Dana’s comprehensive range of off-highway drivetrain solutions at Bauma China 2014

Dana Holding Corporation demonstrated its full range of drivetrain solutions for the construction, mining and material-handling markets at the Bauma China 2014 show held in the last week of November this year.

Dana presented a variety of transmission, axle and driveshaft offerings for the Chinese equipment manufacturers to use in domestic and export applications.  The company also supplied details on its aftermarket capabilities, including re-manufacturing services available in the region.

These products and services exemplify the company’s ability to deliver efficiency through innovation by responding to technological and total-cost-of-ownership demands across the entire market.  Dana supports local equipment manufacturers through products targeted for the domestic market that deliver reliable performance and drivetrain solutions for the export market that meet higher demands for fuel efficiency, productivity, longer equipment life and stringent emission regulations.

“With 10 facilities, a world-class technology centre and approximately 7,000 employees working for us and our joint ventures in China, Dana is uniquely positioned to support equipment manufacturers with advanced engineering services, an extensive product line engineered, sourced and produced locally and responsive service support for vehicle purchasers well after the sale,” said Mr. Aziz Aghili, President of Dana Off-Highway Driveline Technologies.”Bauma China presents an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate our leadership today and our plans to evolve with the changing market in the years ahead” he added.

Comprehensive Line-up of Front-End Loader Solutions

Dana offers a wide selection of complete drivetrain solutions for front-end loaders from 4 to 50 tonnes (4 to 55 tons), starting with basic, durable designs engineered for the local Chinese market that feature an optimized blend of product features, performance, dependability, total cost of ownership and ranging up to premium configurations with advanced technologies for maximizing productivity and fuel efficiency.

Exemplifying Dana’s focus on listening to customer feedback and addressing local requirements, Spicer Rui Ma drivetrain solutions offer a range of transmissions and axles engineered and produced in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, for the Chinese market. At the show, the company showcased its Spicer Rui Ma TZL16 RM transmission, which in recent tests demonstrated up to a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy.

Engineered for premium domestic and export machines, Spicer TZL Series powershift transmissions are specifically engineered for Chinese-made front-end loaders where the emphasis is on fuel efficiency, productivity, longer equipment life and stringent emission regulations.  These transmissions are also produced in Wuxi.

Featuring the most advanced technology, Spicer TE Series powershift transmissions deliver superior shift quality through high-energy-capacity forward and reverse clutches, adaptive clutch modulation, and helical gears.  They will be available with an optional technology package that includes a five-speed gearbox with lock up, which enables direct drive even at low speeds and reduces fuel consumption by up to 10 percent.

Spicer TE Series transmissions will be managed by Dana’s new series of lead-free electronic transmission controls, which offer wider systems integration through upgraded software and enhanced hardware capacity, flexibility, and expandability.  These improvements will enable Spicer transmissions to offer the latest features such as eco-drive, power drive and next-generation overlap control.

While not commonly used on off-highway equipment made in China today, hydrostatic transmission technology is drawing increasing interest from Chinese manufacturers of small front-end loaders and other off-highway applications due to its enhanced efficiency and performance characteristics. Dana is the market leader in hydrostatic transmission technology and offers options that supply excellent ratio coverage and enhanced vehicle performance, including hydrostatic continuously variable transmissions (CVT), basic two-speed gearboxes with stand-still shifting, and shift-on-fly hydrostatic transmissions.

At the top end of the technology spectrum, visitors to the show also viewed the Dana Rexroth hydromechanical variable transmission (HVT), a powersplit configuration that integrates hydrostatic and mechanical travel drives to leverage the advantages of both technologies.

The first product of the 50-50 joint venture between Dana Holding Corporation and Bosch Rexroth AG, the HVT R2 is a modular platform that delivers a full suite of configuration options and software controls. 

Spicer axles are designed to deliver maximum performance for front-end loaders, offering features and specifications to accommodate defined application needs.  Customizable to meet local market preferences, these axles are engineered to provide reliable performance and easy, low-cost service.

Dana has re-engineered and upgraded its Spicer 37R and 43R rigid planetary axles, which offer the same performance as previous versions produced by Dana while reducing axle weight by up to 25 percent.  These axles have load capacities from 20 to 50 tons and feature a modular design with a differential carrier, as well as a planetary and service-free brakes positioned inbound.

The company has commenced production of the new Spicer 37R axle in Wuxi, with plans to start production of Spicer 43R axles in early 2015.  The Spicer 37R axle was also kept in display at the Bauma China show.

Wheeled Excavator Systems Improve Productivity

Dana delivers a market-leading mix of technologies that improve the performance and maneuverability of wheeled excavators from 8 to 22 tonnes (8.5 to 24 tons) while reducing maintenance requirements. Its drivetrain solutions for wheeled excavators include hydrostatic continuously variable transmissions (CVT), basic two-speed gearboxes, and shift-on-fly hydrostatic transmissions.

Spicer axles for wheeled excavators offer proven performance and durability, featuring wet disc brakes mounted inboard for small applications and outboard for medium and large equipment configurations. Outboard brake designs eliminate jerking while the vehicle digs to ensure smooth operation.

In 2015, Dana will launch the production of axles for smaller wheeled excavators in Wuxi. These axles are engineered to optimize the performance of these applications in the tight work spaces that are increasingly common in Chinese construction environments

Solutions for Enhancing Material-Handling Precision, Efficiency

Dana’s durable drivetrain systems for material-handling vehicles with lift capacities from 3 to 45 tonnes (3 to 50 tons) perform under a variety of working conditions, allowing operators to expertly maneuver vehicles with more precision while enhancing comfort. Earlier this year, Dana unveiled a four-tier technology powershift transmission platform customized to meet regional requirements and preferences for forklift trucks, reach stackers and other material-handling vehicles.

Dana will offer a wide range of capabilities across the four tiers by building on a common transmission platform suitable for all markets.  This strategy allows machine designers to configure a series of vehicles in the same power range with a wide selection of features that require minimal alterations to the packaging envelope.

Dana also offers Spicer planetary axles, which deliver maximum performance and offer easy, low-cost service. The full line features maintenance-free brakes and high-integrity sealing with several other custom options.  Spicer axles are available with a lightweight, durable design in both rigid and steer versions.