateral and up-and-down motions. In addition, the presence of the pneumatic system will give the user more control. Simply speaking, if the air pressure in the seat is varied, the seat can be modified to accommodate different operator heights and weight.
The Verdict
Mechanical suspension seats are simpler and considerably cheaper than the air type. They are ideal for general applications where the terrain is not too harsh and the user is average-sized. The air suspension seat will provide better shock absorption and enhance user safety. Additionally, the system can be adjusted extensively to perform exceptionally, according to the terrain and user parameters.
Talk with professional suppliers for more information about truck seats and suspension.
