Danfoss Integrated Drive Motor Meets OEM Requirements for Durability, Drivability and Packaging

Durability, drivability and package size are core design elements for equipment manufacturers developing tracked machines. With these criteria in mind, Danfoss Power Solutions developed its BMV Integrated Drive Motor.

It is a two-speed axial piston motor with an integrated planetary reduction gearbox, designed for use in dual-path tracked machinery such as compact track loaders.

Abhi Patwa, Director, Medium Power Portfolio Management, Hydrostatics at Danfoss Power Solutions, spoke with Power & Motion about how the BMV Integrated Drive Motor design meets OEMs’ durability, drivability and package size requirements.

Field Proven and Integrated Technologies Provide Motor Durability

Compact track loaders and other tracked machines are often used in high-demand duty cycles, requiring a drive motor capable of withstanding use in these conditions. Patwa said a lot of time and effort was put into making sure the BMV driven motor could do so.

Inclusion of robust, field-proven Danfoss rotating kits and optimized geometries for high performance and reliability help ensure the durability of the BMV motor. A duo-cone mechanical seal prevents dirt ingress, reducing the risk of contamination.

Also benefitting durability is integrated loop flushing. This helps to ensure system temperatures are maintained, preventing overheating which could lead to performance and maintenance issues.

By integrating it, system design is eased because customers “don't have to externally integrate it into the hydrostatic circuit. They can do it internally, within the motor and gearbox,” said Patwa. This also helps to keep components protected from the harsh environmental conditions in which many machines operate.

Smoother Starting Behavior Improves Drivability

Drivability is a big performance factor for OEMs and their end use customers. For the BMV motor, Patwa said Danfoss focused on driving behaviors, especially at startup.

“We want to make sure [machine operators] have smooth starting behavior at low rpms, and that’s something we’ve really worked hard to optimize,” he said.

While some motors in the market may experience sudden acceleration, the BMV motor rotates smoothly regardless of pump swashplate angle at startup. This is enabled by a highly efficient rotating kit combined with an optimized reduction gearbox system that delivers high torque at low speeds and precise power transmission.

Integrating the gearbox with the motor enables controlled, predictable machine startup to be achieved which contributes to improved drivability — leading to improvements in operator comfort and overall machine performance.

The motor’s integrated high-torque multiplate parking brake aids drivability as well. Because the brake torque is higher than the motor’s maximum output torque, it is able to keep the machine stationary when necessary.

Patwa explained that in some applications the tracked machine may spend a significant amount of time in a hold position with a load. “So, it’s really important that you have a parking brake,” he said.

Integrating the parking brake into the drive motor, “really simplifies the system for our customers when they’re designing their machine. That’s a significant value,” said Patwa.

Compact System Package Eases Installation and Servicing

The BMV Integrated Drive Motor features a compact design, which helps reduce space claim on machines. “There's very little space in the undercarriage of some of these machines,” said Patwa. “And so, the more compact your product, the better off it is.”

For machines in which value is more desirable versus high-performance capabilities, Patwa said an integrated drive is usually chosen. This is because integrated drive motors are more cost effective compared to cam lobe motors and offer smoother switching behavior, both of which are desirable attributes for these types of machines.

Rising Use of Tracked Machines Driving Need for Drive Motor Technology

The BMV Integrated Drive Motor has been available in select markets — including Japan, South Korea and China — for the past 10 years, during which time its design has continued to evolve. Danfoss announced at the large construction industry event CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 that it is now making the motor available to the global market.

This is because of the rising use the company is seeing for compact track loaders and other tracked machines. “Globally, we’re seeing a big increase in demand for tracked machines,” said Patwa which is in turn driving the need for the technologies utilized in them such as drive motors.

The BMV Integrated Drive Motor is available in two frame sizes and four displacements: 28 cc, 32 cc, 41 cc, and 51 cc. Imperial and metric port configurations are available for it, enabling use in various global markets.

A speed sensor can be integrated to aid control of the motor. The sensor is compliant with Danfoss’ PLUS+1 platform which helps ease system design.

Applications suited to use of the BMV Integrated Drive motor include crawler-type vehicles such as compact track loaders, crawler carriers/forwarders, crawler tractors, and crawler mowers.