Development and manufacturing of driveline, chassis and safety systems as well as special machinery for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Friedrichshafen (DE) · Lebring (AT) · Steyr (AT) · Vienna (AT)New on Amplifa
About ZF
ZF Friedrichshafen AG is a global technology group that manufactures highly advanced dynamic systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. The product portfolio includes driveline and transmission technology, chassis and safety systems, drives for construction and agricultural machinery, wind power, marine and rail drives, industrial gearboxes as well as test systems and aftermarket products. In its Machine Building business division, ZF develops and builds special machinery and systems with around 185 employees, including assembly lines for e-axle rotors, stator assembly systems, friction welding systems and dynamic test benches, including software development, Industry 4.0 integration and retrofit. The manufacturing focus in Austria is in Steyr on tractor transmissions as well as housings and gears for axles and transmissions made of steel and cast materials, in Lebring on mechatronic products (AKC, ERC), and in Vienna on the reconditioning of transmissions and axles. The company was founded in 1915 and in 2025 achieved revenue of €38.8 billion with around 153,000 employees at 162 production sites in 29 countries. The Group headquarters is located in Friedrichshafen.
- Site
- Friedrichshafen
- Processes
- Laser welding, Friction welding (e.g. torque converter covers), Gas metal arc welding, Resistance welding, Pulse magnetizing (e.g. rotors), Bonding, Induction heating, Cooling (process cooling)
- Materials
- Steel, Cast, Laser welding, Friction welding, Pulse magnetizing
- Founded
- 1915
- Industries
- Passenger cars, Commercial vehicles, Construction and agricultural machinery, Wind power, Marine drives, Rail drives
- 01
Engineering and design (special machinery, software development)
- 02
Mechanical manufacturing (housings, gears)
- 03
Joining and forming technology (welding, riveting, press-fitting 0–2000 kN)
- 04
Assembly and system integration
- 05
Heat treatment and special technologies (pulse magnetizing, induction heating)
- 06
Dynamic test technology
- 07
Commissioning, retrofit and aftermarket service
Materials and Processes
Steel
Material for gears and transmission components in the Axles and Transmissions manufacturing division.
Cast
Housing manufacturing for axles and transmissions, including tractor transmissions.
Laser welding
Joining process in special machinery engineering for driveline production systems.
Friction welding
Used among other things for torque converter cover assembly systems.
Pulse magnetizing
Special technology for rotors in e-mobility systems.
Locations
Friedrichshafen
DEGroup headquarters / ZF Forum
- Special machinery engineering with around 185 employees
Lebring
ATProduction of mechatronic products (AKC, ERC)
Steyr
ATProduction of tractor transmissions, manufacturing of housings and gears
- Materials
- Steel, Cast
Vienna
ATReconditioning of ZF transmissions and axles / Aftermarket
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Joining | – | – | 2000 kN press force | – | – |
| Laser weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Friction welding (e.g. torque converter covers)Joining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Gas metal arc weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Resistance weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pulse magnetizing (e.g. rotors)Joining | – | – | – | – | – |
| BondingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Induction heatingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cooling (process cooling)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dynamic test technology (electric direct drive, servohydraulic drive)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Repair and reconditioning of transmissions and axles (Service Partner network)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of tractor transmissions; manufacturing of housings and gears for axles and transmissionsMachining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Cast |
| Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
12 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test bench with linear drive (passenger car chassis) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly line for e-axle rotors (e-mobility) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Stator assembly systems for hybrid drives | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Pulse magnetizing systems for rotors | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly line for torsion dampers | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Friction welding system (torque converter cover) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly system for steel clutch plates | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly line for shock absorbers (passenger car chassis) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly system for valves (passenger car chassis) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Pivoting test bench for shock absorbers (commercial vehicle/rail chassis) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| Retrofit rolling machine (commercial vehicle chassis) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
| HRC robots (human-robot collaboration) | ZF Machine Building | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
History
- 1915
Foundation/origins in driveline technology.
- 2025
Revenue €38.8 billion, around 153,000 employees, 162 production sites in 29 countries.