Vicious Lifecycle.: Smart Truer

Smart Truer

This is Holland Mechanics SMT , a semi-automatic hand truer that perfectly fits the digital control network of the modern wheelshop. ( hmm.. Rj45 cable?) Apparently Mavic and Campy Xerowheel Gigantex/Equinox , Novatec and DT uses this. Not too sure About Shimano though.

Hand trueing is indispensable with today's exotic high-end wheels. Wheel manufacturers try to distinguish their products with new technologies, for instance inverted spokes. The nipples fitting the hub are beyond reach of today's most sophisticated regular trueing machine, and these wheels have to be trued by hand. Special spoke wrenches are needed when there is no room for the traditional key ring or the robot's arm. The old race mechanic could do the job, but with today's young generation it will get more and more difficult to find the skill and the experience to true a perfect high-end wheel to exacting tolerances.

Not entirely true....Here in Malaysia, We true it !!!

That's why Holland Mechanics have built the SMT (SMart Truer). On the SMT, special wheels from 12" to 30" with any number of spokes up to 48 can be trued up to +_ 0.05 mm tolerance. The trick is, that the jig's sensors and computer offer the trueing directives for each nipple and for each trueing round. The operator only has to perform according to the SMT's instructions. The necessary skills are limited to reading the instructions, and giving the tool the required number of turns.

Of course, the SMT can also be used for any other high-end wheel where a high standard of precision is required. That may be the race service of a professional race team, or a small factory of exclusive high-end bicycles. Or it can be an excellent first step in mechanical wheel building in regions where labour is cheap and infrastructure is expensive.

(malaysia labour must be really cheap.....besides its in Segamat, Johor.. things are cheap there..the underground wheelsets too... :)