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Introduction of Products

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model


FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Yasuo Harada
Hideyuki Hiraiwa

The 4-ton class engine powered forklift truck, FH series FH40/45/50-1, have been developed and introduced
into the market as Komatsus first forklift truck installed electronic controlled HST (Hydrostatic Transmission)
and variable pump CLSS (closed-center load sensing system). New technologies and outline of the improvement
for fuel efficiency in the new models are introduced.
Key Words: Forklift, HST, Hydrostatic Transmission, CLSS, Closed Center Load Sensing System, Low Fuel
Consumption, Environment, Safety, ICT

1. Introduction
In recent years, needs for low fuel consumption and
reduction in environmental loads have rapidly increased in
industrial vehicles and construction machinery due to growing
global environmental awareness and a rise in crude oil prices.
The response to the above has become an important element
in the development and manufacturing of forklifts.
Introduced below is the outline of a new hydrostatic
transmission forklift model FH Series (Fig. 1, Table 1)
which has adopted electronically-controlled HST (Hydrostatic
Transmission) in place of T/C (Torque Converter) + T/M
(Transmission) used for travel drive system of conventional
forklifts, has realized low fuel consumption and reduction in

2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

environmental loads, has improved operability and has been


introduced to the market this time.

Fig. 1

External view photo of FH50-1

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

Table 1

Major Specifications

Item

Unit

Maximum load
Load center
Maximum travel speed
Performance and dimensions
Wheelbase
Tread Front/Rear
Machine mass
Manufacturer
Model name
Engine
No. of cylinders / Total displacement
Rated output
Fuel tank capacity
Information
ICT

kg
mm
km/h
mm
mm
kg
-/cc
kW/rpm
L
-

2. Development Objectives and Means of


Achievement
(1) Reduction in fuel consumption
Reduction in power transmission loss thanks to the
electronically-controlled HST
Realization of low fuel consumption in high load work by
controlling engine output in accordance with cargo weight
Reduction in oil pressure loss during simultaneous
operation of load handling system and travel drive system
thanks to CLSS + variable pump

Developed
model
FH50-1
5000
600
23. 5
2000
1225/1120
7380
Komatsu
SAA4D95LE
4/3260
50.8/2150
105
KOMTRAX

Current
model
FD50AT-10
5000
600
25
2000
1150/1120
7295
Komatsu
SAA4D95LE
4/3260
59.7/2400
98
-

(2) Improvement in operability and workability


Travel operation has become easier than that of T/C
forklifts due to the adoption of electronically-controlled HST.
Improvement in workability during stopping, hill starting
and switch-back operation
(3) Improvement in safety
Travel speed limiting function as standard equipment
(4) ICT
Installation of KOMTRAX as standard for the first time
in forklifts

ecot3
engine
Electronically
controlled HST

Variable pump
CLSS

Fig. 2

General view of FH50-1

3. Main Components
Our unique hydraulic system electronically-controlled
HST, which has been well proven in wheel loaders and
bulldozers, has been installed in the travel drive system while
variable pump and CLSS adopted for excavators has been
installed in the load handling system.
2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

The reliability and productivity have been enhanced by


developing and manufacturing main components in-house,
utilizing technologies nurtured through construction
machinery including commonrail electronically-controlled
diesel engines and machine body controller.

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

4.2

HST hydraulic
pump
HST hydraulic
motor

Variable pump for


load handling
system

Fig. 3 Main components

4. Outline of System
4.1

Conventional forklift (with torque


converter)

The structure of a general, conventional T/C forklift is


shown in Fig. 4.
The clutch is attached to the output shaft of the
transmission and when the inching pedal is depressed, power
is shut off. If you want to travel forward slowly while
operating the load handling system fast (simultaneous
operation of load handling and travel), depress the accelerator
pedal to increase engine speed and adjust clutch slip with the
inching pedal to control the travel speed.
Inching
pedal

Conventional forklift (T/C forklift)

New FH Series forklift (with HST)

The system structure of the new FH Series HST forklift


is shown in Fig. 5.
The engine rotates the pump to produce oil pressure, which
is converted again to turning force with the motor. A flow rate
of hydraulic oil is continuously increased or decreased by
changing the angle of the swash plate connected to the pistons
to change the piston stroke. This swash plate angle control
realizes the stepless speed control from forward travel, stop to
reversing. When the swash plate is moved to the neutral
position, the piston stroke stops, producing the same effect as
the application of the brake.
When the inching pedal is depressed, the HST pump swash
plate moves to the neutral position and the machine stops.
During simultaneous operation of load handling and travel,
depress the accelerator pedal to increase engine speed, change
a HST pump capacity control signal from the controller with
the inching pedal and adjust the swash plate angle (oil
quantity) to control the travel speed.
A variable pump is used also for the hydraulic system of
load handling system and supplies only a necessary quantity
of oil with a signal from the operating valve.

Accelerator
pedal

Operating
lever

Pressure
sensor

Differential

Operating
valve

Engine

Load handling system

Fig. 5
Operating
lever

Variable pump

System structure chart of HST forklift

5. Reduced Fuel Consumption

Operating
valve

Gear pump

System structure chart of general conventional forklift


(T/C forklift)

In general, a gear pump is used for the hydraulic system of


the load handling system, and because it is a fixed capacity
type pump, a constant oil quantity is supplied according to
engine speed regardless of the operation of load handling
system.
2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

Pump
Swash plate

Tire

Clutch

Fig. 4

Engine
Motor

Torque converter

Load handling system

Accelerator
pedal

Controller

Transmission

Tire

Inching
pedal

HST forklift

Differential

Commonrail
electronicallycontrolled engine

5.1

Usage of forklift

Forklifts are often operated in a limited place, and


acceleration and stop (with change in travel direction, forward
and backward), and simultaneous operation of load handling
and travel are frequently performed. This type of usage is
more remarkable in a worksite with higher load and higher
rate of operation. As such condition also makes the fuel
consumption larger, users have a keen interest in fuel
consumption reduction. In consideration of such worksites

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

5.2

Technology to reduce fuel consumption

(1) Reduction in heating loss and slip loss by HST


In simultaneous operation of load handling and travel of a
T/C forklift, clutch slip loss and heating loss are produced
because speed control is performed by controlling the clutch
slip with the inching pedal. (Fig. 4)
On the other hand, on a HST forklift, the travel speed is
controlled by changing the pump swash plate angle to reduce
the oil flow rate instead of slipping the clutch. Therefore,
heating loss and slip loss are not produced, resulting in fuel
consumption reduction. (Fig. 5)
(2) High efficiency in low travel speed zone
In a torque converter (3 elements, 1 stage, dual phase type)
used generally for forklifts, efficiency in the high travel speed
zone is high due to a free wheel, but efficiency is worse than
that of HST in the low travel speed zone due to large churning
loss. (Fig. 6)
Therefore, on a HST forklift, control is performed to
suppress the rev-up of engine while improving the
acceleration performance, reducing fuel consumption during
acceleration without changing traveling performance.

that near engine rated speed.


The matching point of HST pump absorption torque with
respect to the engine has been set near the maximum torque as
compared with that for the torque converter. This allows for
long use of the range where the fuel consumption rate is small
to the extent possible during acceleration, leading to fuel
consumption reduction. ((4) in Fig. 7)
(5) Switching of engine torque curve under no load
On a forklift, the machine body weight difference is large
between when it has a load (under load) and when it does not
have a load (under no load). To suppress needless acceleration
under no load, a sensor detects weight of a load and when the
load is light, engine output is suppressed, which leads to fuel
consumption reduction. ((5) in Fig. 7)

Conventional forklift
HST forklift
Torque [Nm]

where fuel consumption reduction has a large merit to


customers, the following fuel consumption reduction
technologies have been incorporated.

(4)

Load
(5)

No load

(3)

Equivalent fuel
consumption diagram [L/h]

Engine speed [rpm]


Efficiency

Fig. 7

Matching diagram with engine

HST
T/C
2-speed
transmission

Speed [km/h]
Fig. 6

Travel efficiency

(3) Optimization of engine output


From the above (1) and (2), the engine maximum output
can be reduced by approximately 15% compared to that of the
conventional T/C forklift with almost no loss of workability,
which results in reduction in fuel consumption. ((3) in Fig. 7)
(4) Low-speed matching
In general, the fuel consumption rate near engine speed
where the maximum torque can be obtained is smaller than
2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

(6) CLSS (Closed-center Load Sensing System) + variable


pump system
The CLSS + variable pump system has been installed in our
conventional machines and has contributed to reduction in
fuel consumption.
As a gear pump (fixed capacity) is mainly used for the
hydraulic system of the load handling system for general
forklifts, an oil quantity more than necessary is supplied,
which produced large loss.
The CLSS + variable pump system has been adopted for
HST forklifts as with our conventional forklifts. Oil pressure
loss is small because only a necessary quantity of oil is
supplied by performing control so that differential pressure
between pump discharge pressure and load pressure of each
load handling system is constant when the load handling
system is operated. (Fig. 8)

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

Loss in neutral

Loss during fine control

Required flow rate


Flow rate

Required flow rate


Flow rate

Pump pressure

Discharge of total quantity

Flow rate
Reduction loss

Fig. 9
Fixed pump

Fixed pump

Variable pump

Pump pressure

Test
course

Required flow rate

Reduction loss
Fixed pump

Reduction loss

Fig. 8

Discharge of total quantity

Variable pump

Discharge of total quantity

Fuel consumption [L/h]

Conventional forklift

Variable pump

Reduction effect of
oil pressure loss

Circuit using variable


pump CLSS

Circuit using fixed


pump

Loss during relief

Lever input

Reduction effect of oil pressure loss of load


handling system

HST forklift

Course A

Course B

High load

Low load

Result of fuel consumption reduction at in-house courses

According to high load user data at a paper mill where HST


forklifts were introduced on a trial basis, a maximum of 30%
fuel consumption reduction compared to our conventional
forklifts was accomplished. (Fig. 10)

Conventional forklift

6. Result
Fig. 9 shows the fuel consumption reduction effect at
in-house measurement courses.
The fuel reduction effect was obtained in any course. In
particular, the effect of no less than 29% was obtained at a
high load course (Course A) where there is a lot of switch
back in a short distance assuming loading work to a truck.
Fig. 11 shows the frequency distribution of engine speed
and torque at the high load course (Course A). This shows that
as a circle is larger, the frequency is higher. It can be seen that
large circles move to the small fuel consumption side as
compared with those for the conventional forklift. In
particular, HST forklift used the range where there was little
change in engine speed during acceleration and fuel
consumption was small for a long time. Therefore, the result
as intended was obtained.

HST forklift

Fuel consumption [L/h]

Reduction in fuel consumption

High load user


Paper mill
Fig. 10

Medium load
user

Result of fuel consumption reduction at user's worksites

Conventional forklift
HST forklift

Engine torque

6.1

Course C

Equivalent fuel
consumption diagram [L/h]

Engine speed [rpm]


Fig. 11

2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

Frequency distribution and fuel consumption


map at high load course

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

Type of business in which HST forklift is effective for decreasing fuel consumption (Fig. 12)
Handling business of recycled resources (wastepaper)

Handling business of timber and woodwork

Bale clamp
Handling business of recycled resources (general)

Hinged fork
Handling business of concrete secondary product

Hinged fork

Hinged bucket
Fig. 12

6.2

Example of type of business where forklifts are used

Improvement in operability and


workability

On the electronically-controlled HST, the swash plate is


controlled continuously at the time of change between
forward travel and backward travel so that the change can be
performed without a shock without stopping once and with
the accelerator pedal kept depressed. Thus, the brake
operation like conventional forklifts is not required.
In addition, the braking by setting the swash plate in the
neutral position, a characteristic of HST, reduces rolling down
of the machine on a slope, contributing to the reduction of
fatigue of an operator.

6.3

Safety

The travel speed limiting function is equipped as standard.


The maximum speed can be set to four stages with respect to
the speed control in a limited space, speed limit specified in a
plant, and so on.

2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

6.4

ICT (Information and Communication


Technology)

The machine remote monitoring system KOMTRAX has


been installed as standard in forklifts for the first time.
Visualization of machine information such as the location,
operating condition and fuel consumption has allowed to
support the fleet management with meticulous attention.

7. Conclusion
In cooperation with Power Train Development Center and
Hydraulic Equipment Technical Center, we have realized
commercialization of forklifts installed with electronicallycontrolled HST and CLSS hydraulic system for the first time
as Komatsu.
We will continue to make efforts to expand the model
lineup installed with HST and CLSS in the future and at the
same time to aim at further technological leaps to develop
these models to be more attractive to customers.

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

Introduction of the writers

[A few words from writers]


We think we have completed the competitive forklifts by

Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Entered Komatsu Ltd. in 1981.

concentrating the Komatsu technologies thanks to the merger of


the utility equipment businesses in 2011.

Currently assigned to Technical Center,


Utility Equipment Division

We would like to express our deep gratitude to IPAHydraulic


Equipment Technical CenterPower Train Development Center
System Development Center Test Engineering Center, and
Tochigi Plant and other production departments, not to mention

Yasuo Harada

the customers and distributors who helped our researches.

Entered Komatsu Ltd. in 1975.


Currently assigned to Technical Center,
Utility Equipment Division

Hideyuki Hiraiwa
Entered Komatsu Ltd. in 1992.
Currently assigned to Technical Center,
Utility Equipment Division

2012 VOL. 58 NO.165

Introduction of Hydrostatic Transmission Forklift Model FH40-1/FH45-1/FH50-1

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