In a visit to Detroit Diesel earlier this week, President Barack Obama announced that the company’s Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission and the new Detroit DD15 proprietary asymmetric turbocharger will be produced at the Detroit brand manufacturing headquarters in Redford, Mich.
The addition of the Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission and DD15 proprietary asymmetric turbo to the full line of Detroit brand engines and axles at the facility represents a capital investment of $120 million and will result in the addition of 115 direct jobs to UAW 163, which represents the Detroit brand axle and engine production workers.
"The UAW Local 163 offered operational and production flexibility that enabled the decision for the DT12 and new DD15 proprietary asymmetric turbocharger production to be placed at the Detroit brand headquarters in Redford, Mich.," said Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. "Additionally, the state of Michigan and Redford Township provided economic incentives, a manufacturing-friendly business environment, and a large talent pool of manufacturing workers and engineers further driving the decision."
Detroit’s integrated powertrain – which includes Detroit Engines, Detroit Axles and the new Detroit DT12 Transmission – is part of Daimler Trucks’ Global Excellence Strategy to have uniform production standards and processes worldwide, resulting in the most efficient, highest quality and lowest cost of ownership products in the industry.
According to the company, the DT12 combines the operational ease of an automatic with the efficiency of a manual transmission, resulting in enhanced fuel economy, vehicle performance and safety. Available in the Freightliner Cascadia, the DT12 maximizes fuel efficiency for line-haul/long haul operations. Adding to the transmission’s overall economy is its lightweight design, which offers additional payload because of its aluminum housing and single counter shaft.
The newly designed DD15 engine features a proprietary asymmetric turbocharger with a next-generation amplified common rail system, which the maker said not only improves performance and fuel economy, but reduces overall weight and complexity. The variable-speed water pump and optimized oil pump reduce load on the engine, further contributing to the improvements in fuel economy.
Additional engine enhancements include an optimized piston design, which reduces oil consumption through the use of an improved oil control ring; and ACRS, which provides higher injector pressure for improved combustion control while eliminating the pressure regulator, improving overall engine performance.
Detroit
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