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THE CATERPILLAR FOLDED CORE RADIATOR IS A NEW RADIATOR FOR VEHICLES AND STATIONARY ENGINE APPLICATIONS. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THIS DESIGN ARE TO GIVE THE USER AN INCREASED VALUE COOLING SYSTEM BY REDUCING RADIATOR REPAIR COSTS AND IMPROVING AIR-SIDE PLUGGING RESISTANCE. AS WELL AS PROVIDE THE VEHICLE DESIGNER WITH INCREASED APPLICATION DESIGN FLEXIBILITY. THIS IS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WHILE MAINTAINING PERFORMANCE AND LIFE GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONVENTIONAL RADIATOR. THE FOLDED CORE IS A MODULAR DESIGN HAVING THE MODULES INSTALLED AT AN ANGLE TO THE FAN AIR STREAM RESULTING IN THE FOLDED APPEARANCE. COMMON MODULE SIZES ARE USED ACROSS THE MANY RADIATOR APPLICATIONS REDUCING INVENTORY REQUIREMENTS AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT AND PARTS DEPOTS AND INCREASING INDIVIDUAL MODULE PRODUCTION VOLUME. THIS RADIATOR DESIGN IS REVIEWED FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCTION.

A cooperative research program has been completed evaluating the impact of fuel composition (volatility, aromatics and sulfur) on the combustion and emissions performance of a Caterpillar 3406B turbo-charged diesel engine, which is representative of diesel truck engines of the late 1980s. Tests included both steady-state and transient operation measuring regulated and unregulated emissions. The fuel set was blended using only commercially available refinery stocks typical of those which could be considered for use in distillate fuel. The compositions of the blends were selected so that direct measurements of the individual effects of 10% and 90% distillation temperatures, aromatic content, and sulfur content could be made independently. Engine combustion performance data indicated that all fuels operated satisfactorily; aromatic content was as high as 50% and cetane number as low as 39. Further, the cetane number did not predict the engine measured ignition delay in this program.

For some time, Caterpillar Tractor Co. has been marketing a new transmission control system for wheel-tractor scrapers and off-highway trucks. The new system is composed of an electronic microprocessor control box coupled with an individual clutch modulation hydraulic control. This system has resulted in increased vehicle productivity, improved reliability and serviceability, decreased complexity, and increased commonality of parts. This paper describes the concept, design, and test and evaluation process used to develop the new controls before production.

A system has been developed that provides real-time measurement of heavy-duty diesel engine particulates emitted during the EPA transient emission test cycle. This is accomplished by measuring the opacity of the exhaust/air mixture in an EPA type dilution tunnel with a light extinction opacity meter. Simultaneously, the temperature in the dilution tunnel is measured, and the ratio of the dilution tunnel temperature to a standard temperature is used to correct the opacity signal to standard conditions. The outstanding features of the system are that it produces a continuous record of when particulates were generated during the 20-minute transient cycle and that particulate cycle results are available immediately upon completion of the transient cycle without the requirement of conditioning and weighing filters. Results to date indicate correlation of the opacity-particulate monitor measured particulates to gravimetrically determined particulates to be within 10% for specific engines.

This paper describes the concept and design of the Caterpillar “G” series motor grader transmission and transmission controls. Comments on vehicle performance, power train, and oil system requirements are included. Countershaft directional clutches are combined with six or eight speed planetary ranges for this family of articulated motor graders. The pilot-operated hydraulic control provides smooth rapid gear ratio changes and “inching” modulation for the pressure lubed directional clutches.

THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS for the Caterpillar “G” Series Motor Graders were designed to provide for maximum operator comfort, ease of operation, and optimum control of the vehicle and implements. The use of high pressure closed center systems on these machines produces rapid system response and high hydraulic horsepower to the implement cylinders and motors, and operates with minimum size control components. Components were designed to meet specific system requirements for functional performance, reliability of operation, size and placement on the machine. System goals were met through the use of a variable displacement pressure compensated pump, controlled flow four-way implement valves, and a hydrostatic steering system.

The heavy-duty truck industry has seen the need for a change in the concept of transmission design for many years. Several improvements have been made and others attempted, but greater improvement is needed to match the engine's delivery to the vehicle's demand. Driver performance can be improved and fatigue reduced by lowering the effort and skill required to make smooth, consistent starts and ratio changes. This paper discusses a solution to this need in the design and development of a semi-automatic, pneumatically controlled, constant mesh transmission.

Chromatographic analysis of diesel exhaust indicates a number of low molecular weight hydrocarbons, below C6. Using reactivity index as a criterion, much of the diesel exhaust reactivity can be attributed to ethylene and propylene caused by the thermal decomposition of the fuel. Hydrocarbons in the C4-C7 range, including high relative reactivity olefins, are generally low in volume concentration and therefore contribute little to the overall exhaust reactivity. Hydrocarbons, in terms of parts per million carbon above C7 are low in present diesel engine designs, so individual volume concentrations are generally fractional parts per million. Reactivity per horsepower-hour from diesel engine exhaust is less than that from the one small industrial gasoline engine tested by the heavy-duty truck diesel engine cycle.

A new family of heavy duty diesel engines, the 3400 Series, has been developed by Caterpillar Tractor Co. The family includes Inline 6 cylinder, V-8 and V-12 engines covering the 270-750 horsepower range. Stringent program objectives were established in the areas of durability, reliability, commonality, flexibility and serviceability within defined limits of cost and weight. Design, development and manufacturing planning were closely coordinated to ensure economical manufacturing with high volume tooling. This paper deals with the design, development and certain aspects of engine applications.

A report on a detailed evaluation of cylinder pressure measurement was made in 1967 by the author. At the beginning of that paper, the primary importance of cylinder pressure measurement was pointed out. Pressure is the means by which work is extracted from the gases; the cycle is known only to the extent that this work function ∫PdV is known. At the end of that paper, it was concluded that cylinder pressure could be measured accurately enough to determine imep and that complete electronic determination of imep was needed. A system for determining imep electronically with excellent accuracy has been developed and has been in use for several years. This paper describes the Caterpillar indicated mean effective pressure (imep) meter and gives a sample of the information it can provide.

Gearing load spectra data collected under actual working conditions help a designer predict the fatigue life of power train components. Considerable time was required in the past to collect and reduce these data to a form suitable for design use. A vehicle mounted instrumentation system consisting of a strain gaged shaft, a shaft encoder-slip ring assembly, and an amplitude distribution analyzer, was developed which performs load measurements. At the test's conclusion, it provides a spectrum analysis in printed histogram form.

The effect of altitude on the performance of two turbocharged prechamber diesel engines and one direct-injection diesel engine has been studied in a test cell. One prechamber engine was tested at altitudes up to 16,000 ft. The data from these tests are presented and compared with performance at standard conditions. Using the data, an analytical method of predicting the performance of turbocharged diesel engines at altitude has been developed. An iterative computer program, using part-load data taken at standard conditions, is used for the prediction. Comparison is made with the simulated altitude data and with other calculation methods.

A new family of lightweight, high speed, direct injection, diesel truck engines has been developed for medium duty applications. These 4.5 in. bore, 90 deg vee, 8 cyl, naturally aspirated engines are rated at 150, 175, 200, and 225 hp. Three displacements are utilized within a common engine package size to produce these ratings. Several unique design features, including a two ring piston and a specially angled main bearing cap are incorporated in these engines.

A new 2-ring piston package has been developed which has proven successful in internal combustion engines. The need for a compact piston arrangement is discussed along with the steps followed to arrive at excellent oil economy. The paper presents other advantages related to cost savings, lower wear, and reduced engine friction. The paper discusses applications of the compact piston package along with its advantages in designing compact engines.

The Cushion Hitch is a unique application of vibration absorber theory to a self-propelled tractor-scraper. The scraper mass is utilized as a damper for suppressing predominate bouncing motions of the tractor unit. A more comfortable and safer operator ride, with increased productivity, results from the Cushion Hitch application. This paper describes development of the early prototype design as well as the final production version. Particular emphasis is given to both the hydraulic and the structural characteristics of the system.

Modern data acquisition methods combined with new testing and analysis techniques are revolutionizing product design and development. Detailed analysis of recorded vehicle drive-line data has given today's engineer new insights into drive-line dynamics. This paper discusses how vehicles can be analyzed as a series of torsional springs and inertia masses. A two axle, 300 hp, 15 cu yd earthmoving tractor scraper (model 621) is used to illustrate significant factors. Main emphasis is on drive-line resonant torsional vibrations and shock loading. Diesel engines as torsional vibration exciters and transmission clutches as the major shock load producers are covered in some detail. How analog computers can effectively be used to facilitate vehicle development is briefly discussed.

Inertia welding is a friction welding process using energy stored in a rotating mass as the source of heat and mechanical work. The process has been described in previous publications. The state of development of this manufacturing process, with respect to complexity of design and dissimilar metal welding, is the subject of this article. The successful applications of inertia welding now in production establish the utility of this versatile process while current developments portray exciting future possibilities.

Diesel engine exhaust emission characteristics vary considerably with the overall design of the combustion and fuel injection systems. Emission measurements were made on total hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and smoke. The hydrocarbon measurements of the precombustion chamber engine are considerably lower than the direct injection engine. Less than five pounds of total hydrocarbons per 1000 gal of fuel are produced at rated conditions by all precombustion chamber engines studied. Precombustion chamber engines produce smaller quantities of the oxides of nitrogen when compared to direct injection engines. All diesels produced low carbon monoxide emissions. A novel technique for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of diesel exhaust odors is introduced. Exhaust odor intensity from the precombustion chamber engine is much less than that from the direct injection engine.

A new two-speed converter drive, six-speed mechanical drive transmission was designed for a 14 cu yd tractor scraper to provide an efficient and easily controlled power train. Included with a description of the system is a review of the development history, along with a summary of some new features utilized in this design.

The requirements for cylinder pressure measurement for mechanical load, imep, and cycle analysis are developed. Methods for determining errors in transducers are presented, and the results are shown. The tests include passage error, hysteresis, nonlinearity, mounting strains, thermal strain, and twist in the crankshaft. Theories are developed to predict errors due to time or phase delay, passage, and thermal strain. The theory of the balanced pressure indicator is developed and the minimum delay and pressure error are calculated. Read-out systems are evaluated. Areas needing improvement are pointed out and specifications for the ideal pressure transducer are presented.