Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/597582
November 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 34 machine matters | by Richard Ries FRAME TO ENGINE, HEAVY TRUCKS GET TECHNOLOGY BOOST Technology isn't just electrons and algorithms. It's metallurgy and frame rails and a host of other details. Truck manufacturers use these tools to develop, produce and service what they sell. S ome techniques for improving fuel ef- fi ciency in line-haul trucking don't carry over well to vocational applications. Skirts and other aerodynamic features don't help much on a gooseneck trailer with an excavator on top or even on a dump truck. But sophisticated transmissions and ad- vanced electronics that integrate transmission functions with the engine, brakes, cruise control, and GPS do work well in vocational trucks—as long as they're robust enough to handle the de- mands of vocational use. Transmissions in transition The DT12 automated manual transmission in Daimler trucks (Freightliner, Western Star), for example, has several features to improve fuel economy. Daimler's Intelligent Power Manage- ment (IPM) uses the truck's GPS location and a computerized terrain map to plan engine and transmission functions more than a mile ahead. This allows the truck to maintain the most effi cient momentum in rolling terrain. On downgrades and other off-throttle conditions, eCoast allows the engine to idle. The DT12 also has features to improve the driv- er's experience and reduce fatigue. Creep mode helps low-speed maneuverability; from a standstill it modulates the clutch for smoother take-off and the driver needs only to feather the brake and accelerator to control speed. At the top of its three position setting the engine brake will adjust its aggressiveness automatically to match the cruise speed to the driver's situation, downshifting if necessary. "Drivers like how the smooth operation and intelligent controls enhance the driving expe- rience," says Kelly Gedert, manager of powertrain marketing for Daimler Trucks North America. Mack's mDRIVE automated manual transmission has two notable features; the Super Econodyne powertrain package and Load Logic. Both im- prove fuel economy. Super Econodyne relies on the integration of the transmission and Mack MP engine to reduce engine speed at cruising speeds. Load Logic reads information from the truck's rear suspension. When a full load is indicated, Load Logic locks out the top gear to deliver better per- formance. When empty, the top gear can be used once again, improving fuel effi ciency. "Outside of continuing improvements to the mDRIVE's software, there have also been revi- sions to its hardware to improve performance and reliability," says Stu Rossoli, Mack highway and powertrain products marketing manager. The oil cooler on mDRIVE transmissions was moved to the side of the gearbox for more consistent tem- perature management. Internal changes improve effi ciency and oil fl ow. The mDRIVE HD has hardened gears and reinforced synchronizers and main clutch dog to meet the demands of voca-