Cost cutting remains paramount for car makers

Cost cutting remains paramount for car makers Cost reduction and systems integration circulating

were two of the key phrases

at the 1998 SAE International

held in Detroit, composites,

Congress and Exposition, 1

Michigan,

which offer the potential for integrating

one, reducing manufacturing components.

r

USA, this February. This is gooa news ror several parts into

and assembly costs compared with metal

Amanda Jacob highlights some of the developments reported during the show.

Cost issues still dominate tive industry,

the automo-

but technology

powertrain segment manager. “In as lit-

innova-

tle as ten years, we could see the emer-

tions are being sought now more than

gence of modular systems.”

ever. These were the findings of a sur-

DuPont

vey of car makers and suppliers attending SAE 98,

carried

Automotive

and

Automotive

Engineers

t

out by DuPont the

Society

Over-mould gasket module

of

tems integration ideas, and the company

on

highlighted several concepts at the show

(SAE).

including

“Our survey again points to cost as the greatest challenge

is working with car makers

and suppliers to develop a range of sys-

a one-piece

glass reinforced

nylon oil management

facing the indus-

lower

engine.

module for the

This

incorporates

windage

supplier, and the greatest business issue

such as oil pan gasket, pick up/strainer,

facing

baffling and sensor interface.

car makers

community,” DuPont

and the supplier

notes

Automotive’s

neering materials, vey’s findings.

Erik

Fyrwald,

“The

exciting

that despite these constraints, tion

has

managed

to grow

the surnews is innovaand

is

expected to flourish.” Cost

pressures

are

forcing

the

Schuchardt

Pallet and ship

Manufacturing

process flow for integrated oil

management module.

such as air intake manifolds

and valve

covers, into multi-functional

modules

and integrated

systems that will lower

final assembled

costs, will pay off over

tion of a system to develop the best and

the coming years.

most effective way to turn that into a continues

and marketable

Fyrwald. This is leading to a

trend towards systems integration, DuPont

form,

is confident

and

that its drive to

integrate individual plastic components

Reinforced Plastics May 1998

“Within

five years, we’ll see even take place with the

commercialization

of continuously air induction,

and oil management Charles

Stutz,

that windage

high

performance

been used in

engines

to help

while improving But although

engine

performance.

today’s high performance

engines would benefit from their introduction,

existing

tray designs

do not

usually meet the requirements

more integration more complex

explained

trays have traditionally

reduce oil aeration and oil temperature

industry to examine the ultimate func-

manufacturable

components

In a congress paper, DuPont’s Mark

director of engi-

introducing

tray with other

a

try, the most sought after quality in a

DuPont

air/fuel

modules”,

says

Automotive

volume,

production

requirements cost

reduction.

engines.

include

manufacturing system

of high

high

These volume

and assembly capability, reduction,

DuPont

posed composite

and weight

believes

its pro-

oil management

mod-

0034-3617/98/$19.00 0 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. At1rights reserved.

Cost cutting remains paramount ule meets these requirements,

and that

tions,

says

DuPont,

the concept is not far from reality since

eliminating

it is based on the integration

able number of parts in

of already

Reinforced

nylon is no stranger to

the engine compartment. perature

mechanical

resistance,

combined

mould

complex

weight,

Its high temand

shapes

many commercial

to engine

in

prod-

oil, including

tion was presented an

Motor

integrated

water

gas-

ing pulley

and

glass reinforced

strainers,

transmission

tubes

filter housings,

DuPont’s proposed oil management simply

integrates

proven components

individual

into a single mod-

14 individual parts into a

ule, reducing

single unit. The company part reduction

believes this

would lower inventory

costs, reduce assembly costs and time, reduce

and

error.

assembly

Alternatively,

Schuchardt

notes,

made from

moplastic.

The compa-

any

product

worldwide

incorporate

Compared

ponents. with

steel pulleys

plastic

part

produce

run cooler,

weigh less,

cost

and

less,

resistance

less groove wear.

ule, with associated assembly benefits. on show included

an air-fuel

for a four-cylinder

engine,

module

60% (which

results

improved

engine

system. The air-fuel module

ciency)

the air filtration

ing of 30%

ducts, air intake manifold,

fuel rail and

over cur-

rent steel pulleys. thermoplastic

air flow sensor. Other

also

position

sensors, such as sensor and tem-

perature sensors, could also be incorporated. The air induction porates

system incor-

the cover, air filter,

and a new variation

manifold

of a ‘valve cover’,

in eff-

and a cost sav-

mounts for the throttle body and mass the throttle

a

reduction

induction

air

in

reports

mass

combines

system,

easily

another

The

pulley is issue

for the automotive

industry.

A heat stabilized polyamide

DuPont? oil management module replaces 14 individual components.

recycled,

critical

and

grade of DuPont

(PA) 6/66 copolymer

glass reinforcement

A fibre reinforced

phenolic

used for conventional

plastic

design.

The

steering

pulleys are incorporated

an injection

the manifold,

Hyundai

serve as a noise shield and duct to take air into the manifold. concept

integrates

This

air-intake

at least four func-

water pump moulded,

and power into

one-piece

says volume

part.

production

of

the pulley will begin in early 2000. Sumitomo

a plastic pulley which

it says costs less to manufacture metal

one. The

integrated

design

pulley

than a

comprises

combined

an

with

a

shaft, which does not require a bush. The ”

c~ompressron

iumitomo Bake&i by more

than

compared

with

the

successfully

For this application,

by a batch process. Sumitomo

oped a new resin compound tured

resin is pulleys

by a continuous

devel-

manufacprocess

to

devel-

The

resulting

claimed metal

to weigh part,

while

plastic 40%

pulley

is

less than

a

at the same

time

reducing costs by more than 30% over the compression Although

moulding process.

Sumitomo

is confident

the future is bright for this integrated

oped a plastic pulley for power steering

pulley, it could be a few years before it

in 1992,

sees commercial

moulding

plastic pulley reduces costs

30%

conventional process.

lnfecrlan

company

and it is produced

to

reduce costs.

Bakelite Co Ltd has also

been developing

moulding

rate.

with

and the emissions canister. The throttle body would be housed in the middle of

use of injection

increase production

was used in the

which also houses spark plug modules

and the cover would also

Dipstick seal , (if necessary)

\

have

resulting

Hyundai

and an air

Oil pick-up

equal or better abrasion

mod-

concepts

Crank position sensor or oil level sensor or electronic dipstick

less vibration,

could

integration

the

is said to

two or more of the components

Other DuPont

to

these com-

be combined

to form a simpler

oil ban

ther-

ny claims it is the first

valve covers, and electrical connectors. module

by

Co -

pump and power steer-

kets,

pick-up

Windage tray -

integra-

carriers of engine and transmission oil pump

Oil pick-up.

example of

under-bonnet Hyundai

Separate gaskets

4/

and could produce subAnother

and reduce

under-bonnet

V-8 engine,

stantial cost savings.

chemical

with its ability to

has led to its application

ucts exposed

a consider-

a standard

proven applications.

for car makers

produced by the compression process. To develop a cheap-

er pulley, Sumitomo

focused on three

areas: developing the best design; a new compound

to reduce raw material cost;

use since it will require

redesign of the power steering pump to equip it. But integration under-bonnet

is not restricted

components.

to

Designers

Reinforced Plastics May 1998

Cost cutting remains paramount and engineers

are also tackling

the redesign

of car interiors

add

function

cost.

One

tem,

while area

attention

previously

modular

rear

incorporating rier and This answer

need

ever increasing car electrical

amount and

previously

concealed

under

the instrument panel

random

flax

parts

50%

fibre

polypropylene The

design,

combines

mat

(PP)

are formed

pression

moulding

process

Cambridge

matrix

and

add carpet, and

the

rear

nonwoven with

50% com-

With

says it is possible

cloth or vinyl, plus retainers

fasteners,

at the

parts

are moulded.

this

material/process

also appropriate

same

panels,

trunk

believes is

or sheet (SMC)

moulded

substrate

The electrical cover, a structural

additional grilles.

interior

carrier

under

component

interior

of

reduction,

of costs, and it increasoptions,

says

Cambridge. With gration

the obvious in terms

simplified

door

roved

performance,

the trim

weight

design

cost,

tradition-

improved

consolidation

and

such

covers and some consoles.

to

TO

es

the

combination for applications

this

COME

time

Cambridge

as seat backs, some pillars,

material.

in a single

operation.

substrate compound

miscellaneous

control

sys-

of

injec-

moulded

parts

The

consist

This part illustrates

Cambridge Industries’ concept for an electrical carrier with shelf trim.

behind

modules.

thermoplastic

functionality,

panel.

In Cambridge’s

filled

to

housings

typically

parts such as speaker

the

of in-

electronic

terns,

shelf

to

would

with

Cross car sheet metal

shelf.

to house

speaker

compression

i=arrier (Glass filled thermoplastic)

car-

developed

by using composites

moulding

Sound barrier assembly

system

an electrical

the

tion a

stamped

be functionally

and other electrical

a com-

shelf

been

/

sys-

for

from

now

accommodate

glass

a rear package

has

Spring clip fastener

Shelf trim

Cambridge concept

can

improved

this

carrier

is proposing

posites-based

fabricated

steel,

a non-func-

panel.

Industries

ally

to

reducing

receiving

is the rear shelf

tional

for car makers

see a lot more integration SAE.

benefits

of inte-

of reduced

weight

assembly

and

and imp-

we can expect

composite-based

to

systems

ideas on show at next year’s n

MEXICO!

FOR MORE INFORMATION WRITE US: Mar de1 Norte 5, San Alvaro, Azcapotzalco 02090, Mexico, D.F., MEXICO OR GIVE US A CALL: FAX: (525) 386 2155 liP(525) 386 2303 I 386 2306 TAKE A LOOK TO OUR WEB SITE: www.acp.org.mx E-MAIL: acp@dfl .telmex.net.mx

Reinforced

Plastics May 1998

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