Liebherr’s three-, four- and five-axle all-terrain cranes will sport a multidisc clutch module from next year, after Germany’s ZF Friedrichshafen developed the system for installation on the mobile lifters.
Called DynamicPerform, the module developed by the automotive and commercial vehicle component maker will be available for volume production starting in 2020. The new module is a pairing of the cranes’ wet starting clutch with ZF’s TraXon modular transmission. It can handle engine torque up to 3,000Nm and provides durable starts with very little wear when manoeuvring, ZF said.
The cooling of the clutch discs is done by circulating oil and the cooling system uses dedicated temperature model software developed specifically by ZF for heavy-duty, specialised vehicle applications. ZF’s DynaDamp damping is also built into the system and configured for the vibration behaviour in newer engines in the highest emission tiers, said ZF.
The TraXon DynamicPerform transmission system can be combined with ZF’s hydrodynamic hydraulic brake intarder to relieve demand on the service brakes by up to 90%, extending the life of the service brakes and reducing maintenance costs and brake dust emissions.
ZF added that the TraXon has a high transmission ratio spread and an energy conservation efficiency rating of 99.7%. It weighs 397kg – 449kg including the intarder – when fitted with DynamicPerform. Being modular in nature, the TraXon can be combined with ZF’s other systems to build transmissions to suit specific applications.
Martin Dony from Liebherr’s mobile cranes’ driveline development and construction department said: “We supported ZF during the development process of the DynamicPerform and helped guide its integration into the mobile crane driveline. Prototypes of several crane models have been undergoing testing for months in order to ensure volume production at the beginning of 2020.”