LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Carrier Transicold has come out with a new transport refrigeration unit (TRU) control system dubbed APX.

The system boasts distributed electronics to improve reliability and a large, user-friendly screen area that displays five times the amount of information shown by conventional control systems. David Kiefer, director of marketing and product management for Carrier Transicold, said “from a fleet and driver perspective, it’s the easiest yet to program and use, and it provides exceptional temperature management for any hauled commodity.”

Customers can upload applications (apps) to customize their system, including Range Protect for improved fuel optimization and DataTrak, which enables wireless monitoring. A USB port makes connectivity simple.

Hardware-wise, the APX is modular, with individual components placed strategically within the TRU to minimize wiring and improve reliability. Because the hardware is placed more efficiently within the TRU, fewer connections are required, Kiefer pointed out.

“One of many examples of the benefits of this design approach is a wiring harness with fewer connections and that weighs 40% less, due to shorter wiring runs,” he said.

The backlit LCD display screen is 14% taller than conventional offerings and 11 buttons allow users to make common adjustments without scrolling through endless menus. Technicians will also benefit, Kiefer noted, because they can view five technical items at a time on the screen.

The APX control system will be offered as an option, initially on the X2 series of TRUs, the 2100 and 2500.