BorgWarner’s Visctronic Fan Drives Improve Performance and Fuel Economy for Commercial Trucks, even in High Temperatures and Elevations
Auburn Hills, Michigan, April 28, 2015 – BorgWarner’s Visctronic® variable speed fan drives are standard equipment on Freightliner Cascadia® trucks in Mexico. Built by Daimler Trucks North America and powered by Detroit™ DD15® engines, these commercial long-haul trucks operate in high temperatures and elevations. Featuring an electronically actuated variable speed fan drive and an innovative high-speed reservoir, BorgWarner’s Visctronic fan drives respond directly to engine needs, providing dynamic cooling which results in improved available horsepower and fuel economy, as well as less noise and longer durability.
“Reliable and efficient airflow is critical to keeping trucks on the road and costs down. In applications with high loads, hot climates or high elevation changes, fan engagement times dramatically increase. BorgWarner’s highly responsive Visctronic fan drive delivers efficient and reliable cooling in these tough operating environments,” said Daniel Paterra, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Thermal Systems. “BorgWarner is pleased to provide our advanced airflow solutions to Daimler Trucks North America. This business enhances our global product leadership position in the commercial truck, off-highway and light commercial vehicle markets.”
BorgWarner’s Visctronic variable speed fan drives use specially calibrated software to communicate with the engine’s electronic control unit to continuously respond directly to the engine’s needs based on engine temperature, engine speed, vehicle speed or engine load. Even under dynamic conditions, the Visctronic system operates only when needed, reducing the average fan speed in any given duty cycle. As engine needs change, the system responds quickly for more precise cooling than traditional fan drives. As a result, the engine runs more efficiently, delivers more horsepower, uses less fuel and emits fewer emissions. In addition, the technology features a maintenance-free design and improves driver comfort with low noise, vibration and harshness.