Up in the Tar Sands area, companies have a specific need for vehicles and equipment that will help them succeed in mining tricky and difficult types of fuel. If you're in the market for this type of equipment, or looking to get involved in this industry, read on to discover some of the best features and designs that companies offer for the equipment used in the tough and chaotic environment of the Northern Tar Sands.

Anti-Tipping and Stability Design

Vehicles have to be designed for sturdiness and stability. There are lots of situations where there's going to be pressure from outside the vehicle, either lateral pressure from moving materials, or other kinds of impact. Without sturdy designs, vehicles can quickly become compromised and endanger workers. The general durability of the vehicles is important, too, because they will often be navigating big grades, dealing with shifting surfaces, handling a lot of dirty materials, and getting heavy use in the field.

Anti-Corrosion

A great variety of oilfield trucks and equipment are also subject to different types of corrosion and pollution. Some need to be outfitted with specific equipment to keep the heavy air of the area from damaging their engine systems, hydraulics or other systems, or to keep the grime and dust of the disrupted carbon materials from settling into pipes and ducts. The surfaces of tools and equipment will need to be adequately designed to promote longevity and long term use, with paints, encapsulation and other methods for "ruggedization."

Security

Another major need is for proper security equipment. The chaos and relative lack of security in some of these operations is well documented, and that means financial investments in vehicles need to be protected by lock and key systems and other security features that will keep vehicles from getting vandalized or destroyed. For example, locks on fuel tanks can be a valuable addition to a purchase.

User Friendly Vehicles and Equipment

Companies are also going to face challenges in the learning curve needed to train staff on different types of vehicles and equipment such as winches, cranes, hoists and other gear. This is going to be easier if the items in question are easier to use, if they have well laid out dashboards, transparent operational manuals and instructions, and intuitive controls that people can more easily learn on the job.

All of these design features are important for the trucks and equipment used to haul bitumen-rich products from the Tar Sands area.

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