18 November 2019, 14:59
power.passion.innovation
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Walterscheid is passing a milestone and presenting multiple new and refined products at Agritechnica
Walterscheid Powertrain Group has chosen the headline “power.passion.innovation – 100 years of delivering the best solutions” for its attendance of this year’s Agritechnica trade show. Exactly a century ago, in the town of Siegburg near Cologne in Germany, Jean Walterscheid established the company today still bears his name. Ever since the early days the brand has been a watchword for passion, quality, and in particular, innovation in the tractor drive and attachment system segment. It has built partnerships with practically every agricultural machinery manufacturer worldwide.
In this, its centenary year, Walterscheid has been integrated into a new group of company. The recently incorporated Walterscheid Powertrain Group also encompasses the brands Mechanics Driveshafts, Rockford Fan Clutches and Uni-Cardan. The other members of the group are Aquadrive, a marine drive system brand, and the Off-Highway Powertrain Services unit, which provides industry with a variety of services, including technical support, maintenance and condition monitoring.
According to Walterscheid Powertrain Group CEO Wolfgang Lemser, “Walterscheid Powertrain Group is therefore a global supplier of interconnected and intelligent powertrain solutions that give the off- highway sector the assurance of high efficiency and performance, nomatter whether in construction, mining, commercial vehicles, agriculture, or other industries. The Group provides a platform for substantial synergies as regards technology and innovation transfer, for example, as we are demonstrating an impressive showcase at Agritechnica.”
New products in brief
At this year’s Agritechnica, Walterscheid is presenting trade visitors with multiple new products and product development. Many of these mirror the general trend in agricultural technology towards enhanced power density as well as greater efficiency and productivity. In almost every piece of agricultural machinery, powertrains nowadays are expected to deliver more power within an unchanged installation space. Walterscheid satisfies this requirement not only with its drive shafts, but also with its attachment systems and PTO clutches.
A good example in this context is the K65/6, a damper clutch for power outputs developing torque in excess of 3,000 Nm. The K65/6 is the first micro-sized damper clutch capable of delivering very high performance. It does not require any maintenance or lubricants, which helps operators to reduce costs.
Made to order – latest gear technology for high-performance balers
In recent decades Walterscheid has emerged as one of the world’s leading development partners for powertrain system technologies destined for agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles. In this connection its activities focus on developing customised powertrain concepts and then producing all the relevant components on behalf of the end product manufacturer.
Walterscheid is presenting new technologies arising from such collaboration at this year’s Agritechnica as well, including a two-speed powershift gearbox for high-performance balers. Update – new HGST enhances safety at the rear of the tractor Walterscheid is showcasing the latest generation of the HGST hydraulic stabilisers for tractors as its No.1 new product among the tractor attachment systems. Tractors equipped with these stabilisers can run on the road or field with an implement without any risk of backlash or jolting. The HGST accomplish an active transition between the floating and rigid positions irrespective of the lift height or lifting arm length.
The latest HGST embraces a number of product developments. When switching from Cat 2 to Cat 3, a stroke limiter can be set to prevent a collision between the lower link and the tractor wheel. In addition, the new HGST has higher performance due to its larger piston diameter. From its dimensions, the new HGST has been designed that it can be easily exchanged with previous models.
Foremost innovation – Smart & Connected powertrain solutions
Apart from increasing power output, the company’s powertrain engineers have been turning their attention to capturing load and status data as well. The Smart & Connected technology developed by Walterscheid Powertrain Group allows sensors to be integrated in critical powertrain components. These sensors are capable of capturing and delivering live data from within the powertrain. By adding tailored sensor systems to the existing range of drive components, innovative Smart & Connected technology paves the way for the powertrain to be interconnected to the vehicle control system, for example, or to a remote maintenance diagnostic system. Thanks to special analysis algorithms, the load-based sensor data obtained from the powertrain make a telling contribution to increasing the drive’s efficiency, recognising excessive loads, and to the early detection and avoidance of wear-related downtimes. Smart & Connected technology thus generally enhances operation, improves reliability, and allows the drive components to be serviced according to the loads to which they are exposed.
In initial pilot trials conducted with customers, the brand new technology was put through its paces in the field of drive shaft application encompassing integrated torque, speed and temperature measurement. Smart & Connected technology is compatible with a broad array of Walterscheid’s products and applications. It satisfies the needs of original equipment manufacturers, dealers, service workshops and end- users alike.
Digital Twin is another new product data model that is being showcased at Agritechnica. It makes available electronically, at any time, a complete set of all the product and service data that are relevant to the application in question. This novel technology enhances identification in the field, and aids both load-dependent maintenance and the simple management and procurement of drive components.
New hydraulic top link
The new hydraulic top link DS with integral damper, recently introduced by Walterscheid, marks a major further development of the company’s tractor attachment system. It features an integrated and innovative hydraulic shock absorber. Premiered at the preceding Agritechnica trade show, the new top link offers multiple practical benefits. When the implement is jolted, forexample, the tractor simply absorbs the shock.
Optimum ground contact
The new hydraulic top link DS with integral damper is compatible with, and can serve as a substitute for, existing standard top links. When the attached implement is “bouncing around”, the impact loads are isolated by the tractor. This shock absorbing capability appreciably enhances the outfit’s driving performance because contact between the front wheels and the ground is much improved. Among the positive consequences are enhanced safety in all driving situations, better grip and higher overall productivity.
Apart from the more comfortable ride, practical experience has also shown that components are subject to much less wear. The new top link is available from Walterscheid dealers in all the customary sizes.
Float setting included
The adopted design principle gives the attached implement an improved float capability. This is achieved by the vacuum that is generated in the cylinder. In practice, the implement can adopt a variety of tilt angles relative to the tractor’s longitudinal axis. It therefore adjusts exceptionally well to the changing contours of the ground.
Source: Walterscheid Powertrain Group