Bonfiglioli Transmissions offers Customized & Diverse Range of Gearboxes

Bonfiglioli Transmissions, Kennady V Kaippally - Country Manager (India)

We have introduced for the first time in the market an intelligent integrated load bearing system that quickly and precisely measures torque and enables torque monitoring in real time. This patented solution combines our historic excellence in transmission manufacturing with new age digital tools.

Bonfiglioli is producing gearboxes to meet local requirement and is also catering to export markets like USA, Europe, Latin America, and China. The company’s manufacturing plant in Tirumudivakkam, Chennai, houses the country’s largest vertically integrated planetary gearbox facility, which is well equipped to produce highly customized and diverse range of gearboxes. A local R&D center with over one hundred engineers and a full-fledged test lab to simulate specific customer requirements, enables the company to design and test specific solutions for the Indian market. This ensures that all the required performance criteria are met within the constraints provided, to develop products that meet customer expectations.

Innovating to bring more reliability, productivity, fuel efficiency, and low maintenance in equipment

Our key strength lies in our ability to design and develop customized solutions for a wide range of user applications. Since our customers are global, we employ the best-in-class quality systems and practices to produce one global quality.

Given the usage of equipment in tough jobsite conditions like off-highway, construction, mining, and material handling segments in India, the most important criteria for customers are reliability, productivity, fuel efficiency, and low maintenance. The design of a transmission system plays a vital part in delivering and meeting these criteria. Bonfiglioli, having worked with all major OEMs across the globe, has decades of experience in providing solutions that meet these objectives.

One such best-in-class solution for the industry that we will be displaying at Excon 2023 is the 700CK series of drives used on tracked machines. These products are the result of our partnership with Kayaba Industries CO. and represent all the hydraulic and mechanical functions like power drive, operating and travel speed, hydraulic and mechanical emergency braking system, and overload protection – all of which are incorporated in a single unit. A compact design, reliability, efficiency, and smooth operation are key features of the 700CK series of drives.

Adopting technologies and sustaina- bility in products

The Internet of Things and electronics are becoming important tools for achieving efficiency and sustainability in new age equipment. These digital tools support the operator by providing all the necessary machine operational parameters in real time. This enables the operator in achieving optimal utilization of the equipment along with high fuel economy and productivity.

Bonfiglioli has many unique solutions where electronic and hydraulic features are integrated in a mechanical transmission system to provide an online feedback mechanism to equipment operators across various applications. One of our patented solutions is the integration of load cell with the gearbox, which quickly and precisely measures torque and enables torque monitoring in real time. Connected via an external cable connection, the system provides an automatic engine shut­down to protect the drive or reduce the capacity of the frequency converter, while providing information to the PLC. The system also has an anti-seize function that prevents blockages. The evaluation of data also facilitates predictive maintenance.

This new integrated load bearing system allows Bonfiglioli for the first time in the market to deploy an intelligent solution, combining our historic excellence in transmission manufacturing with new age digital tools.

Electrification of drives for construction and material handling equipment

One of the defining trends we are witnessing in the industry is the electrification of drives for construction and material handling equipment. Bonfiglioli has developed a range of electric drives and axles for various applications like track, wheel, slew etc. These, along with our own high-performance motors and maintenance-free brakes, represent the best new generation electric transmission. Growth in electrification of construction and material handling equipment, presents an opportunity for us to increase sales and expand the market. We will be showcasing all these products at Excon 2023.

Bringing value additions to enhance brand value

Since our transmission systems lie at the heart of construction equipment, their performance is critical to overall operation of the equipment. We work together with our customers and design tailor-made products to suit their application needs. This involves in-depth study of duty cycles for right sizing of products, understanding machine features for product optimisation and continuous improvements by way of VAVE projects.

Our local engineering centre works closely with customers to achieve these objectives. Having regular interactions with customers through technology days, exhibitions and seminars helps us in enhancing our brand value. We also have a dedicated service centre for retrofitting/refurbishing gearboxes to increase the life of the drives.