Transmission specialist Oerlikon Graziano, part of Oerlikon Segment Drive Systems, has developed a new synchronizer for Agritech Lavrale, the Brazilian manufacturer of agricultural tractors. The solution enables the manufacturer of agricultural machinery to operate at the pinnacle of the high-end market for the first time. The synchronizer
enables reduced fuel consumption and increased comfort of vehicle operation, with no compromise of reliability or durability.

“The YA71 synchronized transmission allows the driver to change gear at a higher engine speed, which provides a shorter torque interruption between smoother shifts,” says Andrea Serra, Oerlikon Graziano product manager synchronisers and powershift design. “The technology has been developed in conjunction with Agritech to allow the launch of the company’s first synchronised tractor, its 1175S. A faster, silent shift not only increases comfort and overall vehicle efficiency, but provides a more car-like experience due to the reduction of inconvenient, inefficient stop-start operation.”

Non-synchronized transmission requires slow movement and deceleration of operating speeds to allow ratio changes, resulting in a drop-off from the vehicle’s optimum operation speed and a decrease of efficiency and driver usability. Optimum synchronization time has been reached in transmission development, with construction from high performance friction material to ensure that shift operation does not come at the cost of long-term transmission robustness.

Following the successful delivery of the YA71 transmission, Oerlikon Graziano has now started working on a fully synchronized transmission for tractors up to 90 hp, with calculations and models completed, prototypes in development and an anticipated production kick-off at the end of 2014. The same technologies will be applicable to a new transmission on tractors up to 55 hp, such as for use in vineyards and coffee planters.