H4HH-13-C se levels of Flender gear units are well below the Helical gearboxes H4

Flender/Flender Gear Units/Helical gearboxes H4

hicle drivetrain configurations. For example, Ford Motor Co. recently suspended plans to build new transmission at its Livonia, MI, plant until the schedule for CAFE requirements was finalized. "CAFE Leaves Ford-Van Dyke Waiting," Wards Automotive Reports, Oct. 1, 1, . 3. all-wheel drive systems on automobiles; ( and the use of cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding techno- logy in gear production. The CVT represents fundamental design departure from conventional vehicle transmissions. The CVT is an automatic transmission which has an infinite number of speeds within given range, rather than the 3 to 5 speeds found on conventional transmissions; it also lacks torque converter. 4 Because CVTs increase vehicle performance and fuel economy, their use is expected to broaden as firms develop CVTs that can be used with larger engines. Current CVTs are suitable only for vehicles with small (under 2- liter) engines. 5 Because CVTs function primarily by the use of steel bands and pulleys rather than gears, 6 the main effect of widespread use of CVTs would be reduced demand for gears. Other changes in drivetrain technology, however, may offset the effect of CVTs on the demand for vehicle gears. The introduction of 4-, 5-, and 6-speed automatic transmissions has increased the demand for vehicle gears. Additional gear speeds produce improved fuel economy, which is necessitated by Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) laws. Such transmissions are rapidly replacing the once common 3-speed automatics. In general, each additional speed requires the addition of another set of 5 to 6 gears in the transmission. Additional transmission speeds complicate the variables that must be considered when the gears are designed.' growing number of automobiles are equipped with all-wheel drive systems. These systems transfer engine power to all four wheels of the vehicle rather than to only 2 wheels, improving traction during acceleration. There are t