DETROIT, Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- President
Barack Obama today visited Detroit
Diesel Corporation to recognize that the company's Detroit™ DT12™
automated manual transmission and the new Detroit DD15® proprietary
asymmetric turbocharger will be produced at the Detroit brand
manufacturing headquarters in Redford, Michigan.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121210/NY26696-a
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(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121210/NY26696-b
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The addition of the Detroit
DT12 automated manual transmission and DD15 proprietary asymmetric
turbo to the full line of Detroit brand engines and axles at the
facility represents a capital investment of $120 million and will result in the addition of
115 direct jobs to UAW 163, these unions represent the Detroit
brand axle and engine production workers.
"The UAW Local 163 offered operational and production
flexibility that enabled the decision for the DT12 and new DD15
proprietary asymmetric turbocharger production to be placed at the
Detroit brand headquarters in Redford,
Michigan," said Martin Daum,
president and CEO, Daimler Trucks North America.
"Additionally, the State of
Michigan and Redford
Township provided economic incentives, a
manufacturing-friendly business environment, and a large talent
pool of manufacturing workers and engineers further driving the
decision."
Detroit's integrated powertrain
– which includes Detroit Engines, Detroit Axles and the new
Detroit DT12 Transmission – is
part of Daimler Trucks' Global Excellence Strategy to have uniform
production standards and processes worldwide, resulting in the most
efficient, highest quality and lowest cost of ownership products in
the industry.
"The choice of Redford as the
location for full production of the new DT12 automated manual
transmission and DD15 proprietary asymmetric turbocharger was
obvious – manufacturing of a fully integrated, optimized powertrain
belongs together both in manufacturing and ultimately in our
products," said Martin Daum,
president and CEO, Daimler Trucks North America. "The Detroit brand
has long been synonymous with power and economy, and the addition
of these components to our complete optimized powertrain offerings
manufactured at the Detroit brand headquarters will add substantial
benefit to our customers' bottom lines."
Optimized powertrain design and engineering is critical to
DTNA's environmental leadership. An example of this
leadership is evident with DTNA's GHG14 (Greenhouse Gas 2014)
compliance, which was achieved one full year ahead of the mandate
for certification by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA). DTNA's complete portfolio of model
year 2013 on-highway, vocational, and medium duty vehicles and
Detroit brand engines are fully compliant with the new GHG14
regulations. The Detroit brand headquarters in Redford is also a leader in environment
stewardship focusing on reducing, re-using and
recycling. The facility has reached its goal of
achieving zero waste to landfill and recycled over 20,000 tons of
material in 2012.
Ground breaking fuel efficiency results of the new components
were exemplified during Freightliner's Evolution of Efficiency Tour
earlier this year. The new 2014 Cascadia®
Evolution powered only by the newly designed Detroit DD15 with the new proprietary
asymmetric turbocharger and the DT12 automated manual transmission
achieved an impressive 10.67 miles per gallon.
The testing was conducted at the Continental Proving Grounds in
Uvalde, Texas. There, the truck
traveled the 8.5 mile closed-course track for 1,000 miles nonstop
at an average speed of 60 mph, with a GCW of 76,000 lbs. Fuel
consumption and distance traveled were measured at the end of the
demonstration by Automotive Testing and Development Services
(ATDS), an independent, third-party auditor using high-accuracy
fuel flow meters.
About the New DT12 Automated Manual Transmission
The new Detroit DT12 combines the
operational ease of an automatic with the efficiency of a manual
transmission, resulting in enhanced fuel economy, vehicle
performance and safety.
Available in the Freightliner Cascadia®, the DT12
maximizes fuel efficiency for line-haul/long haul operations.
Adding to the transmission's overall economy is its lightweight
design, which offers additional payload because of its aluminum
housing and single counter shaft.
The DT12 improves slow-speed maneuvering capabilities without
compromising high road speed efficiency. The 12-speed, direct- or
over-drive automated manual transmission combines a traditional
manual gearbox with high-speed, computer-controlled shift and
clutch actuators that automatically and seamlessly select the right
shift pattern and perfect clutch engagement for fuel economy and
engine power. The DT12's creep mode simulates a torque converter to
improve low speed maneuverability for parking, docking, heavy
traffic and other low speed situations.
Advanced technologies include Skip Shift, which automatically
skips gears, enabling the transmission to run through lower gears
faster to achieve cruising speed sooner; and eCoast, which allows
the vehicle to 'coast' down grades with the engine operating at
idle speeds while preserving vehicle momentum, maximizing fuel
efficiency.
A proprietary control module communicates with the entire
powertrain, giving the transmission and engine the ability to share
information and offer complimentary functions, which gives the
Detroit transmission an advantage
that only a proprietary powertrain can provide. For example, the
engine can limit torque to protect against driveline damage and
harsh shifts, while the transmission can optimize shifts to keep
the engine in the sweet spot.
Drivers will also appreciate comfort features such as helical
gears and geometrical optimized gear-cut for noise reduction;
pneumatic clutch and shift actuation for faster gear shifts; and a
choice between eco or power-mode configuration. Additional
advantages for the driver include a true two-pedal system for ease
of operation; and a kick-down feature that improves vehicle
acceleration when needed.
About the Newly Designed Detroit DD15®
Engine Featuring the New Proprietary Asymmetric
Turbocharger
The newly designed Detroit DD15
engine features a proprietary asymmetric turbocharger with a
next-generation amplified common rail system (ACRS), which not only
improves performance and fuel economy, but reduces overall weight
and complexity. The variable-speed water pump and optimized oil
pump reduce load on the engine, further contributing to the
improvements in fuel economy.
Additional engine enhancements include an optimized piston
design, which reduces oil consumption through the use of an
improved oil control ring; and ACRS, which provides higher injector
pressure for improved combustion control while eliminating the
pressure regulator, improving overall engine performance.
Powered exclusively by Detroit
and featuring some of the most advanced aerodynamic enhancements in
the industry, the Cascadia® Evolution delivers up to
an additional 7 percent improvement in fuel economy over an EPA
2010-compliant Cascadia equipped
with a first generation aerodynamic package and up to a 5 percent
improvement compared to a current model year 2013 Cascadia equipped
with the latest aerodynamic upgrades.
For more information about Detroit, go to www.DemandDetroit.com.
Detroit offers a complete line
of heavy-duty diesel engines, axles and transmissions for the
commercial transportation industry in both the on-highway and
vocational markets. Detroit™ engines, axles and transmissions are
sold and serviced through a network of more than 800 locations
throughout North America. For more
information, or to locate the nearest Detroit location, visit DemandDetroit.com.
Detroit™ is a brand of Detroit Diesel Corporation, a Daimler
company.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the leading heavy-duty
truck manufacturer in North
America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets
commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas
Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler
company, the world's leading commercial vehicle
manufacturer.
SOURCE Daimler Corporate Communications