OEM Off-Highway January/February 2022

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

NEW ELECTRONICS SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES The transition to 48V systems will better meet efficiency and emissions reduction targets.

PAGE 16

OPERATOR ENVIRONMENT Heating and cooling demands placed on HVAC systems will increase as off-highway equipment becomes more connected and electrified.

oemoffhighway.com

PAGE 22

Results without compromise To succeed, our customers require increased efficiency, long engine lifetime and reduced total cost of ownership. This is what Liebherr combustion engines are about. Complying with worldwide emission standards, our engines are covering the entire agrictulture cycle from seeding to harvesting. www.liebherr.com/engines

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 40, NO. 1 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

FEATURES News Briefs: SuperTruck 3

12 SuperTruck 3 Program Participants Named

The DOE has announced which manufacturers will take part in the third SuperTruck program which aims to further improve freight efficiency.

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ews Briefs: John Deere Autonomous N Tractor

TRUCK PHOTO COURTESY EATON | @SIT TIPONG – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

14 J ohn Deere Unveils Fully Autonomous Tractor

Adding full autonomy to the John Deere 8R tractor enables farmers to be more productive and better equipped to feed a growing global population.

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Operator Environment: HVAC Systems

22 H VAC Systems Become Smarter, More Electrified

Heating and cooling demands placed on HVAC systems

ON THE COVER Cover Story: Electrical & Electronics

16 R egulations and Technology Advancements Drive New Electronics System Architecture

A transition to 48V systems is taking place to better meet efficiency and emissions reduction targets as well as increased power demands in heavy-duty equipment.

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will increase as off-highway equipment becomes more connected and electrified.

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Electrical & Electronics

26 Work Truck Shortages Likely to Linger

Supply chain challenges continue to restrict truck

availability, and are expected to continue well into 2022 which will impact work truck availability.

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Drivetrain System: Couplings and Clutches

30 C ombination Coupling/Clutch Assemblies Reduce Cost, Footprint and Weight

Stromag has developed the 2in1 coupling/clutch, a preengineered single-piece assembly to replace the need for expensive custom solutions.

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30

22

30 4

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

26

IN EVERY ISSUE

Published by AC Business Media

Editor’s Note

6

What Will be the Top Technology Trends of 2022?

Equipment Market Outlook

8

Increased Lead Times and Pandemic Impacting Global Agricultural Equipment Production

oemoffhighway.com/economics

32 Events Calendar

oemoffhighway.com/events

Off-Highway Heroes

34 The First True Motor Scraper

The Model A Tournapull could be yoked to a

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Craig Callewaert, PE Chief Project Manager Volvo Construction Equipment

201 N. Main Street, 5th Fl., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com

www.OEMOffHighway.com

Roy Chidgey Business Segment Head, Minerals Projects and Global Mobile Mining Siemens Large Drives US

PRINT AND DIGITAL STAFF Publisher Sean Dunphy sdunphy@ACBusinessMedia.com Editor Sara Jensen sjensen@ACBusinessMedia.com

Andrew Halonen President Mayflower Consulting, LLC

Senior Field Editor Curt Bennink cbennink@ACBusinessMedia.com

Terry Hershberger Director, Sales Product Management, Mobile Hydraulics Bosch Rexroth Corp.

Contributing Writer Thomas Berry Senior Production Manager Cindy Rusch crusch@ACBusinessMedia.com

Steven Nendick Marketing Communications Director Cummins Inc.

Art Director Dave Haglund Audience Development Manager Angela Franks

single-axle scraper in such a way as to allow for extreme maneuverability, offering greater speed and productivity for earthmoving projects.

John Madsen Director Engineering & Product Management GKN Wheels & Structures

ADVERTISING SALES (800) 538-5544 Greg Schulz.....................gschulz@ACBusinessMedia.com Nikki Lawson.................nlawson@ACBusinessMedia.com Sean Dunphy.................sdunphy@ACBusinessMedia.com Kris Flitcroft....................kflitcroft@ACBusinessMedia.com

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Doug Meyer Global Director of Construction Engineering John Deere

Change of Address & Subscriptions — PO Box 3605 Northbrook, IL 60065-3605, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: (847)-291-4816 • circ.OEMOff-Highway@omeda.com

Andy Noble Head of Heavy Duty Engines Ricardo

List Rental — Bart Piccirillo, Sr. Account Manager, Data Axle Phone: 402-836-2768 | bart.piccirillo@data-axle.com

Daniel Reibscheid Business Development Manager MNP Corporation

Reprints — For reprints and licensing please contact Greg Schulz at 920-542-1239.............. gschulz@ACBusinessMedia.com

Online Exclusives www.oemoffhighway.com Agritechnica 2022 Innovation Award Winners Announced

Technology advancements for agricultural equipment recognized for the operational, safety and environmental benefits provided.

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Allen Schaeffer Executive Director Diesel Technology Forum

Video: Vineyard Robot Offers Productivity Improvements

Keith T. Simons President – Controls Products OEM Controls, Inc.

Yanmar has developed a vineyard robot which uses an electrostatic spraying mechanism to ensure precise spraying of vines.

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Podcast: Air Disc Brake Uptake Grows as Fleets See Safety and TCO Benefits Increased safety and lower maintenance has lead to the growing use of air disc brakes.

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Market Forecast: Fluid Power

AC BUSINESS MEDIA Chief Executive Officer.........................................Ron Spink Chief Financial Officer..........................................JoAnn Breuchel Chief Digital Officer...............................................Kris Heineman Chief Revenue Officer...........................................Amy Schwandt VP Audience Development...............................Ronda Hughes Vice President, Operations.................................Nick Raether Group Content Director......................................Jon Minnick

Matt Rushing Vice President, Product Line, Global Crop Care AGCO Corp.

Published and copyrighted 2022 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved.

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OEM Off-Highway (USPS 752-770, ISSN 1048-3039 (print); ISSN 2158-7094 (online) is published 7 times a year: January/February, March, April, May/ June, July/August, September/October and November/December by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, 5th Fl., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals Postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: OEM Off-Highway, PO Box 3605 Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the U.S.A. Volume 40, No. 1, January/February 2022

Alexandra Nolde Senior Communication & Media Specialist Liebherr-Components AG Bob Straka General Manager, Transportation SBU Southco, Inc. Luka Korzeniowski Global Market Segment Leader, Mobile Hydraulics MTS Sensors Chris Williamson, PhD Senior Systems Engineer Global Research & Development Danfoss Power Solutions Company

The NFPA reports the latest shipments data of fluid power products.

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

5

EDITOR’S NOTE

What Will be the Top Technology Trends of 2022?

I

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

t’s obviously too soon to tell what technology trends will dominate in 2022, but if it’s anything like the past couple of years I would expect electrification and automation to remain among the top areas in which manufacturers focus their design efforts. Hydrogen and other alternative energy options will likely expand even further as well if the advancements we saw in 2021 were any indication of where the industry is headed.

Curious about some of the top trends we saw in 2021? Check out our annual Year in Review digital issue at oemoh.co/YearinReview2021 to see what news, articles and products were most popular with our audience during the year.

DOOSAN BOBCAT This year I had the opportunity to attend CES (Consumer Electronics Show) virtually. As one of the biggest technology events in the world, it helped shine a light on where many industries— including heavy equipment industries—are headed with their innovations. As to be expected, electrification and automation were among the biggest highlights.

Doosan Bobcat launched its all-electric T7X compact track loader powered by a 62 kW battery and John Deere’s agriculture division unveiled its fully autonomous 8R tractor which will be production ready for customers later in 2022. Autonomous driving systems developer TuSimple highlighted its recent advancements and Peterbilt showcased its latest truck model equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities from Aurora.

Component manufacturers like FPT Industrial were also present at the show; FPT exhibited several of its sustainability focused engine and power system products for all of the industries it serves. You can read more about these and other technology During CES 2022, Doosan Bobcat launched the world’s first all-electric launches from the show at oemoh.co/NewTechatCES2022. compact track loader.

While not specifically a heavy equipment industry related show, CES and the technologies exhibited at it provide a look at where the world is going and what impacts it will have, including on those markets which OEM Off-Highway covers.

It felt invigorating to kick the year off with a look at some of the newest technology innovations, and makes me excited for all the content we will bring you this year as well as getting back out to industry events.

MARCH ISSUE • New Track and Tire Designs • Automation Systems for Excavators • Aftertreatment Systems for Current and Future Emissions Regulations • Military Vehicle Design Trends

We want to hear from you!

What technologies or trends are you most excited about this year? Are there any industry events you’re looking forward to in 2022? Let us know!

editor@oemoffhighway.com @OEMEditor

6

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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EQUIPMENT MARKET OUTLOOK

Sponsored by Eberspächer

@MAXSAFANIUK – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

INCREASED LEAD TIMES AND PANDEMIC IMPACTING GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT PRODUCTION

C

onstruction and agricultural equipment orders in the U.S. were once again above year-ago levels. Slower growth is expected for construction equipment new orders in 2022 due to current trends in residential construction.

Meanwhile, increased lead times are impacting the agricultural machinery market.

In Europe, slower growth trends are also anticipated. Nations imposing lockdowns and other pandemic-related restrictions could lead to downturns in production for agricultural and other heavy equipment.

Go to oemoffhighway.com to sign up for our monthly ECONOMIC NEWSLETTER!

101.0

U.S. Leading Indicator:

ITR Economics is an independent economic research and consulting firm with 60+ years of experience.

• The U.S. OECD Leading Indicator was virtually flat in November, though downward momentum can be seen in the monthly rate-of-change.

• The Leading Indicator is signaling an annual growth rate peak for U.S. Industrial Production in early 2022; growth will slow for the remainder of the year.

QUESTIONS? economics@oemoffhighway.com

8

Actual index (2010=100)

100.8

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

100.6 100.4 100.2

100.3%

100.4% 100.4% 100.3%

100.2%

100.3% 100.2%

100.1%

100.0 99.8 99.6 99.4 99.2 0

Apr ’21

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Editor’s Note: Please note that this chart has been modified on the Y-axis to show the trend more easily.

U.S. Private Nonresidential New Construction:

U.S. Industrial Production: • U.S. Industrial Production in the 3 months through November was 5.1% above the same period 1 year ago.

• The “halo effect” of massive fiscal and monetary stimulus in 2020 and 2021 will likely help Production avoid contraction in 2022.

15.0%

15

Annual % change in 3 month moving totals

2.1%

0

7.3%

6

5.5%

4.9%

5.1%

-2.0 -2.5

-7.0% Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

-10

-9.7%

Apr ’21

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

-12

Mar ’21

Apr

-2.6%

-3.0 -3.3%

-3.5

-11.5%

0

-1.3%

-1.5

-5.0%

-6 -8

3

-0.1%

-1.0

-1.9% -3.6%

-4

4.6%

Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

-0.5

-2

9

0.8%

0.5 0.0

0.4%

10.9%

• Annual U.S. Total Public New Construction ticked up in October but was 4.0% below the year-ago level.

• Given the magnitude of spending included in the recently passed federal infrastructure package, public construction may be an area of opportunity, especially for those businesses operating in transportation, power, and water infrastructure sectors.

1.0

4 2

12.0%

12

• U.S. Private Nonresidential Construction in the 3 months through October was 2.1% above the same 3 months in 2020.

• 2022 will be a year of growth in nonresidential construction, as longer-term construction projects reflect the positivity of the macroeconomy in 2021.

U.S. Total Public New Construction:

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

-4.0

Mar ’21

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

-3.7%

-3.9%

Aug

Sep

9

-4.0%

Oct

EQUIPMENT MARKET OUTLOOK

Sponsored by Eberspächer

Europe Ag & Forestry Machinery Production:

U.S. Farm Machinery Production: • Annual U.S. Farm Machinery and Equipment Shipments moved lower in November but was 8.4% higher than 1 year prior.

• The resolution of John Deere labor strikes could improve prospects in this market, though sellers report increased lead times for many machinery and equipment types.

20

20

Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

15.6%

16.4%

• Europe Agricultural and Forestry Machinery Production in the 12 months through October was 16.0% above the previous 12 months.

• European nations are reinstating pandemic-induced lockdowns and other restrictions, posing a potential downside risk to near-term Production.

Europe Leading Indicator: • The Europe Leading Indicator trended sideways in November.

• Given typical lead times, the monthly Indicator rate of change suggests a transition to slowing growth for the European economy around early 2022.

101.50

Annual % change

Monthly index

101.25 16.1%

15.8%

15

15 12.9% 11.7%

13.7%

12.0%

14.6%

14.6%

16.0%

14.7%

100.9

100.75

11.5%

101.0

101.1

101.1

101.0

101.0

100.6

100.50

10

10

101.00

100.25

8.4%

100.2

100.00

6.7%

99.75

5

5

99.50

2.9%

99.25 0

0

Mar ’21

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Mar ’21

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

0

Apr May Jun ’21

Jul

Aug Sep Oct Nov

Editor’s Note: Please note that this chart has been modified on the Y-axis to show the trend more easily.

U.S. HeavyDuty Truck Production: • Decline in annual U.S. Heavy-Duty Truck Production persisted in November as the industry grapples with semiconductor shortages, but annual Production was up 19.6% from last year.

• U.S. Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico is near record highs, indicating an elevated need for trucking services and therefore heavy-duty trucks.

25

China Diesel Bus Production: • China Large Diesel Bus Production in the 12 months through October came in 2.6% above the year-ago level, the first instance of yearover-year growth since April 2020.

• Trends in leading indicators such as the China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index suggest the current accelerating growth trend will be short-lived.

5 20.9%

20

20.7%

19.2%

20.5%

19.6%

2.6%

0

-0.3%

-5

16.7%

15 10

Annual % change in 3 month moving totals

19.7%

20.7%

15 -14.9%

-20

10.7%

10.6%

10

-19.0%

6.6%

-25

5 2.5%

0 -5

25

-5.9%

-15

5

• Germany Industrial Production in the 3 months through October was virtually even with the same 3 months of 2020; annual production has flattened in recent months.

• An aging workforce in Germany poses a long-term downside risk to a country which has traditionally been a leader in European industry.

20

-10 10.4%

Germany Industrial Production:

-30 Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

-4.9%

Apr ’21

-35 May

10

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

-40

-32.7%

-33.2%

Annual % change

0

Mar ’21

Apr

May

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

-0.1% -1.6%

-35.2%

-5

Mar ’21

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

U.S. Construction Machinery, New Orders: • Annual U.S. Construction Machinery New Orders were 31.2% above the year-ago level in October.

• Trends in residential construction point to growth at a slowing pace for New Orders in 2022.

Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

35

• The North American Rotary Rig Count averaged 595 rigs in the 12 months through November, coming in above the year-ago level for the first time since 2019.

• Global oil demand exceeds supply, which is reflected in elevated oil prices – this suggests opportunity for increased drilling operations.

10

30

29.1% 25.2%

20

-20

10 5 0

4.7%

Mar ’21

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

-60

-8

-40.2%

-8.9%

-48.1%

-50 Apr

-6

-31.0%

-40

-58.1%

-54.2%

Apr ’21

May

-10 Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

Jun

-3.6%

-4

-21.0%

-30

13.6%

-2

-9.8%

16.4%

15

0.5%

0

-10

20.5%

Annual % change in 12 month moving totals

1.9%

0

22.4%

• Annual U.S. Defense Capital Goods New Orders transitioned to a year-over-year growth trend in October, currently at 0.5% above the yearago level.

• Federal tax revenues point to growth in 2022, although at a slowing pace beginning in the second half of the year.

2

31.2%

25

U.S. Defense Industry, New Orders:

North American Rotary Rig Count:

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

-12

-8.8%

-8.8%

-10.3%

Mar ’21

Apr

May

Jun

-10.3%

-10.1%

Jul

Aug

Subscribe Now

to OEM Off-Highway’s Print & Digital products at oemoffhighway.com/subscribe

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

11

Sep

Oct

NEWS BRIEFS: SUPERTRUCK

SuperTruck 3 Program Participants Named

The DOE has announced which manufacturers will take part in the third SuperTruck program which aims to further improve freight efficiency.

The Freightliner eCascadia includes features developed during DTNA’s participation in the previous SuperTruck programs.

by Sara Jensen DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA

I

n April 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it would initiate a third iteration of the SuperTruck program which challenges OEMs and component manufacturers in the heavy truck industry to develop solutions to improve freight efficiency.

For SuperTruck 3, medium- and heavy-duty truck technologies will be evaluated, including electrification and hydrogen solutions.

On November 1, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm announced the DOE will award $199 million in funding for 25 projects focused on developing cleaner technologies for cars and trucks. Among these projects is the SuperTruck 3 program.

The funding is in line with President Biden’s announcement in April for half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2030 while also achieving net zero emissions economy wide by 2050, reports the DOE in its press release announcing the new funding.

12

Companies selected for SuperTruck 3 The DOE has selected five heavy vehicle manufacturers to participate in the SuperTruck 3 program. A total of $127 million will be provided to the companies as part of the cost-shared project which aims to develop electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks as well as freight system concepts with the goal of achieving higher efficiency and zero emissions, according to the DOE. Funding will be provided over 5 years and those participating in the program will match federal funding dollar for dollar. Per the DOE’s press release, the companies selected for this iteration of SuperTruck are: • PACCAR Inc. (Bellevue, WA) will develop 18 Class 8 battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles with advanced batteries and a megawatt charging station will also be developed and demonstrated.

• Volvo Group North America, LLC (Greensboro, NC) will develop a

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

400-mile-range Class-8 battery electric tractor-trailer with advanced aerodynamics, electric braking, EV optimized tires, automation and route planning. A megawatt charging station will be developed and demonstrated.

• Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (Portland, OR) will develop and demonstrate two Class 8 fuel cell trucks with 600-mile range, 25,000hour durability, equivalent payload capacity and range to diesel.

• Ford Motor Company (Dearborn, MI) will develop and demonstrate five hydrogen fuel cell electric Class-6 Super Duty trucks targeting cost, payload, towing, and refueling times that are equivalent to conventional gasoline trucks.

• General Motors, LLC (Pontiac, MI) will develop and demonstrate four hydrogen fuel cell and four battery electric Class 4-6 trucks. The project will also focus on development of clean hydrogen via electrolysis and clean power for fast charging.

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) participated in the first two SuperTruck programs. For SuperTruck 3, it aims to demonstrate the fuel efficiency and emissions-reduction capabilities of its fuel cell truck in regional and longhaul applications.

In the latest version of the program, DTNA says it will develop various technologies which demonstrate the ability of a fuel cell electric truck to exceed long-haul sleeper truck performance, efficiency and range requirements without compromising payload. Technology modeling, analysis, concept selection and design will be among the first steps the company takes along its development path. Several technologies and concepts will be evaluated before they are built and placed on the demonstration truck.

“Inaction is not an option. We remain

laser-focused on our goal to electrify our trucks and to help build the necessary infrastructure,” says Dr. Rainer Müller-Finkeldei, Senior Vice President Engineering & Technology at DTNA. ”Through DOE’s SuperTruck 3 program, we will be able to more quickly investigate high-risk, high-reward technologies to clear the technical pathway for their development and potential integration in series production - for the mutual benefit of our environment and our society.”

SuperTruck 3 designs are currently planned to be unveiled by the end of 2025.

Previous SuperTruck program results The first SuperTruck program was initiated in 2009 with the goal of improving heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. All companies which

participated met or exceeded these goals. In 2016, SuperTruck 2 began which looked to double the efficiency of Class 8 trucks.

Volvo’s first SuperTruck demonstration truck exceeded the 50% freight efficiency target, and the company says it is on track with its SuperTruck 2 project to more than double Class 8 vehicle payload-per-mile per gallon for productivity gains, as well as improved fuel efficiency.

While the SuperTruck program is a demonstration project, many of the technologies developed during the first iteration have been brought to market. For DTNA, these include the enhanced aerodynamics and improved engine thermal efficiency features found on the current Freightliner Cascadia.

Read an extended version at oemoh.co/SuperTruck3Awards. |

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POWERPACKERUS.COM OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

13

NEWS BRIEFS: JOHN DEERE AUTONOMOUS TRACTOR

John Deere Unveils Fully Autonomous Tractor

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF JOHN DEERE

Adding full autonomy to the John Deere 8R tractor enables farmers to be more productive and better equipped to feed a growing global population.

by Sara Jensen

Use of the fully autonomous 8R tractor can help farmers overcome labor challenges and remain productive.

A

t CES 2022, John Deere unveiled its fully autonomous 8R tractor. The company said the machine is ready for large-scale production and will be available for customers later in 2022.

Joseph Liefer, Senior Product Manager for Autonomy, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group, says the company built upon the technologies it already had in the market to develop the autonomous machine. “We’re building on the shoulders of giants. We started with a production 8R that was nearly autonomous ready [as well as] our precision ag components [such as] our Starfire receivers and our GPS network that farmers have been leveraging for 20 years,” he explains. “We had a great base to start from.”

Liefer says John Deere became serious about bringing in-field autonomy

14

to the farm in late 2018. It created a team to tackle the many challenges associated with doing so, the largest of which is perception. Perceiving the environment around the tractor and finding any possible exceptions is key to ensure safe operation.

By weaving together close to 70 of the company’s precision agriculture products—such as auto track and auto track turn automation—into a single seamless experience, as well as the addition of some new technology, Liefer says John Deere was able to create the autonomous tractor.

Leveraging new and existing technology makes autonomy possible John Deere has spent the last couple of years working with farmers to get field images so it could train the neural

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Farmers can remotely monitor and set parameters for the autonomous 8R tractor using a mobile device.

network of the autonomous system to recognize navigable terrain. Doing so enables the system to understand what a farm field looks like as well as any exceptions that might exist.

During this process the company had to determine what sensors to utilize to ensure accurate sensing and data collection. It selected stereo cameras because of their ability to predict depth while bringing a low-cost solution to the market, says Liefer. Six pairs of stereo cameras are included on the autonomous 8R tractor which can provide a 360-degree view around the machine and aid with obstacle detection.

The cameras are one of the new pieces of technology mounted onto the 8R to enable autonomous opera-

Six pairs of stereo cameras are placed at the front and rear of the autonomous 8R tractor for 360-degree visibility and object detection.

tion. Three pairs of stereo cameras are located on the front of the tractor and three pairs at the back. This allows full visibility around the tractor as well as of the implement behind it while also determining how close the machine might be to other objects such as a telephone pole or treeline which Liefer says is the truly unique aspect of the cameras.

These cameras are continuously assessing the environment around them at a rate of three times per second. Information collected is then fed to two NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPU) for analysis of any potential anomalies or exceptions which may have entered the environment. “If we think there is something in the scene, it takes about 100 milliseconds for us to process it,” explains Liefer. “We will request a stop to the tractor, and the tractor software will know what to do to bring the tractor to a stop, and then allow further analysis of that entire environment around [the tractor].”

If there is no issue, the tractor will automatically restart and continue its work. But if a problem or large obstacle is detected, the machine will stop and notify the farmer by providing a picture of the obstacle; the farmer can then make an operational decision on how to proceed.

“That kind of remote management is also something new that we’re bringing to farmers,” says Liefer. “We are leveraging the existing John Deere operation center mobile application that farmers use today to manage their operation. And then they’ll be able to do additional things like approve motion for autonomy off of their cell phone, as well as then make settings adjustments, like change the speed of the tractor remotely, whether they’re back at their farm site or doing some other activity.”

The number one piece of feedback Liefer says he’s received from farmers is their excitement over the autonomous machine and the fact it is an 8R which many already have in their fleet. This ensures familiarity when using the

tractor, simplifying any learning curves that might be necessary.

Liefer says the autonomous driving solution is a retrofit option, meaning customers will not have to go out and buy a whole new tractor or a potentially more costly purpose-built machine. “[Farmers] are going to get to leverage existing equipment and existing farming practices to bring autonomy to their farm,” he says.

With the autonomous 8R tractor, farmers will still have to manually drive the tractor to the fields in which it will operate. Once in the field, the tractor can then operate fully autonomously, allowing farmers to focus on other tasks and remotely monitor the tractor from a smart phone, tablet or computer. Farmers also have the option to manually drive the tractor when they want to and use the precision ag technologies they would today. Essentially, the new autonomous solution

provides more flexibility for customers.

Farmers will work with their John Deere dealer to have the autonomous driving solution installed. In addition to installing the cameras and some wiring harnesses, the dealer will also install some other components such as a redundant braking system which Liefer says is existing technology the company sells in Europe but is not as common in North America. He notes it takes around 8 hours to equip the tractor for fully autonomous operation.

Read an extended version at oemoh.co/JDAutonomousTractor. |

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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COVER STORY: ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

REGULATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS

Eaton’s 48V DC/DC converter ensures components operating on lower voltages will be able to perform alongside those operating at higher voltages.

Drive New Electronics System Architecture

E AT

ON

A transition to 48V systems is taking place to better meet efficiency and emissions reduction targets as well as increased power demands in heavy-duty equipment.

by Sara Jensen

A

s new emissions regulations are put into place and electrification of components and systems increases, higher voltages will be required. Because of this, many manufacturers are already moving toward the use of 48V system architectures.

Regulations are the biggest driver for the move to 48V systems, says Ben Karrer, Manager, Technology Development, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “There are a lot of solutions for reducing CO2, but electrification of some of the accessories on vehicles and 48V mild hybridization of the powertrain are some of the ways 48V technology helps with CO2 reduction,” he explains.

Electrification and mild hybridization can help to create more fuel-efficient systems which Karrer says is a key method for reducing emissions. In addition, electric power can help ensure better system performance.

To meet increasingly stringent nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions targets,

16

active heating of the aftertreatment system is one of the methods utilized.

Actively heating the system ensures it gets hot as fast as possible for effective stripping of NOx out of the exhaust.

Typically, it can take time for the aftertreatment system to get up to the appropriate temperature but use of 48V power to electrically heat the aftertreatment enables active heating to quickly bring the temperature up and maintain it during operation to assure emissions compliance.

Brad Bisaillon, Director of North American Sales, Industrial Market at American Battery Solutions (ABS), agrees that efficiency improvements are among the drivers for the move to 48V systems. He explains that some electrical components such as the alternator work more efficiently at a higher voltage. For components like batteries, there is the potential for longer run times and easier charging with higher voltages.

In on-highway applications, he says there are a lot of 12/24V dual voltage

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

systems being utilized to help achieve these efficiency gains while in off-highway equipment voltages are even higher, from 350 up to 800V particularly when moving to full electrification.

Increased power demand necessitates higher voltages According to Dave Schulenberg, Director of Product Management at Briggs & Stratton, increasing voltage to 48V allows for more power at the same or lower current levels. He says 48V is the highest nominal voltage that can be used without exceeding the 60V threshold which defines a high-voltage system. These high-voltage systems typically require additional insulation to protect users from being shocked, adding more design time and cost.

“Forty-eight volt is a great sweet spot for many applications because it can deliver enough power to drive many applications while remaining

Inverters are one of the many products Eaton is developing to work with 48V systems.

E AT

J.

G.

E.

K.

B.

H.

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EATON

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ON

F. I.

A. L.

New emissions regulations and increased electrification are bringing about the need for higher voltage system architectures.

ENERGY SOURCE

POWER MANAGEMENT

POWER CONSUMPTION

A. 48V motor generator–P2 B. 48V motor generator–P1 C. 48V alternator–P0

D. 48V DC/DC converter E. Power distribution module F. 48V battery pack G. 48V inverter

H. 48V electrically heated catalyst controller I. 48V electrically heated catalyst J. 48V A/C compressor K. 48V engine fan array L. 48V water pump

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

17

COVER STORY: ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

AMERICAN BAT TERY SOLUTIONS

“As we are electrifying more of these systems, there are other packaging benefits to be had by taking things off of mechanically driven power,” says Karrer. “Think about an engine cooling fan or a water pump. These things are mechanically driven today on most commercial vehicles. [By] electrifying these accessories, not only is there an opportunity to be more efficient with how we use those accessories, but we can also package them in different locations that could improve aerodynamics of the vehicle as well as just find better locations for that power to be used.”

Transitioning from mechanical power to electrical power allows replacement of mechanical power transfer components like belts or shafts with electrical wires. These wires are more flexible, allowing components to be mounted almost anywhere in a vehicle which can greatly optimize an OEM’s design.

Moving from today’s 12V electrical systems used in the typical North American commercial vehicle to 48V systems drops the amount of current necessary. Essentially, four times the amount of electrical power is possible with similar size wires as today’s systems. This helps to keep costs down as much of the cost associated with electrical components is a function of how much current the devices will utilize, says Karrer.

Designing for 48V systems Efficiency gains can be achieved when moving toward the use of 48V systems.

below the high voltage threshold,” says Schulenberg. “The fact that 48V components can be used in applications ranging from automotive, heavy off-road and lawn and garden equipment will give it the volume to be very cost effective. Certainly, there will be applications where higher voltage will be needed, but 48V component versatility will make it a standard in the long term.”

Integration of autonomous driving

18

capabilities, safety systems like lane keeping and other advanced technologies are increasing the need for electric power in vehicles and equipment. Karrer says this increased need for electrical power is also driving the push toward 48V systems. These systems require a lot of power to perform accurately; moving to higher voltage systems reduces the amount of current necessary to supply the appropriate amount of power to these systems.

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Schulenberg says every type of powertrain component is being developed for 48V including batteries, motors, actuators, motor controllers and user interfaces. When developing these electronic components, he says they must be rated for a minimum of the top charge voltage of a 48V system, which is typically 58.8V. He notes these 48V products are being used in various ways. In addition to their use on engines to drive auxiliary components as a means of reducing parasitic load to increase fuel economy, 48V components are also being used

The Vanguard battery lineup is capable of meeting various OEM voltage needs.

G B R IG

to replace vehicle level auxiliary PTOs that used to be driven mechanically or with hydraulics. “Attachments like snowblowers, augers, breakers and rakes, are all being considered for 48V electric power to improve efficiency and reduce the risk of hydraulic leaks,” says Schulenberg.

“Forty-eight volt components are

also being used to replace complete drivetrains which include the wheel motors that move the vehicle and all the chore functions that vehicle might employ,” he added.

Bisaillon says ABS has standard off-the-shelf battery products for 48V systems as well as the ability to customize solutions for OEM customers. For the

STR S&

latter, he says the company will work directly with an OEM to understand the battery chemistry it is looking for, the run time as well as certification requirements and other design criteria to ensure an optimal solution is developed.

He notes that as you move into higher voltages, product development becomes more complex. While everyone

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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O AT T

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COVER STORY: ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

AMERICAN BAT TERY SOLUTIONS

ABS has standard off-the-shelf battery products for 48V systems as well as the ability to customize solutions for OEM customers.

when working with higher voltage components and systems.

Selecting the right components and finding a common voltage platform for a vehicle can help to ensure safety and performance of higher voltage systems. “The onus is upon the OEM to really focus on what is the target voltage of the vehicle and ensure that as

EATON

wants the most energy they can get in the smallest space possible, but there is only so much energy that can be put into a certain size formfactor.

Safety also becomes an issue, especially with high-voltage systems such as those over 300V. Bisaillon says that while 48V can shock a person, 350V can kill so extra training is necessary

Use of 48V power to electrically heat an aftertreatment system helps quickly bring the temperature up and maintain it during operation to assure emissions compliance.

20

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

they’re selecting components [while] going through their design phase, they’re selecting a system voltage that is going to work with all of the components on board, not just the battery,” says Bisaillon. “[Whether] it’s hydraulic motors, starters, alternators or drive motors, everything needs to be a common voltage.”

In August 2021, Eaton announced its Vehicle Group had developed a series of 48V products for use in on- and off-highway commercial vehicles. The company is focusing most of its development efforts in this area on products for power management such as motor generators, inverters and DC/ DC converters.

The DC/DC converters will be particularly beneficial because as Karrer explains, not everything on a vehicle will be moving to 48V. There will still be some 12 or 24V loads within a vehicle necessitating the use of a converter for the lower voltages.

Energy storage technology will also be needed, which he says Eaton is also developing. The company also plans to have products available which are in what Karrer refers to as the power consumers, i.e. those products which use the 48V power such as air conditioning fans, pumps and other electrified accessories.

Redesigns will be necessary for current products which work with 12V systems to enable their use with 48V systems, says Karrer. As such, the industry will need to think about what devices make sense to move to 48V and which ones can stay at 12 or 24V. “It really becomes a function of how much power is required,” he says. “It makes little

E AT O

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Eaton is developing supercapacitors to work with 48V systems.

of 48V systems, OEMs can be sure they are providing a lower emissions product that will meet market needs until bat-

tery and hydrogen powered vehicles are more readily available.

While Karrer says the push to 48V in off-highway is somewhat slower, emissions regulations like those in place for on-highway are coming and will bring about a similar transition to 48V systems. |

sense to move low power electrical loads to 48V but high power loads or the addition of new high power loads such as active heating of aftertreatment systems or autonomous driving are definitely going to make sense or even require 48V power.”

Karrer says integration of a full system is one of the biggest challenges associated with developing technology for 48V systems. This will require generation, management and storage of higher amounts of power than what many are used to which could be pose difficult for some manufacturers.

However, he sees 48V systems being beneficial to OEMs especially as a means of ensuring internal combustion engine (ICE) powered equipment stays efficient and emissions compliant.

What does the future hold?

Bisaillon says 48V has been the voltage of choice for smaller construction equipment transitioning to electrification. Forty-eight volts made the move from ICE to electric power easier, he says, because this voltage already existed in some applications such as forklifts.

And as the size and types of equipment being electrified increases, so too will the voltages. Many OEMs are already moving to 72 and 96V, and large equipment will be in the range of 350V and up.

Karrer says Eaton projects by 2030 about 20% of the on-highway commercial vehicle market will feature 48V systems. High-voltage battery and hydrogen powered vehicles will make their way into the market, but for now ICE will still be necessary. With the help

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

21

SY-KLONE INTERNATIONAL

OPERATOR ENVIRONMENT: HVAC SYSTEMS

The RESPA Advisor+ carbon dioxide and pressure monitor provides real-time alerts and visibility to air quality conditions inside of the operator cab.

Sy-Klone’s RESPA cab air quality systems pressurize, preclean, and filter air prior to entering the HVAC and machine cabin, protecting the machine operator from harmful respirable dust and extending machine life by reducing unplanned HVAC repairs.

HVAC Systems Become Smarter, More Electrified Heating and cooling demands placed on HVAC systems will increase as off-highway equipment becomes more connected and electrified. by Sara Jensen

O

perator comfort is an important aspect to overall productivity and even operation of a machine. There are many ways OEMs can go about optimizing comfort, including the use of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems.

“Operator comfort inside of heavy

22

machinery cabs improves retention, job satisfaction, and can support recruiting efforts,” says Austin Browne, Vice President Sales and Marketing at Sy-Klone International. “Maintaining a clean cab with a high-performing, always-functioning HVAC system is important to creating a comfortable and safe working environment.”

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Worker health and safety is a key design criteria for OEMs and their customers, as well, and an important aspect to keep in mind when developing and integrating HVAC systems. “Clean air solutions, such as high-efficiency filters and pressurizers, integrated into HVAC systems, can greatly improve the health and safety of a worker,” says Browne.

Chillers and EXVs (electronic expansion valve), as well as other components not traditionally found on HVAC systems, are now being utilized which Jun says is adding complexity. Power demands placed on HVAC systems are also going up, creating further design complexity for manufacturers.

Additionally, efficiency is becoming ever more critical. “We no longer have waste heat from the engine to heat the vehicle; we have to either find that

cles he notes. They operate somewhat like a reverse air conditioner as it looks for heat in the environment to bring into the operator cab instead of putting waste heat from the engine into the cab. Jun says this is a more efficient method and uses less battery power.

Electrification brings new “The clever thing we’re doing on heat technology, heating and cooling pump systems now is not just finding requirements heat from outside but we’ve got waste As more OEMs and their customers heat from the motors, batteries [and] move toward the use of alternative electronics we’re capturing and bringdrive technology ing into the cab.” for off-highway Because many OEMs do equipment, the need not have as much experifor HVAC systems ence with electrification which can be used of HVAC systems, Jun says on these machines Red Dot will work with will increase. manufacturers early on in Matt Jun, Vice the design process to enPresident of Engisure a proper heating and neering at Red Dot, cooling system architecture says electrification is developed. has a huge effect According to Browne, on HVAC systems. clean air is important not Traditionally, these only for the safety of masystems have conchine operators, but also sisted of four compofor the operation of electric nents—a compresand autonomous vehicles. sor, evaporator, “Dust and debris can wear expansion valve and or damage sensitive eleccondenser—as well tronics and controls, which as some hoses for are central to the operation integration into a of autonomous vehicles,” piece of equipment. he explains. “Integrating a However, electrififresh air filtration system cation is extending and maintaining positive the system not only pressure in an autonomous in terms of comvehicle cab maintains ponents but also a clean environment to regarding the role it keep electronics and plays in a machine. components working as “[HVAC systems designed.” are] transitioning He also noted the from a nice-to-have increased use of electric feature into a system cabinets on hybrid and Integrated sensors help to monitor air quality and adjust operation of that is critical to the fully electric machines as a the smart air conditioning system as needed. overall vehicle,” he means of protecting chips, says. In addition to providing heatheat somewhere—using a heat pump sensors and other micro-components ing and cooling to keep operators system—or we have to make it with from exposure to elements. Because comfortable, these systems are now an electric heater which is not very dust and debris could enter these cabbeing tasked with heating and cooling efficient,” he says. inets, Browne says Sy-Klone is working vehicle batteries and motors, chargers Heat pumps are becoming the gold with OEMs to outfit the electrical and other electronics. standard for efficiency in electric vehicabinets with its RESPA technology to MAHLE

Today’s HVAC systems are designed to meet all of these needs. And as heavy equipment manufacturers expand their electrification efforts and use of smart systems, HVAC designs are evolving to meet these industry trends.

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

23

OPERATOR ENVIRONMENT: HVAC SYSTEMS

Creating smarter systems

So-called smart technology is making its way into all aspects of heavy equipment designs, and HVAC systems are no different.

These smart technologies can come in many forms. Sy-Klone, for instance, has introduced the RESPA Advisor+ and RESPA Advisor cab monitors which alert operators to potential issues within the cab such as unsafe levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) or loss of cabin pressure. The RESPA Advisor+ is compliant with the recently introduced ISO 23875 cab air quality standard being implemented in mining and other heavy-duty equipment applications to help ensure operator health and safety (see sidebar, pg. 25).

“Incorporating smart technology into HVAC and clean air products more proactively notifies machine operators and site managers of air quality concerns and provides increased visibility to data and operating conditions, ultimately advancing a company’s ability to protect machine operators,” says Browne.

He notes Sy-Klone is working with the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) to research the further application of smart technology to independently manage air quality in a machine operator en-

24

closure as a means of improving health and safety. “The research will identify best practices for a smart system to actively monitor a range of air quality conditions inside the cab, including the ability to adjust in real-time to optimize the cab’s air quality while operating in the most rugged and demanding work environments,” he says.

In September 2020, Mahle introduced its

RED DOT

pressurize the cabinet and prevent the entry of potentially harmful particles.

The RESPA clean air technology uses a patented process to remove dirt and debris from the air prior to the air passing through a high-efficiency filter which enables the smallest dust particles to be removed. Clean air is then fed into the area in which the RESPA system is integrated. Its design also enables the creation of a protective envelope of high-quality air for pressurization of cabs or other areas within a machine, like the electrical cabinets noted above.

HVAC systems are transitioning from a nice-to-have feature into a system that is critical to machine performance and operator health says Red Dot’s Matt Jun.

smart air conditioning system. A key feature is the integration of fine-particulate sensors directly into the system, says the company, which provides the sensors with immediate information on air quality in the operator cab and externally. This allows the system to adjust accordingly in a quick and precise manner. Integrating the sensors also creates a more compact system for easier installation.

“We offer an intelligent system to detect changing environmental conditions and react instantly to sustain excellent air quality in the cabin,” says Anja Reiter, Pre-Development HVAC Modules Air Quality at Mahle.

The company has tested the system in a passenger car on roadways, but says the smart air conditioning system can also be utilized in heavy-duty onand off-highway vehicles. For the testing, two fine-particulate sensors were integrated into the air conditioning system. A newly developed fine-particulate filter providing high-separation performance was also integrated with

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

the system to help provide a cleaner cab environment.

Mahle has thus far achieved positive results from its testing of the smart air conditioning system. Testing has also shown the potential for other benefits in the future through the incorporation of its new filter technology and air quality sensors. There is the possibility of the air conditioner’s filtration system to respond to operating situations by providing more filtration when necessary, enabling a filtration on demand type of capability.

Sensor integration can aid maintenance, as well, by monitoring when filters should be replaced to ensure this happens only when needed. Connectivity allows more mobility services to be utilized such as ordering of new filters, says Mahle.

“With its modular approach and a clever interface concept, we make sure that our product is ready for future sensor generations – especially with regard to long product service times of current HVAC generations,” says Reiter.

“I think one area where smart technology can help is with our system ECU (electronic control unit),” says Jun. The system controller can individually monitor and control the temperature for the operator cab, batteries and electronics, and initiate heating and cooling when necessary. “The goal is that our ECU will make that automatic and reduce the workload while improving the comfort level for the operator.”

The future of HVAC systems Going forward, efficiency will be the key driver for HVAC system designs.

Traditionally, Jun says this hasn’t been as high a priority. But with the shift toward electrification, efficiency is becoming a higher priority. “We have to

be very careful about how we manage the power usage of the HVAC system,” he says. “That’s going to be the key moving forward.”

Autonomy will bring about new changes and design needs, as well.

Jun says the requirements for HVAC systems for autonomous vehicles will be different but also similar to those of electric vehicles. Like electric vehicles, there will still be a need for cab heating and cooling, as well as cooling for electric motors and batteries. Even once cabs are eliminated there will remain a need for cooling electric components which HVAC technology can provide.

Overall, customer needs will continue to be the key driver for HVAC system designs. New capabilities and features will become available but the main goal of keeping machine operators safe and comfortable will remain. |

Watch and Learn Watch our video interview with Jeff Moredock, Chair, ISO TC-82 Mining Working Group 9 and SVP at Sy-Klone International, to learn more about the ISO 23875 air quality standard for cab enclosures which was published in February 2021.

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

25

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

Work Truck Shortages Likely to Linger

Supply chain challenges continue to restrict truck availability, and are expected to continue well into 2022 which will impact work truck availability. by Curt Bennink

©UNIQUE VISION – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Truck production is being negatively impacted by the semiconductor shortage, which is causing other supply chain challenges as well.

A shortage of microchips is causing production issues for truck and other heavy equipment manufacturers.

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©GRAFVISION – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

I

t is no secret that supply chain shortages, most notably microchips, have rippled through the automotive industry, emptying inventory on dealer lots and creating long lead times for new vehicle orders.

This has created a perfect storm as demand continues to rise and inventories are near all-time lows. For commercial customers, the problem has been

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

compounded as manufacturers place an emphasis on directing the available resources to higher-profit vehicles, making work trucks of all sizes even more difficult to source.

Major commercial truck dealerships are feeling the pinch. “In-stock trucks are very hard to find,” says Ray Pannemann, Ford Truck Sales Manager, Badger Truck & Auto Group. “Inven-

tories are at all-time lows. Fleet work trucks can be up to 10-month lead times.” Product availability has become unpredictable. “Any estimates regarding lead times would be considered unreliable information.”

As the supply chain continues to recover, we may have already seen the worst of the shortage. “Availability has made a slight improvement,” says Pannemann. But don’t expect major improvements for a while. “As far as when we will see availability improve, it will take at least a year.”

Anticipating future needs and putting a plan in action to proactively acquire trucks is a strategy that can help ensure you don’t get caught short. “Planning is very important,” says Pannemann. “Anticipate your needs and make purchase decisions far in advance of the need. Inventory can, and is, running out.”

around 12% of the world’s supply of semiconductors. This creates a foreign dependency that is difficult to address.

While there have been proposals to increase U.S. production of these components, the reality is that this is a long-term strategy that will have no impact on the current situation. The raw materials for the semiconductor

business often come from Japan and Mexico, with many of the chips made in Taiwan and China, according to a report by the BBC. The semiconductor manufacturing rate was reduced during the pandemic due to COVID restrictions. Couple this with just-in-time manufacturing practices and the fact that Renesas, a

How did we get here You may be wondering how the current inventory crisis happened in the first place. The slowdowns at the component manufacturing plants due to the COVID-19 pandemic were, of course, the main reason. But there are several contributing factors, including worldwide outsourcing of key components, the just-in-time supply of components and a fire in one of the largest vendor plants.

Over the years, vehicles have become much more sophisticated with advanced electrical systems that increase safety, productivity and comfort. The microchip has become a basic building block for these electronic systems. Key components of these microchips are the semiconductors. There are literally millions of semiconductors used on each microchip, depending upon the complexity of the task. The semiconductors utilized in microchip production are in short supply due to the production disruptions during the pandemic, a disaster and increased demand.

It is important to point out that the United States currently only produces

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

27

CURT BENNINK

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

AUTO CRANE

Lead times for new truck purchases have increased and there are often no guarantees of when the truck will actually arrive.

Availability of new and used work trucks is limited due to ongoing supply chain challenges.

Japanese semiconductor manufacturer that supplies almost 30% of the chips for the auto industry, experienced a fire in mid-March, and you have a perfect storm. While production has been restored and the semiconductor industry has ramped back up, it will take a while for the supply chain to fully recover.

Auto customers are likely to feel the impacts until at least the second quarter of 2022.

OEMs continue to face uncertainty The current supply chain issues are creating pricing and supply uncertainty on critical components for the truck manufacturers as ordering for 2022 progresses. Don Ake, Vice President of Commercial Vehicles for FTR, explains, “OEMs [have taken] a limited number of orders for delivery in 2022. Fleets need a significant number of new trucks right now and they perceive

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this need will continue throughout next year. However, OEMs are having difficulty establishing reasonable 2022 pricing, with commodity and other costs elevated. It is uncertain if current higher production costs are transitory or will persist into 2022.

“Also complicating the situation is that shortages of semiconductors have limited Class 8 production,” adds Ake. “It is estimated that supply of trucks is falling approximately 25% behind market demand. We are running out of time for OEMs to catch up. Most of the unproduced orders will roll into the first quarter of 2022. If those months are already booked solid, it creates even more headaches for the industry. Things won’t approach any degree of normalcy for months. Until semiconductors begin flowing into the OEMs in sufficient quantities, we will be playing catch up.”

The industry forecast of new orders of Class 8 trucks is expected to remain

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

robust. “U.S. and Canada Class 8 industry retail sales are estimated to be in a range of 260,000 to 280,000 vehicles,” says R. Preston Feight, CEO, PACCAR. “As has been discussed in recent months, industry truck production has been tempered by the under-supply of semiconductor chips. Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF had a good [second] quarter and delivered 40,100 trucks with an additional 6,500 awaiting key components. While it’s very dynamic, we currently anticipate supplier constraints improving toward the end of this year. There was a lot of uncertainty around the supply base and the deliveries in the third quarter and beyond; a lot of that will depend on the ability of the supply base to deliver, especially in the semiconductor area.”

Short-term availability of trucks is sold out and availability of microchips is anyone’s guess. “We have excellent demand... We’re sold out through the year in all our markets,” says Feight. “So, with this great demand, great market—need for trucks around the world really—customers are looking for trucks as quickly as they can get them.

And we’re building them as quick as we can get [the components].

“We had a good second quarter in our deliveries at 40,000. Obviously, you can do the math, there’s several thousand sitting there that are waiting for a component. And as we get the components, which is unclear on the semiconductor front, we complete the trucks and get them to our customers,” he continues. “We wish we could give you more clarity on how that semiconductor supply is going to proceed through the [coming] quarters, but we just don’t have any more than that right now.”

Dealer inventories are limited, which will extend the market, as well. “We have about 1.6 months of inventory at the dealers. And I think the industry is 1.9 or 2,” says Feight. “It’s less than we’d like it to be, of course, but that does bode well for a strong extended demand cycle.”

Many manufacturers have mostly

completed trucks waiting around for missing components. “We’ve had some trucks that we built minus components and we received a batch of components for those and have shipped those out only to find ourselves in different circumstances—like the Malaysia COVID outbreak, which then causes a constraint of a different component,” notes Feight. It’s a very dynamic situation.

Demand keeps adding pressure As a result of high demand and component shortages, manufacturers have been forced to make strategic product decisions. Some have idled factories and stopped making select vehicles in order to allocate chips to in-demand and highly profitable vehicles such as pickups and SUVs. To keep plants running, Ford and General Motors both resorted to building vehicles without chips and parking them until the parts arrive. In order to conserve the limited availability of microchips, manufacturers have also taken to de-contenting vehicles.

Some premium features are temporarily unavailable.

Adding pressure to a seller’s market, auto sales have mostly recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Overall U.S. vehicle sales came in at 8.3 million units in the first half of 2021. This is just 95,000 shy of the same period in 2019 before the pandemic, according to J.D. Power. The data shows that 14% of the vehicles were sold to fleet customers compared to 22% in 2019.

Major manufactures are all reporting a recovery in vehicle

sales during the second quarter. For instance, General Motors announced it sold 688,236 vehicles in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2021— an increase of 40% compared to a year ago—in a unique market that has seen strong demand, but it has been constrained by low inventories resulting from the global semiconductor shortage.

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup sales are up a combined 36%.

General Motors expects strong demand to continue coupled with very tight inventories. “The agility and creativity of our supply chain, purchasing, engineering and manufacturing teams, in collaboration with our suppliers and dealers, have helped us continue to satisfy customers and gain market share in some of the highest demand segments of the market,” says Kurt McNeil, U.S. Vice President, Sales Operations. “Although the situation remains fluid, we’re focused on continuing to leverage every available semiconductor to build and ship our highest demand products.”

Given the current supply and demand forecasts, it is safe to assume that the vehicle shortage will continue to be acute in the work truck segment well into 2022. For those needing to add trucks to their fleet, procrastination is not a viable strategy. They will need to be proactive and order well in advance. In certain situations, they may need to get creative about alternative ways to source their work truck fleet until some form of normalcy returns. This may include a strategy to extend the life of existing trucks. |

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

29

DRIVETRAIN SYSTEM: COUPLINGS AND CLUTCHES

Combination Coupling/ Clutch Assemblies Reduce Cost, Footprint and Weight Stromag has developed the 2in1 coupling/clutch, a pre-engineered single-piece assembly to replace the need for expensive custom solutions.

30

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quipment and machinery OEMs worldwide are continually challenged to design cost-effective drivetrains that fit in ever-shrinking spaces. In the case of mobile equipment designers, reducing overall system weight is also a critically important consideration.

Sourcing individual drivetrain couplings and clutches can be time consuming as engineers hold interface clarification meetings with elastic coupling and clutch suppliers while also ensuring that quality, reliability, efficiency, vibration, footprint, weight and cost requirements are met.

Power transmission component manufacturer Stromag—part of Altra Motion—offers both couplings and clutches. The Stromag engineering team recently designed a new line of unique, modular 2in1 coupling/ clutch combination assemblies. The pre-engineered combinations feature an existing Stromag flexible coupling configured with an existing switchable clutch model for a compact, single-piece solution.

Depending on the application, various models from the performance-proven lineup of Stromag couplings and clutches are combined for electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuation.

Suitable 2in1 solutions are available for nearly every combination between drive

AG

By Altra Industrial Motion Corp.

electric motors or diesel engines, and pumps, generators and belt drives. The power spectrum of the 2in1 clutch/ coupling combinations ranges from a few hundred to several thousand Newton meters.

“Smart” modular design concept reduces lead times “Instead of designing ‘from scratch’ to meet specific customer requirements, the 2in1 modular ‘smart’ design concept allows our engineers to select from a carefully pre-configured family of paired flexible couplings and clutches. These compact pre-engineered combinations can then be quickly modified to meet particular customer needs,” says Ralph Breuer, Director of Engineering and Product Management at Stromag.

This modular design approach can significantly reduce costs and lead times. OEMs can experience the cost-saving advantages while more easily meeting tighter delivery schedules. Plus, time-consuming meetings between elastic coupling and clutch

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

R I A L M O TION

A cutaway of a Stromag coupling and clutch combination which allows pneumatic actuation.

suppliers to ensure component compatibility are no longer necessary.

Popular Stromag couplings include plugin, highly flexible Periflex VN disc couplings and TRI-R couplings featuring a combination ring element and diaphragm.

Breuer explains, “Stromag‘s know-how in Torsional Vibration Analysis (TVA) constitutes the core of each coupling design. It provides a comprehensive analysis of loads in the crankshaft, coupling and driven side to ensure that critical speeds can be moved per application requirements.”

Unevenly rotating systems can severely degrade product quality and cause great harm to the powertrain.

The TVA experts at Stromag work daily on the challenge of detecting such deviations by measuring them and protecting the entire powertrain with ideal product selection. Stromag calcu-

lates stationary and transient operating conditions while considering the stiffness and damping of a particular coupling’s elastomers.

Stromag flexible couplings also accommodate various levels of radial, axial and angular misalignment, depending on the model. All couplings meet the following industry classifications: ABS, Lloyd’s, CCS, Bureau Veritas and DNV-GL. Reliable Stromag MWU electromagnetic pole-face friction clutches, KHA and KHR multi-disc clutches, and KPR clutches have a proven record of long-life performance in a variety of demanding applications.

Since the 2in1 combinations are configured into a single piece, there is no need for individual housings, bushings or keyways. These part reductions combine to provide weight savings which are especially important for marine and mobile equipment applications.

Stromag combination assemblies are provided as an open-running solution which is required for resiliently mounted engines and rigidly arranged drivelines. However, if desired, the combination units can be integrated into a single SAE housing for direct mounting to diesel engines. Stands and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) options are also available.

The unique 2in1 coupling/clutch combination units can be incorporated in a variety of applications across many industries. However, they are particularly popular for marine applications.

According to Breuer, “The key to our success in the marine market certainly lies in our high level of marine application engineering know-how. We have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of marine applications allowing us to quickly and confidently design our solutions to meet specific requirements.

“We have seen increased demand for these compact 2in1 assemblies partially due to the growing usage of marine hybrid drive systems or alternative drivetrain solutions due to ecological restrictions in or near harbor

areas,” Breuer says.

Various 2in1 combination assemblies are also ideally suited for use on a range of off-highway construction and agricultural machinery, including asphalt milling machines, dozers, excavators, tractors and combines.

In these types of construction and ag applications, enclosed units for direct mounting on internal combustion engines according to the SAE standard are used on air compressors and hydraulic fluid pump drives.

Units can also be utilized on belted drives applications such as asphalt milling machines. Output-side is designed for easy “Plug & Play” connection to work machines. |

Various models of the Stromag couplings are available, including those enabling hydraulic actuation.

Stromag’s unique, modular 2in1 pre-engineered combinations feature an existing Stromag flexible coupling configured with an existing switchable clutch model for a compact, singlepiece solution.

Depending on the application, various models from the lineup of Stromag couplings and clutches can be combined for electric actuation.

This article was written and contributed by Altra Industrial Motion Corp.

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OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

31

PHOTO COURTESY WORK TRUCK WEEK

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2022 NFPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Arizona Biltmore Feb. 22-24, 2022 | Phoenix, AZ www.nfpahub.com/events

NFPA/FPIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE Virtual and In-Person Event Hilton Garden Inn Troy March 3, 2022 | Detroit, MI www.msoe.edu

GREEN TRUCK SUMMIT Indiana Convention Center Mar. 8, 2022 | Indianapolis, IN www.ntea.com

THE WORK TRUCK SHOW Indiana Convention Center Mar. 8-11, 2022 | Indianapolis, IN www.ntea.com

COMMODITY CLASSIC, AN AEM COLLABORATION Ernest N. Morial Convention Center March 10-12, 2022 | New Orleans, LA www.commodityclassic.com

MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW Kentucky Expo Center March 24-26, 2022 | Louisville, KY www.truckingshow.com

WCX WORLD CONGRESS EXPERIENCE Huntington Place April 5-7, 2022 | Detroit, MI www.sae.org/attend/wcx

OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE NRG Park May 2-5, 2022 | Houston, TX www.otcnet.org

ACT EXPO Long Beach Convention Center May 9-12, 2022 | Long Beach, CA www.actexpo.com

32

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

WASTEEXPO

FARM PROGRESS SHOW

Las Vegas Convention Center May 9-12, 2021 | Las Vegas, NV www.wasteexpo.com

Farm Progress Show Grounds Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2022 | Boone, IA www.farmprogressshow.com

HANNOVER MESSE

NFPA/FPIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Messegelände May 30-June 2, 2022 | Hanover, Germany www.hannovermesse.de

Virtual and In-Person Event Location TBD Sept. 1, 2022 www.msoe.edu

NFPA/FPIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE Virtual and In-Person Event Location TBD June 2, 2022 www.msoe.edu

ELKO MINING EXPO

GREAT LAKES LOGGING & HEAVY EQUIPMENT EXPO

THE BATTERY SHOW Suburban Collection Showplace Sept. 13-15, 2022 | Novi, MI www.thebatteryshow.com

HILLHEAD Hillhead Quarry June 21-23, 2022 | Buxton, United Kingdom www.hillhead.com

ASABE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MEETING Marriott Marquis Houston July 17-20, 2022 | Houston, TX www.asabemeetings.org

National Construction Equipment Museum Sept. 23-25, 2022 | Bowling Green, OH www.hcea.net

AUSA ANNUAL MEETING & EXHIBITION

RESCH Expo Complex Sept. 8-10, 2022 | Green Bay, WI www.gltpa.org

Elko Convention Center June 6-10, 2022 | Elko, NV www.exploreelko.com

HCEA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND OLD EQUIPMENT EXPOSITION

ELECTRIC & HYBRID VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY EXPO

Location TBD Oct. 10-12, 2022 | Washington, D.C. www.ausa.org/meet

BAUMA New Munich Trade Fair Center Oct. 24-30, 2022 | Munich, Germany www.bauma.de

SIMA Parc des Expositions Paris-Nord Villepinte November 6-10, 2022 | Paris, France www.simaonline.com

Suburban Collection Showplace Sept. 13-15, 2022 | Novi, MI www.evtechexpo.com

COMVEC JW Marriott Sept. 20-22, 2022 | Indianapolis, IN www.sae.org/attend/comvec

NFPA INDUSTRY & ECONOMIC OUTLOOK CONFERENCE The Westin Chicago Northwest August 16-17, 2022 | Itasca, IL www.nfpahub.com/event

Global Health Impact Editor’s note: Due to the global health crisis, some events may get postponed, canceled or go virtual. Every attempt has been made to provide the most up to date information on those events listed; information is current as of the time of printing this issue. Be sure to monitor our events page and individual events’ websites for updates.

AGATEN | PEACEFULLY7 | ISTOCK / GET T Y IMAGES PLUS

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

33

OFF-HIGHWAY HEROES

The First True Motor Scraper The Model A Tournapull could be yoked to a single-axle scraper in such a way as to allow for extreme maneuverability, offering greater speed and productivity for earthmoving projects.

by Thomas Berry, Archivist, Historical Construction Equipment Association

W

e’ve been looking at Robert G. LeTourneau’s innovations in construction equipment development, and in this issue we’ll see another of his most important inventions, the first modern motor scraper.

Prior articles have discussed the groundwork for these machines: Improved loading efficiency and carrying capacity; cable control of the scraper from a towing tractor; and the 1923 SelfPropelled Scraper. While all of this greatly increased a scraper’s productivity, a bottleneck remained—the speed of the towing tractor.

A crawler tractor offered great power and traction, but was inherently limited in how fast it could go, and the limitation was passed on to whatever it was towing. The solution was born literally by accident, as LeTourneau recuperated in 1937 from severe injuries suffered in a car crash. He sketched out the preliminary ideas for something completely different, a big tractor on a single at the rear with large tires. It would be yoked to a single-axle scraper in such a way as to allow for extreme maneuverability, and a cable control unit on the front of the tractor controlled the scraper by means of lines reeved up and over the tractor.

The tractor was powered by a 160 hp (119.3 kW), 8-cylinder Cat D17000 engine, and with its LeTourneaudesigned transmission it was good for up to 20 mph (32.2 kph) on the level.

Unveiled in April 1938, the tractor was called the Model A Tournapull, perhaps the first of very many usages of a “Tourna-“ prefix for his inventions.

To say it and the Z25 25-yd. (22.9 m)

34

R. G. LE TOURNEAU INC. IMAGE

The first scraper to be equipped with pneumatic tires is pulled by an Allis-Chalmers crawler tractor in California’s Imperial Valley in August 1932.

Carryall scraper that was built for it were ungainly is an understatement.

But it achieved LeTourneau’s goal of much greater speed and productivity.

An improved second prototype followed that summer. In late 1938, Guy F. Atkinson Company ordered 10 of them for use on Hansen Dam in the

Los Angeles Dam, making it the very first earthmoving project to be done primarily by motor scrapers. Further improvements and new models followed, and the Tournapull and scraper combination set the standard for tens of thousands of motor scrapers for the future. |

The HCEA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the construction, dredging and surface mining equipment industries. With over 3,800 members in 25 countries, HCEA activities include publication of a quarterly educational magazine, Equipment Echoes, from which this article is adapted; operation of National Construction Equipment Museum and archives in Bowling Green, OH; and hosting an annual working exhibition of restored construction equipment. The next International Convention and Old Equipment Exhibition will be September 23-25, 2022, at the National Construction Equipment Museum in Bowling Green, OH. The HCEA is raising funds for construction of a new purpose-built building to house its equipment collection, and the convention will feature groundbreaking for it.

Individual annual memberships in the HCEA are $35.00 within the USA and Canada, and $55.00 U.S. elsewhere. HCEA seeks to develop relationships in the equipment manufacturing industry, and offers a college scholarship for engineering and construction management students. Information is available at www.hcea. net, by calling 419-352-5616 or e-mailing info@hcea.net.

OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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