Transmission specialist Eaton has introduced Procision, a medium duty dual clutch transmission, which is claimed to deliver 8 to 10 per cent better fuel economy than a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic.
The new gearbox is expected to appear in the US market in 2015 with no specific date for a global launch specified. The 7-speed transmissions uses a dual clutch design and electronic shifting to maintain continuous delivery of torque to a vehicle’s wheels under all shift conditions.
Currently in Australia, several of the Japanese truck brands use Eaton manual gearboxes in their medium duty trucks. The increase in demand for automated transmission offerings in this market segment may make this new transmission an attractive option for them.
“Small businesses rely on their medium-duty trucks to deliver goods and perform tough jobs on a daily basis,” said John Beering, SVP 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 is the ideal transmission solution for medium-duty applications.”
The dual clutch technology is said to enable more efficient acceleration from a stationary, and to optimise shift points. 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.”
Eaton Dynamic Shifting allows the transmission to automatically switch between economy and performance shift schedules based on mass, grade and driver demand. Base shift results are modified dynamically based on available torque, engine acceleration and grade.
Economy and performance shift tables can be adjusted to tune an overall calibration to meet any customer’s specific needs. Procision includes an array of electronically controlled added features including, Urge to Move and Creep Mode and Optional and adjustable Hill Helper.
The new transmission weighs 165 kg, can handle up to 895 Nm of torque and can be fitted in trucks up to 16 tonnes GVM in the specification intended for the US market.
Watch the video of the launch here.
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