UFI Filters, specialist in filtration and thermal management, supplies the heat exchanger for the innovative 9HP transmission designed for vehicles with transverse and hybrid engines and produced by ZF Friedrichshafen AG, a world leader in technological solutions for the automotive and industrial sector.

Optimum fluid management is essential to ensure the maximum efficiency and functionality of modern transmissions, and thus offer the best driving comfort. UFI Filters technology was chosen because of the Group’s ability to produce lighter, stronger and more efficient aluminium heat exchangers with vacuum brazing technology.

One of the main technological advantages offered by the UFI Filters exchanger for the nine-speed transmission is the thermostatic bypass valve (engineered and produced by UFI itself) which allows better thermal management of the oil in all driving conditions. The oil bypasses the exchanger when the temperature is low, so as not to jeopardise the operation of the transmission gears, but when it exceeds a critical temperature threshold it’s sent directly to the exchanger for cooling. The valve seat is integrated in the exchanger body itself during the vacuum brazing process.

The lightweight, compact solution defined by UFI Filters makes a significant contribution to ensuring the maximum efficiency of ZF’s 9-speed transmission, which stands apart from standard 6-speed transmissions as it enables fuel savings of 16% in a small space.

Rinaldo Facchini, CEO of the UFI Filters Group, says: “We’re very proud that our technology has been chosen for one of the transmissions that will have numerous applications in the automotive market. This once again confirms the Group’s OE vocation, not only in filtration. In fact, UFI Filters can boast more than ten years’ experience in the thermal management sector and today has 3 industrial centres – one in Europe, one in China and the last in the Americas (dedicated entirely to the production of coolers). UFI Filters’ aluminium heat exchangers are used not only on traditional engines but also electric ones, for which we produce state-of-the-art battery coolers and battery chillers.”