Dana Holding Corporation (NYSE: DAN) announced today that its Victor Reinz® multi-layer steel (MLS) transmission separator plate was selected as a finalist for the 2015 Automotive News PACE Awards. The innovative plates improve sealing, efficiency, and durability for advanced multi-speed, dual-clutch, and continuously variable transmissions.
Dana’s proprietary MLS transmission separator plates replace traditional single-layer valve body plates that use paper gaskets and have limited sealing capability. The Dana solution is capable of withstanding three times the sealing pressure of traditional plates. By leveraging its industry-leading expertise in MLS cylinder-head gasket technology, Dana was able to develop a new, more durable product that optimizes channel paths and smaller valve bodies through the reduction of fasteners that can interfere with desired flow paths.
“Our engineers are continuously working to develop solutions to industry challenges, and these plates substantially improve transmission sealing, enabling our customers to optimize their vehicle designs with high-performance transmissions,” said Dwayne Matthews, president of the Dana Power Technologies Group. “This is Dana’s fourth consecutive year to be selected as a PACE Awards finalist, and we are proud to find our name consistently mentioned among the top suppliers of innovative vehicular technologies.”
The valve body of the transmission separator plates has a labyrinth of sealing channels that carry transmission fluids under pressure to clutch packs, band servos, and hydraulic devices that enable the transmission to shift based on speed, load, and torque. Dana’s advanced plates are fluoroelastomer-coated for micro-sealing in critical areas, providing maximum control of fluids for optimum performance under high pressures.
The MLS transmission separator plates were developed at Dana’s technical center in Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, Germany, and are produced there for customers such as Volkswagen. Dana has recently expanded production to its facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, as well.
The PACE Awards recognize superior innovation, technological advancement, and business performance among automotive suppliers, and serves as a benchmark award program for automotive innovation. This year, 36 technologies were chosen as finalists.
