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A facelift for the mid-range municipal vehicle with Advanced Technology (AT)

New design elements and technical improvements for the proven all-rounder
New lighting concept with high-performance LED strips in the roof gallery
New operating system with high-resolution displays, new foam direct injection proportioning system

The AT is the premium vehicle in Rosenbauer’s municipal line-up. It defines the state of the art in firefighting operations and constantly sets new standards in terms of safety and ergonomics, body and firefighting technology, lighting, and design. The latter was reworked – and at the same time a number of other technical improvements and innovations were introduced. As far as the facelift is concerned, it can be seen above all in the newly designed roof gallery, the new, attractively shaped roof superstructure, the revised docking panel between the driver’s cab and the crew cab, the new pump compartment enclosure, and the completely new lighting concept.

State-of-the-art lighting technology
On the one hand, the new lighting package for the AT consists of up to three high-performance LED strips, which are integrated into the roof gallery in a space-saving and effective manner. With an optical power of 1650 lm/m and a color temperature of 5,000 K, they provide very bright, daylight-like, and glare-free close-range and scene lighting. In addition, the AT can be fitted with the rotating and swivelling LED FLEXILIGHT light mast, which can further improve visibility at a distance (8 x 4000 lm), shine upwards, and focus on a spot.

On the other hand, there are powerful new LED warning lights on the newly designed roof superstructure and at the rear of the body. On request, warning flashers can also be installed in the vehicle grille and other places. The optical warning device of the AT is also supplemented by colored LED strips in the roof gallery, which flash along with the other warning flashlights. New, powerful rear lights are elegantly integrated into the rear luminaire mounts.

Optimum lighting
The new rear flap is also equipped with new LED strips on the inside to illuminate the operator’s working area without glare or shadows. In the equipment compartments, new, high-intensity LED strips are mounted on three sides, providing light at every angle. In the crew cabin, ambient lighting in the canopy, indirectly illuminated handlebars, and optional floor lighting on the seat benches provide homogeneous illumination. In the exterior of the AT, the floor contour can be illuminated to increase safety when getting in and out and when working around the vehicle.

New operating concept
The AT is operated via the new Rosenbauer RBC LCS operating system. Thanks to its logical structure and comprehensible menu navigation with color-coded functions and quick-select buttons, it always allows intuitively correct and safe operation of both the extinguishing systems and all other electrical/electronic components. By highlighting the main control elements, even inexperienced firefighters can quickly and easily operate the devices in their basic functions. The control commands are entered as usual via function and quick-select keys or optionally on a touchscreen. The tactile key panels have a new surface with noticeable edges and improved visibility thanks to backlit LEDs. In addition to fields with 5 or 15 buttons, there is now also a dual field, for example for opening/closing electric roller shutters.

High-resolution displays
All relevant information is clearly shown on new displays. A new 10″ display is used both at the rear to control the firefighting equipment and in the driver’s cab to operate lighting equipment, signaling systems, built-in generators, etc. This is high-resolution (1280 x 800), extremely bright (1000 cd/m2), allows a wide viewing angle (85° from all sides) and has automatic day/night switching, which can also be operated manually. The rear display is also height-adjustable. A new 3.5″ display is available for installation in slim body panels etc.

Practical scene arrival button
Via the scene arrival button, the AT can be made ready for operation as usual at the push of a button. The following functions can be activated simultaneously: front flasher, siren, hazard warning lights, traffic guidance system (with freely programmable texts), scene lighting, and built-in generator.

Incidentally, the new operating concept is used in all Rosenbauer firefighting vehicles. This supports the smooth changeover between the different types of vehicles and is particularly advantageous for larger fleets.

New direct injection proportioning system
With the RFC Admix Variomatic, a new foam direct injection proportioning system is used in the AT. It is available in three sizes (12, 24, and 48 l/min) as a single or multi-channel system and supplies foam specifically to the outlets that the fire department wants to use during operations. The others can be operated in parallel with water. Up to four injection points can be supplied simultaneously, and in the multi-channel version different proportioning ratios (0.1 – 6 % continuously adjustable) can be selected for the injection points. The system works with 24 V, the foam compound is delivered by a gear pump, and the foam is proportioned directly at the pressure outlets after the water pump.

With the RFC Admix Variomatic, virtually all foam compounds available today can be used, including the modern alternatives of fluorinated foam compounds. It therefore offers a very wide range of applications from wetting agent operation with the smallest proportioning quantities (0.1 l/min) to the production of light, medium, and heavy foam.

Central water supply
Like the RFC Admix Variomatic, all firefighting equipment components of the AT are developed and produced by Rosenbauer. In addition to analog and fully automatic pump units, these are primarily various premixing systems (NP and HP), compressed air foam systems, and turrets. The central water supply allows water to be supplied via the same suction inlet, whether from a stream or a hydrant. Because the pipe upstream of the pump is always filled and a separate shut-off valve is installed, pressure surges on the pipeline are massively reduced in hydrant operation. For German standard vehicles, the water supply can also be designed with a free tank inlet to ensure safe separation of dirty and drinking water.

Safety first
The proven crew cab of the AT, which is integrated into the body, offers the occupants the highest level of safety when traveling to as well as on the operational scene. It is built in accordance with the currently applicable ECE R29 guidelines and can be fitted with 3-point safety belts on all seats, including those with integrated SCBA holders. These are also available with a detachable shoulder strap to allow more freedom of movement when putting on the SCBA and at the same time remain secured by the lap belt. The four outer seats (in and against the direction of travel) are fitted with belt tensioners and airbags to protect the head area in the event of a side impact. All accessible elements, not only the handles in the cab but also the mounting components in the body, are marked by the signal color orange and are therefore immediately recognisable.

More comfort
The rotating steps are also included in the standard repertoire of the AT. It locks in any door position and allows safe and comfortable entry and exit even when the door is half open. The floor and ceiling of the crew cab are completely flat, thus minimizing the risk of injury from tripping or bumping heads. A new insulation in the lower front part of the cab provides better noise reduction and thermal insulation. New ventilation slits in the docking panel provide better cooling. In the door panel there is a new, bright external tank indicator LED.

Safety on the roof
A significant advantage of the integrated crew cab is the flat roof surface over the entire length of the body. This enables optimum roof loading and increases safety when walking on the roof, for example when removing equipment from the roof boxes. Access to the roof is provided via a foldable rear-mounted ladder with ergonomic roof rails.

Wide range of variants
The AT is optionally built on chassis from MAN, Mercedes Benz, Volvo, and Scania with different wheelbases and up to 18 t total weight. It can be implemented as a firefighting vehicle as well as a rescue vehicle, with integrated twin cab or as a squad body, with or without tunnel or tail lift. Its all-rounder qualities are demonstrated by the versatility of the body and firefighting equipment, the variable lighting concept and the modular, individually configurable operating system. All components are optimally matched and harmonize perfectly with each other. In addition, the AT presents itself in a new functional design, which merges with the technology to form a high-quality whole. The AT offers fire departments everything they need for their operations at the crucial moments.

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