Sauer-Danfoss Adds New Electronic Foot Pedal

Sauer-Danfoss, Ames, Iowa, introduced the new PLUS+1 Compliant KEP3 electronic foot pedal, a bi-directional, over-center rocker pedal used to drive vehicles equipped with hydrostatic transmissions and/or electronically controlled engines.

“Sauer-Danfoss foot pedals provide OEMs with robust solutions for controlling vehicles in harsh mobile equipment environments,” said Joseph P. Maher, product marketing manager for Sauer-Danfoss. “Smooth operation, precision performance and durability make the KEP3 model ideal for vehicle applications with a high duty cycle of direction changes, such as warehouse trucks, piggyback fork trucks and other material handling equipment.”

The KEP3 electronic foot pedal typically delivers commands to the electronic transmission or the engine controller, where the output signal of the foot pedal is proportional to the angle of the foot pedal actuation. The KEP3 model has 14° angular rotation fore and aft, and features a sensor designed for heavy equipment applications that uses Hall Effect technology. The sensor provides two different types of redundant signals to fit a variety of control strategies. The redundant sensors feature independent isolated circuits and protection against electrical misconnection.

In addition, the KEP3 foot pedal features redundant outputs designed to integrate into safety functions to SIL 2 (Safety Integrity Level 2 according to IEC 61508) Performance Level d (per ISO 13849-1), including the Sauer-Danfoss H1 Automotive Control system. The pedal is also compliant to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards FMVSS 124 and 302.