Lube-Tech PUBLISHED BY LUBE: THE EUROPEAN LUBRICANTS INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
Infineum Trends Part 2 of a 2-part series
Power Transmissions Improved fuel economy and performance, are driving transmission development trends. Forecasts suggest that the market domination of manual and automatic transmissions will be eventually challenged by the emergence of increasingly efficient dual clutch, automated manual, and continuously variable transmissions. In this section of Trends we are going to zero in on just one of these emerging technologies – the dual clutch transmission or DCT.
The global transmission market is forecast to reach 91 million units per year by 2017 – with over 80% being conventional manual, and automatic systems. Clearly these technologies will dominate the market for the foreseeable future. Over the same period, DCT is forecast to have the greatest percentage growth, albeit from a small base, reaching 5% market share by 2017.
In a survey of 1000 leading transmission experts at the 2009 International CTI Symposium for Innovative Automotive Transmissions which was held in Germany, 40% said they believed that dual-clutch transmissions will be the leading gearbox by 2020. This is against a backdrop of somewhat mixed fortunes for the DCT, which is currently being embraced by some OEMs, but treated with caution by others. Since 2003 Volkswagen has spearheaded the introduction of DCT in Europe with its Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) for VW, SEAT and Skoda vehicles and the S- Tronic for Audis. Ford, with Getrag, has also been forging ahead with multiple DCT programs and many other manufacturers including Daimler, Fiat, GM, Nissan and Renault are incorporating DCTs into their mainline vehicles. The technology is also being used in low volume niche sports cars like Porsche, Ferrari and Bugatti – where reduced weight and faster shifts means it can help to improve acceleration times.
The lubrication of DCTs with a separate sump for the clutch or those with dry clutches can be met with current manual and
automatic transmission fluid technology. However, DCTs with wet clutches and a single sump require specialized DCT fluids. These fluids must combine the qualities of both manual and automatic fluids with both good paper clutch friction and the gear, bearing and synchroniser performance of a Manual Transmission fluid.
Heavy Duty Diesel Oils The truck industry experienced a difficult year in 2009. New truck sales are at an all time low – the global truck market fell from a high of some 2.4 million units in 2007 to under 1.4 million in 2009 – leaving many engine manufacturers to operate in survival mode. Recent upturns in the global economy have shown a glimmer of hope that the commercial vehicle market will rebound in the second half of 2010 – but it will likely be a long time until full recovery.
China appears to be bucking this trend with strong commercial vehicle sales late in the year. API CJ-4 oils were developed to protect 2007 emission-controlled engines and their exhaust after treatment devices. OEM acceptance of these oils has been excellent.
Starting this year, all on-highway diesel engines must meet signifi- cantly lower levels of NOx emissions. Most US engine manufac- turers have chosen to use Selective Catalytic Reduction with Diesel Exhaust Fluid as their primary NOx control technology. However, Navistar has chosen to continue the use of heavy EGR combined with advanced combustion controls instead of SCR.
The ‘no new category’ position was confirmed by API at a meeting in late January. API CJ-4 oils were unanimously endorsed for use in all 2010 and beyond on- and off-road engines. In recognition of the long term use of this category, planning to support CJ-4 testing through 2015 was initiated. While no formal request is currently contemplated, the possibility of a new category for mid-decade was discussed.
In Europe, because the 2007 version of the ACEA sequences met pretty much all the needs of Euro V engines the ACEA 08 revisions contained no changes in severity for E4, E6 and E7. The E2 category has been dropped and a new E9 category – which contains SAPS limits intended to help protect engines fitted with diesel particulate filters has been added. While E6 already has low SAPS limits it also has a very high performance level for piston deposit control. ACEA E9, which has a good level of piston deposit control, and higher performance levels for soot, viscosity and wear control, has been introduced for engines where heavy EGR produces soot that is more difficult to properly disperse than the soot from earlier designs. This category, which takes up a number of elements from API CJ-4, including the chemical limits
LUBE MAGAZINE No .99 OCTOBER 2010 19
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