Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies is broadening its Endurant family of transmission series by introducing the Endurant HD V transmission. It is designed for vocational truck applications with maximum gross combination weight ratings of 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) using 9-liter, 11-liter, and the upcoming Cummins X10 engines. Maximum engine torque is 1,700 lbs.-ft. (2,300 Nm).

Updating existing rail vehicles with a modernized drivetrain helps to improve fleet efficiency while keeping costs and service interruptions down. This approach is known as “repowering”. At this year’s InnoTrans, the international trade show for transport technology, ZF and Irish Rail signed a Memorandum of Understanding about a potential new repowering project starting in 2025. The partnership revolves around ZF’s new EcoWorld 2 six-speed powershift transmission, which decreases fuel consumption, improves ride comfort and reduces maintenance efforts.

The family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is facing intense scrutiny. A reporting rule will take effect in the United States in 2026, while Europe has actually been considering a sweeping, cross-industry ban on these substances since early last year. The implications of such a ban on fluoropolymers would be particularly critical, as a discontinuation of these high-performance materials would drastically impact many industries. But what kinds of challenges would emerge in the search for adequate substitutes? This was the focus of a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) in cooperation with materials experts from the Freudenberg Group.