ZF clutch for Liebherr cranes

German automotive and commercial vehicle component maker ZF Friedrichshafen has developed a multidisc clutch module, called DynamicPerform, which will be installed in crane manufacturer Liebherr’s three-, four- and five-axle mobile cranes, with volume production starting in 2020.

The wet starting clutch pairs with ZF’s TraXon modular transmission and can handle engine torque up to 3,000 Nm. ZF said the clutch provides durable starts and very little wear when manoeuvering.

The clutch discs are cooled by circulating oil, which ZF said protects against overheating. The cooling system uses dedicated temperature model software ZF developed specifically for heavy duty specialized vehicle applications.

The system comes with ZF’s DynaDamp damping system that it said is configured for the vibration behaviour in newer engines in the Class V emissions class (Offroad), Euro 6 (Onroad) class and higher.

The TraXon DynamicPerform transmission system can be combined with ZF’s intarder – a hydrodynamic hydraulic brake that the company said relieves demand on the service brakes by up to 90 percent, thus extending the life of the service brakes and reducing maintenance costs and brake dust emissions.

According to ZF, the TraXon has a high transmission ratio spread, an energy conservation efficiency rating of 99.7 percent, and a good power-to-weight ratio; when fitted with DynamicPerform, the TraXon weighs 397 kg (449 kg including the intarder).

The modular nature of the TraXon means it can be combined with other ZF systems so that users can build their own transmissions to suit specific applications.

Commenting on Liebherr’s decision to install the TraXon DynamicPerform system in its three to five-axle mobile cranes Martin Dony of Liebherr mobile cranes’s 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.”