Norgren’s core strength of solving customer’s key engineering problems through innovative solution offerings lead to solving yet another engineering problem of commercial vehicle OEMs.
The Challenge
A leading commercial vehicle OEM in India used to have some transmission failures due to the habit of some drivers shifting to lower gears at high RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). In some such instances, gears get damaged and even lead to severe damage to vehicle transmission. The OEM was very eagerly looking for a solution where they could put up a design poka-yoke so that transmission abuse either by lack of knowledge or by mistake could be avoided.
Connect Between Customer and Norgren
Upon acknowledging the reputation of the Norgren brand, customers are willing to trust the company as a well-respected world leader in motion control and fluid technology. This is further advantaged by its core values, strong connect and belief of keeping the customer at the heart of everything. Apart from the wide range of products it offers, Norgren stands out from its competition in the ability to understand customers’ problems and come up with path-breaking and innovative solutions that are often industry-firsts. This helps a customer to take quick decisions and approach Norgren for sharing their pain areas and seeking solutions for their needs.
The Norgren Solution
In the above-mentioned OEM’s case, the company’s product development team worked together with the OEM to understand the problem and brainstorm on probable options. The result was a truly revolutionary and innovative solution that was tested, validated and put on trials before eventually being implemented on one product line by the OEM. Soon after, seeing the stunning results, the product was integrated into multiple truck models of the OEM and later into their entire nine-speed transmission the OEM had launched.
The solution we are talking about here is Norgren’s Range Shift Inhibitor (RSI) Module. By applying its commercial vehicle expertise, Norgren was able to propose an integrated RSI solution combining solenoid valve, actuator, silencer and fittings in a compact single unit. Controlled by a new electronic control unit specifically designed by the OEM to meet the application requirements, Norgren’s solution offered the customer a robust, life-of-vehicle product as well as reduced assembly time, sourcing and logistics costs. The RSI is a device to prevent unwanted or accidental shifting of nine-speed range gearboxes from higher gear range to lower gear range.
This is applicable during situations when the vehicle speed is higher than the speed specified for changeover. It is a single system solution with common mounting for all variants of the nine-speed gearbox available in the Indian market. It has helped in reducing customer warranty issues by eliminating scope for any sort of driving abuse. Buoyed by the successful implementation of the solution by one OEM, the other major OEMs soon followed suit and today Norgren’s RSI solution is one of the great success stories of a Tier I supplier in the Indian commercial vehicle industry.
Products for Commercial Vehicle Segment
Norgren manufactures a wide range of products for the commercial vehicle industry and offers solutions in the areas of engine control, transmission automation, emissions management, safety and comfort and chassis functions. Its products are proven to deliver significant benefits in terms of reduced emissions, improved fuel economy, CO2 reduction per km, self-diagnostics via On-Board Diagnostic II (OBD II), improved total operating cost (TOC) for the end-user, and improved reliability for OEMs.
“We are proud of our team’s innovation spirit and ability to come up with path-breaking solutions to support our OEM customers here in India. Norgren is known world-over for its ‘breakthrough engineering’ and through our RSI solution we have proven once again why we are the ‘go-to’ brand when customers face any problem related to motion control and fluid technology,” says K S Ratra, Managing Director, IMI Norgren Herion (P) Ltd.
About Norgren
A well-respected world leader in motion control, fluid technology and commercial vehicles, Norgren, a part of IMI plc, is ideally placed to unearth ‘breakthrough engineering’ solutions and plays an active role in important industry sectors that contribute to the quality and success of everyday life. Norgren offers insight, technical excellence and a collaborative approach to help its customers forge a brighter future. It has joined hands with big OEM equipment manufacturers, principally the top three OEMs from the commercial vehicle industry, to address the problem of transmission collapse in heavy commercial vehicles. Norgren builds on customer intimacy, connecting with them and having a deep understanding of their needs to serve them well and build on customer loyalty. For more information about Norgren, visit https://www.norgren.com/in/en.