ZF reaches 800,000th Intarder milestone

ZF Friedrichshafen AG has celebrated the 800,000th transmission brake rolled off the production line at Friedrichshafen after launching production of the Intarder in 1992.

Winfried Gründler, Head of the Truck and Van Driveline Technology business unit at ZF, said: “Our Intarder is such a success because commercial vehicles, and indeed rail vehicles, can decelerate safely without wear in any driving situation. This conserves the main brake and reduces maintenance costs for fleet owners.” Now, around one in three transmissions is equipped with the optional Intarder. “This number could soon increase, as we have already installed more than 100,000 units of the latest generation of our hydrodynamic transmission brake,” he added.

The ZF-Intarder offers a higher braking torque compared with the previous model. The power version achieves 4,000nm, while the Eco variant delivers 3,300nm – with a maximum braking power of 600kw and a response time of a maximum of one second. Since the Intarder is arranged on the transmission output, the braking effect is maintained even when changing gears. Another advantage is the lower weight, with both ratio variants weighing in at 65 kg.

A new electronic control unit simplifies integration into brake management and also provides a cruise control function. Both during fade-free continuous braking and individual adaptive braking, systems such as ABS and ESP remain active. The driver can control braking power and choose from a total of five steps.

The new Intarder also uses less oil, is around three decibels quieter and contributes to fuel savings.