SAE Online Poll: Lightweight materials to most benefit heavy vehicles for upcoming regs
Lightweight materials will make the greatest impact in helping medium- and heavy-duty trucks achieve upcoming greenhouse gas/fuel efficiency regulations, according to respondents to an online poll posted on SAE Off-Highway Engineering Online and Automotive Engineering International Online for two weeks in late November and early December. Lightweight materials were chosen by about 42% of the 64 respondents, hailing from 15 nations.
Automatic engine shutdown (idle reduction) came in second with nearly 22% of the vote, followed by design optimization (17%), aerodynamics (11%), and intelligent electronics (e.g., predictive cruise control) at almost 8%. Low rolling resistance tires did not receive a vote.
Half (32) of the respondents were from the U.S., who likewise selected lightweight materials as the most beneficial technology area at 37.5%. Design optimization and automatic engine shutdown swapped places compared to the overall vote, with 22% and 19%, respectively. Aerodynamics received nearly 16% of the U.S. vote, and intelligent electronics received just over 6%.
India had the second most respondents with 8, and Canada was third with 5. Countries posting a single vote included Pakistan (for design optimization), Singapore (lightweight materials), Malaysia (intelligent electronics), and Sri Lanka (automatic engine shutdown).
Check out our magazine websites often to respond to new poll questions posted by the editors, and feel free to suggest possible poll topics at sohe@sae.org or aei@sae.org.
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Voting results for the poll question: “Which technology area will make the greatest impact in achieving upcoming greenhouse gas/fuel efficiency regulations for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles?”
Saft receives additional funding from BAE Systems for advanced Li-ion ESS
BAE Systems has awarded Saft $1.3 million in new funding to continue development of a lithium-ion (Li-ion) energy storage system (ESS) for the U.S. Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program. The new funding for the GCV project is an addition to the initial 2010 contract. Saft, which is designing and building ultrahigh-power cells for the vehicle’s hybrid-electric drive system, has already completed the demo battery system including hardware and software. Comprised of ultrahigh-power, high-voltage VL 5U cells, the Li-ion ESS supports the GCV’s electric drive system when the vehicle is not running on gasoline, such as during silent watch missions. Saft joins Northrop Grumman, MTU, QinetiQ, and L-3 Communications on the BAE Systems’ GCV team, one of two industry teams working on the technology development phase of the program. The 24-month technology development phase is aimed at completing preliminary design reviews to build prototype systems prior to the engineering and manufacturing phase. Saft believes it will likely be the battery supplier when production begins in 2019, if the BAE Systems/Northrop Grumman team is selected as the Army’s design and manufacturing partner.
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BAE Systems' solution for the U.S. Army’s GCV program—a nine-man Infantry Carrier (plus three crew members) that can protect against threats, move in urban and off-road terrain, and accommodate emerging technologies such as lightweight armor composites and electronics—includes a hybrid-electric drive system.
Motiv ePCS to power heavy electric trucks in Chicago
San Francisco Bay Area-based startup Motiv Power Systems has been chosen to supply its scalable electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) to the City of Chicago for 20 all-electric garbage trucks, under an exclusive five-year, $13.4 million contract. The City of Chicago operates 600 garbage trucks in total. The ePCS uses off-the-shelf batteries and motors that can be configured to power medium-duty to Class 8 heavy-duty EV trucks, weighing from 15,000 to 52,000 lb (6800 to 23,500 kg). This design approach can cut operating costs by 50% over an eight-year period, according to Motiv. The company, which was founded in 2009, has been validating its ePCS since March 2012 with an all-electric pilot bus. Funded by a grant from the California Energy Commission, the 20-passenger bus contains five battery packs (125 kW·h) providing a range of more than 120 mi (193 km) on a single charge. The Motiv EV refuse trucks planned for Chicago will use the same ePCS system as the pilot bus, but with a larger motor and 10 battery packs, and will also employ an electric motor to drive the hydraulics system. Motiv will work with partner Detroit Chassis to install the ePCS onto a standard refuse chassis; Loadmaster will provide the truck bodies. Weighing 52,000 lb (23,500 kg), the EV refuse trucks will reportedly have a range of more than 60 mi (97 km), with a total energy storage of 200 kW·h. (Go to www.sae.org/mags/sohe/11486 to read about another recent electrified refuse truck project.)
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Weighing 52,000 lb, the Motiv-powered electric refuse trucks in Chicago will have a range of more than 60 mi (97 km), with a total energy storage of 200 kW·h.
Hitachi Construction Machinery pursues autonomous system for mining
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (HCM) plans to develop a suite of technologies aimed at delivering an Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) to the global surface mining industry by 2017. AHS field tests are planned to start in 2013 with incremental product deliveries through 2017. To develop the AHS solution, HCM will build upon existing synergies with Hitachi Ltd. that have already delivered an ac drive system specifically for HCM dump trucks manufactured in Japan (go to www.sae.org/mags/sohe/11492 for more on a new Hitachi hauler). For deployment in open pit mines, the AHS will consist of a variety of advanced drive and traffic control system components on board machines. These advanced systems will be combined with wireless communications and a fleet management system, enabling automation of the dump truck’s loading, haulage, and dumping operation. HCM plans to deliver AHS solutions based on the proven Hitachi ac drive dump truck system in collaboration with the latest products from Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd.
ZF, LiuGong cooperate on modular axle concept for China
ZF and construction equipment manufacturer LiuGong recently formed a new joint-venture axle company, called ZF Liuzhou Axle Co. Ltd., that will produce wheel loader axles tailored to the requirements of the Chinese market. The companies expect that by 2018, approximately 190 employees will work at ZF Liuzhou Axle and that more than 30,000 of the newly designed axles will be delivered to LiuGong and the third market. ZF and LiuGong have been operating a JV company in Liuzhou since 1995, producing construction machinery transmissions and axles; the new JV was launched in the same location. “A team of engineers from ZF Headquarters, LiuGong, and ZF China have been working together to upgrade the existing axle models for LiuGong wheel loaders since October 2011,” said Hermann Beck, head of the ZF Business Unit Off-Highway Systems. “These joint efforts brought about a modular axle concept which, besides the standard version with dry disk brake (Basic Line), offers the possibility to supply a new, even more sophisticated technical solution with wet multi-disk brake (High Line) using a large portion of common parts.” ZF expects this modular concept to greatly reduce production costs. About 3300 newly designed axles are scheduled to leave the Liuzhou production plant in 2014.
GE accelerates growth in mining equipment with two planned acquisitions
GE announced in mid-May that it is pursuing acquisitions of two underground mining equipment manufacturers in support of the global expansion of its mining business. GE has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Australia-based Industrea Ltd., a provider of safety and productivity-enhancing mining equipment and services. The transaction, valued at approximately A$700 million, is subject to Industrea shareholder approval. Its shareholders will vote on the offer in the second half of 2012, and GE expects the transaction to close later in 2012. The company also signed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire Fairchild International, an independently owned and operated underground mining equipment manufacturer located in Glen Lyn, VA. The transaction with Fairchild is expected to close in the third quarter of 2012; terms of the agreement were not disclosed. GE says that the two manufacturers are well positioned in dynamic growth regions for mining, including Australia, China (Industrea), and the U.S. (Fairchild). Both companies will become part of GE Transportation’s global mining business and will benefit from GE’s clean propulsion systems, energy-storage offerings, and system integration capabilities.
Navistar Defense, partners unveil Special Operations Tactical Vehicle
Navistar Defense LLC, Indigen Armor, and SAIC recently unveiled the team’s Special Operations Tactical Vehicle for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV) 1.1 program. The vehicle is built on Indigen Armor’s proven Non-Standard Tactical Truck (NSTT) platform and designed to be its modular and overt tactical equivalent. The team’s Special Operations Tactical Vehicle is transportable in an armored and mission-ready state on an M/CH-47 helicopter. The vehicle, which is designed for maximum off-road speed and mobility for a variety of terrain found in desert, jungle, mountain, and arctic environments, incorporates a full government furnished Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) suite. The Special Operations Tactical Vehicle chassis, suspension, powertrain, and armored occupant safety cell were engineered to carry large payloads in three-, five, and seven-man variants. The scalable armor packages meet multiple threat levels and accommodate a variety of low-profile and overt tactical body styles, which allow the vehicle’s profile to be changed at the crew level.
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The team’s Special Operations Tactical Vehicle is built on Indigen Armor’s proven Non-Standard Tactical Truck (NSTT) platform and designed to be its modular, overt tactical equivalent.
Terex, Russian Machines form equipment-manufacturing JV
Terex Corp. and Russian Machines have completed the formation of a joint venture company for the manufacture of construction and road-building equipment in Russia. Under the agreement, the JV will manufacture, market, and sell certain Terex products and all Russian Machines construction and road-building products in Russia, as well as distribute certain products manufactured by Terex and exported into Russia. The companies first announced their intention to form a JV in the second quarter of 2011. “The Russian and CIS remain long-term attractive markets and the demand for fundamental infrastructure upgrade across the region is clear. This joint venture allows us to be closer to the customer and provide localized products to an increasingly important customer base,” said Ronald M. DeFeo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Terex Corp., a Westport, CT-based global manufacturer in the segments Aerial Work Platforms, Construction, Cranes, Material Handling & Port Solutions, and Materials Processing. Russian Machines is a major Russian diversified corporation, a part of Basic Element Co., comprising industrial and engineering assets in automotive, rail, aircraft, military vehicles, and road-construction machinery.
Deere to expand production of large tractors
Deere & Co. is investing $70 million to expand manufacturing capacity in its Waterloo, IA, operations, where large farm tractors are built for use around the world. The investment will increase capacity by more than 10% by the middle of 2013, helping Deere to better meet the continuing strong demand it sees for large tractors worldwide. Once the improvements are completed, enhancements to Waterloo facilities since 2002 will have increased manufacturing capacity for large tractors by more than 50%. Tractors built in Waterloo are shipped to more than 130 countries each year. Deere does not expect the investment to add manufacturing jobs there.
Scania to deliver trucks to Chinese machinery producer
Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co., Ltd. has ordered 375 trucks from Scania that will be used as a platform for mobile concrete pumps. The deliveries are scheduled to occur in April. The Swedish heavy truck and bus maker has delivered trucks to Zoomlion since 2008, including Zoomlion’s largest mobile concrete pumps, which have a span up to 80 m (262 ft) and are mounted on Scania’s four- and five-axle truck chassis with six-cylinder, 420- to 470-hp (313- to 351-kW) engines. The pumps are used in the construction of high-rise buildings and bridges, for example. Within its modular product system, Scania produces the truck chassis that are then customized for Zoomlion’s needs regarding bodywork and operation. Scania China has trained personnel at Zoomlion’s service workshops and has also established special teams of service technicians who can assist in the event of operational disruptions.
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Uptime and performance are key for Scania concrete pumps, which can work constantly with maximum torque for 14 hours per day. Pictured is a Scania P 380 8x4 concrete pump.
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