Latest-generation auxiliary brakes now available in the new Volvo FH and FM

VEB+ - the new generation of auxiliary brakes for Volvo’s trucks - is now being launched in the UK from this autumn on all Volvo FH and Volvo FM vehicles. Already available on the new FH16, this enhanced technology increases engine braking effect from 300 kW to 370 kW in combination with the D13A engine. Better braking performance contributes both to safer progress and to lower operating and maintenance costs.

Effective, dependable brakes are one of the most important preconditions for safer driving. In Volvo’s trucks, there are a number of systems that interact to provide the best possible braking performance in every scenario. In addition to the wheel brakes, exhaust brake, compression brake and hydraulic retarder, the combination can be specified with an effective engine brake – Volvo’s patented Volvo Engine Brake (VEB).

VEB technology is based on interaction between the exhaust pressure governor that regulates the flow of exhaust gases and the compression brake that regulates pressure inside the cylinders by filling them and draining them of gas. With more exhaust gas in the cylinder, more braking moment is exerted on the pistons, thus amplifying braking power. The system’s braking ability is in direct proportion to the engine’s displacement.

Instead Volvo’s latest generation, VEB+, is based on over-pressure. With the help of an extra – fourth – rocker arm in the compression brake, it is possible to regulate valve timing independently of exhaust flow. This makes it possible to increase pressure in the cylinder even more to achieve even greater resistance during braking. With the D13A engine, VEB+ increases braking power by up to 25 per cent.

“VEB+ represents the very cutting edge of auxiliary brake technology,” says Mats Franzén, Director of Engine Technology at the Volvo Trucks Product Strategy and Planning Department. “It makes progress more relaxed and considerably reduces the burden on the wheel brakes, especially on long downhill stretches. It is also more economical since it promotes less wear and therefore offers reduced maintenance costs.”