TriVan Truck BodyProject Designer
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In May of 2017, I joined the TriVan Truck Body design team. TriVan is a custom truck and trailer manufacturer located in Ferndale, WA. This company specializes in heavy-duty van bodies, trailers, and enclosures built to suit a customer's specific needs. Most of the products feature a unique snap-lock panel design to give a rugged but smooth "billboard finish" to the exterior walls-no rivets or fasteners needed.
As a project designer, my responsibilities include top-to-bottom unit design and project management. TriVan's sales team will put out a work order when they receive a sale, and it is my job to translate the words of that work order into a set of drawings that the custom manufacturing shop can build a physical unit off of. The design drawing set includes everything from the frame, walls, and roof of a unit to details such as cabinets, compartments, electrical system wiring, and plumbing. It is also my responsibility to ensure that the purchasing department has a list of everything they need to order for each unit that I design. |
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All pictures on this page are of units that I designed. I have gone into further details of some of my key units below.
Pictured above are the first two units I ever designed. On the left is a storage and evidence transport van used by a police department. On the right is a service body used by maintenance crews for public utilities projects.
Generator Enclosures
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My specialty at TriVan has become generator enclosures. This is a very specific division of TriVan. Generator enclosures are needed around large backup generators for buildings. They provide shelter for the generator, create sound attenuation while the generator is running, support the weight of the generator and its accessories. and regulate the ambient temperature around the generator. These often have complex electrical and HVAC control systems. They also have to meet rigid sound and temperature specs. I have designed enclosures for generator sizes ranging from 80 kilowatts to 3 megawatts. They are in a large variety of places from a school in Alaska to a coal mine in Alberta to the top of a building in Seattle. The enclosure in Seattle was put on the roof by crane. weighed over 60 tons and was transported by a double drop trailer with over 80 wheels.
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Police Command Center
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In the picture and video above is a police mobile command center that I designed. This unit combines a lot of our specialties as a custom manufacturer into one small package. It includes a generator, TVs with satellite antennas, a bathroom and kitchenette with a full plumbing system, and custom manufactured cabinets and countertops. Of the projects I've worked on, this is one of the most complex, despite the fact that it is on the smaller end of the units that TriVan manufactures.
Mobile SWAT Command Vehicle
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This project is a command center for a SWAT team. It contains a Smart Board, a TV, a radio control center, and desks with electrical connections in the front. In the back, there are lockers and cabinets for gear storage. There is an on board generator, battery bank, and inverter for continuous power. A lot of the exterior compartments are used as storage, and there is an exterior command center featuring a Smart Board. This unit is packed full of storage and electrical equipment, all designed for quick and easy access for multiple purposes in emergency scenarios.
Fire Rescue Equipment Truck
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The above fire department vehicle is a gear transport truck for rescue scenarios. It features cross-body compartments, infinitely adjustable shelves, large drawers, and multiple large slide-outs capable of supporting thousands of pounds of weight. There is no wasted space on this unit as every inch is usable for storage. It is held up by a jungle-gym of a steel frame to support all the doors, openings, and shelves.
Public Health Van Conversion
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Conversion vans have become increasingly popular. TriVan has lots of experience with Mercedes Sprinter vans, but this was one of the first instances of a Ford Transit conversion van that we completed. It features two consultation rooms with foldable tables, storage benches, and full HVAC. It also has a storage/electrical room featuring a fridge, lockable cabinet, and inverter to provide AC power to the body.
Battery Backup Enclosure
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The above project is a battery backup enclosure for a power grid monitoring system. This enclosure contains a large 48V battery and all of the equipment needed to maintain it, ensuring there are no hiccups in the power grid. This features an annunciator panel to give an operator messages and controls without having to enter the enclosure.