Page 31 - Commercial Vehicle Engineer - October 2019

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Ronnie McGrouther: “With an automated transmission you’re guaranteed 450,000km with
a single clutch.”
“Opticruise uses a screw to work a piston to create hydraulic pressure in the clutch which means it can be quite precise about the position of it. Information is sent from the potentiometer on the pedal, that is how we are able to do it incrementally.
“As the driver disengages the clutch and reapplies the throttle, the accelerator sends its information to the ECU that links both the clutch and throttle to provide drive and decides how much torque can be applied.
“Potential damage to the clutch plate using the manual clutch is no different because it is protected in the same way
as if it was being used as an automated transmission, so avoids the kind of damage you could generate to a clutch plate in a truck with a manual transmission.”
Since Clutch on Demand was introduced, Scania’s warranty department has not seen a change in clutch damage claims or wear and tear issues.
Operationally, the only issue is how the clutch is protected by the ECU in terms of slip and torque, and should the driver try to make such an ambitious change that might “invoke a stall”, says Phil Rootham.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > OCTOBER 2019 31