Eaton has introduced Procision, a new line of medium-duty dual clutch transmissions that delivers eight to 10 per cent better fuel economy than a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic.
Scheduled to be available in the North American market mid-year in 2015 and available globally in the future, the new 7-speed transmissions feature a dual clutch design and electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle input to provide optimal fuel efficiency and smooth, continuous delivery of torque to a vehicle’s wheels under all shift conditions.
“Small businesses rely on their class 6 and 7 (up to 16 tons) medium-duty trucks to deliver goods and perform tough jobs on a daily basis,” said John Beering, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Eaton Commercial Vehicle Transmission. “The all-new Eaton Procision is the first dual clutch transmission for class 6-7 in North America. Its smart features deliver more savings and driver confidence, and it is the ideal transmission solution for medium-duty applications.”
Eaton employed the dual clutch technology to allow for more efficient acceleration from a stopped position, and to optimise shift points that will efficiently get to the highest gear. Gear changes are made by swapping the engine torque between clutches with the next gear preselected.
“The highly efficient dual clutch technology with a closed loop control system significantly reduces slip and steady state losses that are associated with torque converter automatic transmissions,” said Jeff Carpenter, Engineering Manager, Medium-Duty Procision.
The dual clutch module is fully contained within the transmission, hydraulically controlled and oil cooled for extended life. A five-spring damper is used to control torsional vibrations and is fully sealed to eliminate contamination.
“Our customers had direct input on the features they want in a medium-duty transmission, and because of this real-world input the Eaton Procision is smart from the word go,” said Joe Semaan, Commercial Vehicle Segment Director, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “It is easy to tailor, which is key for fleet owners looking to put trucks on the road that best meet their business needs.”
Smart features such as Eaton Dynamic Shifting allow the transmission to automatically switch between economy and performance shift schedules based on mass, gradient and driver demand. Base shift results are modified dynamically based on available torque, engine acceleration and grade.
Procision is a smart choice with three standard Power Take-Off (PTO) openings. PTO functionality can be enabled via the ServiceRanger software. This flexibility is a competitive advantage for Procision and enhances value to both first owners and the secondary market.
“With the fuel efficiency and low maintenance costs, Procision transmissions promise to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership for any medium-duty transmission in the commercial vehicle market today,” added Beering. “This is a world-class transmission that helps deliver safe, confident and easy operation for any driver by delivering optimal performance in many driving environments.”
“Customers told us that they wanted features that made their trucks easier to drive,” said Carpenter. “So we engineered a host of features that instill confidence and maximise efficiency for operators with routes on hilly, difficult terrain, or those who navigate tight turns and traffic as part of an urban route. Because medium-duty customers rely on their truck day in and day out, reliability is key. Our extensive reliability testing program takes into consideration a variety of geographies, vocations and duty cycles. We’ve put this transmission through things that an average customer would never experience.”
The Procision design life (B-10) is 10 years/640,000 km. Eaton Procision transmissions carry a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty, which covers the complete system, including the dual clutch module, in commercial vehicle applications.
Eaton expands SMARTADVANTAGE powertrain portfolio for enhanced fuel efficiency
Eaton has expanded its SmartAdvantage Powertrain range to meet truck manufacturers’ growing demand for weight reduction and fuel efficiency. The new range has been designed to suit Cummins’ ISX12 diesel engine applications of up to 49 tonne gross vehicle weight (GVW). Now available globally, Eaton’s SmartAdvantage was presented in Europe for the first time at the IAA show. Building on the success of the SmartAdvantage Powertrain for Cummins’ ISX15 engines, the expanded SmartAdvantage package integrates Eaton’s Fuller Advantage Series 10-speed Automated Manual Transmission with the ISX12 diesel engine. As such, it is available as a small-ratio-step overdrive model with two new Cummins ISX12 SmartTorque2 (ST2) ratings: the ISX12 370ST2, with torque of 1559-1966 Nm, and the ISX12 425ST2, with torque of 1830-2237 Nm. “Cummins and Eaton continue to collaborate on powertrain solutions for the global on-highway markets that we serve,” said Lori Thompson, Cummins Vice President – Truck and Bus OEM Business. “The latest SmartAdvantage Powertrain offerings are a natural extension of the initial product, and will provide customers with the fuel economy and productivity improvements they desire, along with a broad range of applications to meet their specific hauling needs.” “The level of integration and advanced technology in the SmartAdvantage Powertrain delivers a package that both fleet owners and professional drivers are thrilled with,” said John Beering, Senior Vice President and General Manager – Commercial Vehicle Transmission Business, Eaton. “Our teams continue to receive feedback from our customers and, in turn, deliver the kind of integration between the transmission and engine that is best-in-class in the global heavy-duty truck market.” |
