Allison Transmission History
Who among the people does not know the American company Allison Transmission, founded in 1915? Throughout its long history, the company has worked in the field of motorsport and aviation, and today it is one of the world's largest manufacturers of automatic transmissions for commercial vehicles. More than 300 leading OEM manufacturers of buses, utility vehicles, firefighters, construction, military and other vehicles use the Allison automatic transmission. From 1929 to 2007, Allison Transmission was part of General Motors, and from 2012, Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. became an independent public company.
Three series of gearboxes are assembled at the Szentgotthard plant: 3000, 4000 and Torqmatic. These transmissions are designed for the widest range of commercial vehicles from long haul trucks to construction, firefighting, utility and other special vehicles. The 3000 series is for medium-duty vehicles with engines up to 336 kW and a torque of up to 1695 Nm, and the 4000 series is for heavy machines with engines of up to 597 kW and a torque of up to 2644 Nm.
Boxes of both series can have 6 or 7 gears, including an overdrive and a second reverse. The transmission ranges can be narrow or wide, depending on the needs of a particular technique. All boxes can be fitted with up to two power take-off shafts, as well as a retarder brake.
All transmissions are equipped with an advanced 5th generation electronic control system with FuelSense technology, providing improved fuel efficiency and flexible adaptation to specific operating conditions. With the FuelSense Package, gear shift strategy and torque are automatically adapted to the road conditions, ensuring maximum transmission efficiency based on load.
FuelSense includes an acceleration control system and a high-precision inclinometer (a device that measures the angle of the road slope), EcoCal - shift technology to maintain the engine speed in the most efficient range, Dynamic Shift Sensing function, which provides gear shifting at low engine speeds and the Neutral at Stop option reducing the load on the engine when the vehicle is at a standstill and thus contributing to fuel economy and emission reductions. The smart control function monitors the engagement of the power take-off (PTO) and minimizes the possibility of damage to parts. There is a function that blocks the inclusion of a gear in the gearbox during operation of special equipment until the outriggers are removed, the cranes are returned to the transport position, and the doors are closed. The diagnostic function warns of the need for maintenance and avoids premature oil and filter changes.
All of these design features allow Allison fully automatic transmissions to operate efficiently on a variety of machines and conditions. Automatic transmissions and, in particular, Allison, help alleviate the problem of the lack of qualified drivers: the automatic system itself ensures the smooth operation of the components and the engine and transmission and thereby increases their service life. The Allison transmission can be programmed to limit speed and power, for example during the break-in period of the truck or to prevent traffic violations.