POWER TROUGH EFFICIENCY is SAI’s motto, and it has not been chosen lightly. It sums up perfectly the fruitful relationship that has been forged between SAI and ZF Passau, the German specialist for Off-Road Driveline Technology and Axle Systems.
The first transmission was displayed in 2007 during the Bauma exhibition held in Munich after years of joint development work. The individuals involved in this prestigious collaboration, from both companies, have worked hard over the intervening period to validate the project to its current position. The amazing thing is that, even though only two years have passed, SAI and ZF can proudly announce that the project has now been successfully developed to the point that production is now starting.
The new ZF transmission system 2 HC 85 is powered by two SAI integrated variable displacement radial piston hydraulic motors. The resultant package is perfectly matched to the requirements of today’s Market, in that it achieves higher efficiency and improved noise characteristics.
The advanced design features of the SAI motors used in this project, help achieve the highest levels of so called “ENERGY EFFICIENCY”. ZF has accepted the challenge of changing the thinking of the transmission market, usually dominated by axial piston motors, by investing in the radial piston crankshaft design of the SAI motors.
The continuous variable transmission of ZF, which employs 2 completely integrated motors, is able to give: high speed, high volumetric and mechanical efficiencies, reduced power losses, better fuel consumption, reduced vibration and lower noise emissions. What is more, the compact shape of the Hydrostatic Drive Transmission allows it to be extremely adaptable to almost any vehicle design.
As it can achieve speeds in excess of 42 kph, the ZF system is the fastest compact loader transmission manufactured today, which is capable of supporting a load of about 10 tonnes. It must not also be forgotten that, whilst this solution gives superb high speed characteristics, the utilisation of the SAI radial piston design gives remarkably efficient and accurate controllability even when running down to CREEP speeds. Inside the ZF transmission it is this feature of the SAI radial piston design hydraulic motor which makes it the most versatile hydraulic motor available in today’s market.