Bendix unveiled a host of new products and features during the North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta GA, including new pad wear sensing technology for trucks and trailers, and a new tractor-trailer controller area network.
The company said pad wear sensing, added to all versions of its ADB22X air disc brake, now is available for order on new equipment from select truck and trailer manufacturers.
The new technology determines when a pad is nearing its replacement period and provides a signal via telematics fleets can use to proactively schedule maintenance. The system helps lower maintenance costs by reducing the need for technicians to measure friction, and by optimizing friction replacement schedules. In addition, since the system provides alerts when pads are reaching the point of replacement, it protects costly ADB components from being damaged by worn-out pads.
“Bendix wear sensing technology removes the guesswork from ADB pad replacement—an enormous advantage for fleets,” said Keith McComsey, director of marketing and customer solutions for wheel-end at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake (BSFB). “Now fleets can spec wear sensing on their original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles and more confidently know when to proactively schedule those trucks and trailers for pad replacement service.
“They can increase the cost effectiveness of their maintenance efforts, significantly reducing time spent by technicians removing tires only to determine that adequate pad life remains or, worst case, discovering the pad is so worn that it has damaged the rotor or other components, requiring replacement of expensive parts.”
Bendix air disc brake wear sensing technology consists of sensors mounted to the ADB pads that indicate when pad thickness is approaching a worn-out condition. The system records a diagnostic trouble code and signals a fleet’s office via telematics, if the truck or trailer has that capability. It can also be set up to alert technicians through a remote diagnostic unit. At the time of notification, sufficient pad life remains to enable the fleet or technician to schedule replacement service before it’s an emergency situation.
“When vehicles are equipped with wear sensing, fleet personnel can be alerted in real time when they are approaching the pad’s end-of-life state. Having that knowledge will help protect high-dollar air disc brake components, like the rotor,” McComsey said.
Kenworth offers Bendix pad wear sensing on its T680, T880 and W990 tractors equipped with the ADB22X air disc brake. On the trailer side, wear sensing is available on equipment spec’d with the ADB22X-LT trailer air disc brake. The technology is integrated with the Bendix TABS-6 Premium and Advanced trailer roll stability systems, meaning one of those must be spec’d along with wear sensing. Bendix wear sensing accommodates most trailer types, including vans, flatbed, reefers and tanks.
Visit foundationbrakes.com for more information about Bendix air disc brakes.
Bendix said its new tractor-trailer controller area network (TT-CAN), added to the TABS-6 Advanced multichannel trailer roll stability system, enables deeper integration of trailers and tractors, helping advance development of highly automated commercial vehicles and promote North American tractor OEM migration toward electronic braking systems.
A first for a North America-dedicated product, the ISO 11992-2 vehicle bus will be incorporated into TABS-6 units in early 2020, Bendix said.
“The more effective and complex advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) become, the more important it is to ensure that trailers are treated as an integral part of the safety equation,” said Jon Intagliata, Bendix product line manager for trailers. “When coupled to a tractor that supports ISO 11992 CAN communication, the electronic brake demand from the tractor is converted into a pneumatic brake pressure at the trailer, eliminating pneumatic delays and improving braking response.
“In addition, the TT-CAN enables the transmission of other information and control signals between the tractor and trailer, laying the foundation for upcoming technological developments.”
The Bendix TABS-6 Advanced trailer roll stability system combines antilock braking with sensors, which monitor stability and can quickly and automatically trigger braking interventions when conditions that may lead to a rollover are detected. Available in single-channel and multichannel configurations, TABS-6 delivers solutions suitable for a variety of fleet needs, Bendix maintained.
“Making these ISO 11992-2 functions available to the major North American commercial vehicle manufacturers is important as we work together with them to shape tomorrow’s transportation,” Intagliata said. “One key to both ADAS and EBS is reliably knowing the ‘health’ of the trailer, and this addition helps make that possible.”
Visit bendix.com for more information.