With the slogan "Efficiency for Public Transport", Voith is presenting efficient drive components and solutions for city buses and rail vehicles at the 2013 UITP World Congress in Geneva (Booth 4B755, Hall 4). The focus is the DIWA.6 city bus transmission and DIWA Excellence. Furthermore, Voith directs the attention towards the efficient use of the DIWA transmissions in BRT systems. Last but not least, Voith introduces the extremely lightweight CFRP adapter coupler. DIWA.6 – Efficiency Package for City Buses Looking ahead to the Euro-6 standard, Voith has developed a new efficiency package. The focal point is the new DIWA.6 transmission which, compared to its predecessor, reduces fuel consumption by up to five percent. This is made possible by reducing the requirement-related working pressure and through intelligent start-up management that prevents driving off with the service brake engaged. The optimized automatic shift into neutral (ANS) can disengage the transmission for a longer period, likewise saving fuel. The topography-dependent gear-shifting program SensoTop and the telemetric system DIWA SmartNet complete the efficiency package. Using the latter, operating data can be permanently viewed by the bus system operator via GPRS. In this way breakdowns are reduced and vehicle availability increased.

DIWA Excellence – More efficient Service
DIWA SmartNet is also a major component of DIWA Excellence, the global service and support program for DIWA transmissions. Individually configured for each operator, DIWA Excellence strives to reduce operating costs and increase vehicle availability. The scope of services includes optimization of fuel consumption based on operating data, worldwide availability of replacement transmissions, service and maintenance agreements, as well as preventive maintenance strategies.

DIWA Transmissions in BRT Systems
South Africa, South America, Asia, Australia, the NAFTA region: more than 10,000 Voith DIWA transmissions have been successfully deployed in bus rapid transport (BRT) systems worldwide. In South Africa Voith Diwa transmissions have been selected for every single BRT application that is operational locally. BRT systems differ primarily from customary city bus operations by rapid traffic flow using separate lanes. Transit times are reduced almost in half by avoiding congestion and travelling at higher average speeds. DIWA transmissions manufactured by Voith show their superiority in these demanding transit systems with respect to efficiency, availability, and robustness. At the same time, BRT systems also contribute significantly to improvement in air quality. In Mexico City, for example, the BRT system reduces CO2 emissions by about 80,000 tons annually.

Faster Train Connection with the CFRP Adapter Coupler
With its new CFRP adapter coupler, Voith increases rail operating staff efficiency. These adapter couplers function as a connection element between broken-down mainline trains and towing locomotives, or are used for shunting operations in railway stations. In this case, the personnel must frequently manually install the adapter couplers on the train for a brief time. Ideally, they should be light yet still withstand the high operating loads encountered when towing entire trains.The new Voith coupler meets these requirements using carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Combined with load-specific optimized inserts made of high-strength titanium or aluminum, the weight of this coupler has been reduced almost by half, allowing it to be mounted easily by a single person.