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Source: Haldex announcement
LANDSKRONA, Sweden — Haldex’s latest and lightest air disc brake, ModulT, comes to trucks.
Haldex continues to work with customers to develop its air disc brake range. Most recently, Haldex has been working on the first two truck applications of what have previously been only trailer applications.
The first ModulT brake in the medium-duty range, the DBT22 MD, will launch into serial production in the middle of 2022. It will be used in trucks and buses by a Chinese truck manufacturer whose name has not been released.
The brake offers a higher braking force than either model in the existing ‘light trailer’ or LT range: up to 25kNm braking force from a 35kg unit (which includes pads, though weights can vary depending on the carrier design).
Elsewhere, a special disc brake model has been made for a European truck: Daimler’s Unimog all-terrain vehicle. The limited chassis space in the small-frame 4×4 can’t easily accommodate a linear arrangement between brake actuator and brake. Instead, Haldex developed an adapter that rotates the pushrod at an angle relative to the brake, so the brake chamber can stand up nearly vertically above the chassis frame (although it can be installed in a number of other orientations if needed).
The adapter incorporates a Y-shaped lever to alter the force direction. It rotates on an axis fitted with needle bearings to conserve 97 percent of the actuator’s mechanical efficiency. Brakes and adapter have been in production since 2019. This special use case is an example of Haldex’s willingness to customise its products to meet the needs of its customers.
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Both truck brake designs are based on the latest GenII versions of the ModulT trailer disc brake. That GenII design, launched in 2018, offers 10 percent weight savings compared to the original ModulT versions launched in 2011, without sacrificing performance. Its reduced weight translates into greater load capacity and/or greater fuel efficiency. In the GenII design, both caliper and carrier are lighter, thanks to sophisticated software that allowed designers to optimise the size and shape of brake components.
To view the entire announcement, click HERE.