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NP Hauffe and Co is a quiet achiever in the
caravan suspension business. The company,
which manufactures the Simplicity range of
suspension systems, as well as axles, wheel
hubs and more, was established in 1955,
providing engineering solutions to the
transport and agricultural sectors.
The company’s independent load-sharing
leaf-spring caravan suspension system has long
been a unique offering but, in 2015, it began
manufacturing a non-load-sharing independent
coil suspension, known as Smart Coil, that’s
available in single-axle configurations (rated
from 1800kg to 2600kg) and tandem-axle
configurations (rated from 2500kg to 4200kg
and available in twin trailing arm or single
beam leading arm/trailing arm configurations).
Then, in 2017, NP Hauffe and Co launched a
load-sharing variant of its Smart Coil system,
known as LSC.
But what makes Smart Coil, well, smart?
The answer lies in the conical shape of its
patented variable rate spring. It features larger
coils that taper to smaller coils. The larger coils
absorbs the smaller impacts while the smaller
coils absorb higher impacts as the shock load
increases, making the spring more sympathetic
to load variations.
NP Hauffe and Co has been contracted twice
to supply the Australian Defence Force, and
more than 24,000 Simplicity suspension systems
are welded and bolted to caravans, trailers and
agricultural equipment around the country.
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gorv.com.au
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HUBS AND MORE.
With few exceptions, such as the company’s
brake drum castings, which are sourced from
a well known Australian foundry in South
Australia, everything is manufactured in-
house, an unassuming factory in Epping, Vic.
Raw steel comes in, it’s cut, drilled, machined
and tested as appropriate, and leaves as a
suspension system, a finished brake drum/
hub assembly, or axle.
During a special behind-the-scenes factory
tour, we saw computer lathes machine wheel
hub centres from sections of hollow bar steel,
a ‘Multiplex’ machine robotically finishing
wheel hubs after the centres had been
robotically welded to laser-cut hub plates…
and much more. It was, frankly, a fascinating
experience that showcased this company’s
engineering expertise.