Vehicles - Tech Blog
Volvo ramps up production of world's first diesel plug-in hybrid
Volvo Car Corp. says it has successfully integrated production of what it claims is the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid into the assembly line with conventional models at its Torsland Plant in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company claims it is the first to accomplish such an integration. "The integration in the standard production flow gives the plug-in hybrid buyer the possibility to choose, in principle, all options available for the standard V60," said Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Car Corp. The assembly line was rebuilt to accommodate production of the plug-in, which features 300 more parts than the conventional car models. After the first batch of 1000 MY2013 V60 Plug-ins are built, the plant will ramp up to as many as 6000 MY2014 units, according to the company.
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Sofia Nordgren and Apichat Khongkamnoed install the high-voltage cables (orange) and the cooling system for the V60 Plug-in's battery pack at Volvo's Torsland Plant in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Mazda to build subcompact for Toyota in Mexico
Mazda will build a Toyota-branded subcompact vehicle based on the Mazda2 in Mexico beginning in summer 2015, the two companies announced on Nov. 9. To be built at a pace of about 50,000 units annually, the vehicle will be sold mainly in North America. Production will take place at a new plant Mazda being built in Salamanca, state of Guanajuato, where the Mazda2 and Mazda3 will also be built. Plant capacity was originally planned at 140,000 units annually for the Mazda products only. but will be increased to accommodate the Toyota model. The companies did not release financial terms of the deal.
Hitachi Construction Machinery pursues autonomous system for mining
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (HCM) plans to develop a suite of technologies aimed at delivering an Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) to the global surface mining industry by 2017. AHS field tests are planned to start in 2013 with incremental product deliveries through 2017. To develop the AHS solution, HCM will build upon existing synergies with Hitachi Ltd. that have already delivered an ac drive system specifically for HCM dump trucks manufactured in Japan (go to www.sae.org/mags/sohe/11492 for more on a new Hitachi hauler). For deployment in open pit mines, the AHS will consist of a variety of advanced drive and traffic control system components on board machines. These advanced systems will be combined with wireless communications and a fleet management system, enabling automation of the dump truck’s loading, haulage, and dumping operation. HCM plans to deliver AHS solutions based on the proven Hitachi ac drive dump truck system in collaboration with the latest products from Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd.
Boeing receives $1.9 billion contract for 11 P-8A Poseidon Aircraft
The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a $1.9 billion contract for 11 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which will take the total fleet to 24 and bolster the service's anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. This third low-rate initial production award follows two last year that totaled 13 aircraft. Boeing has delivered three of the production P-8As, which are based on the company's Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, and the Navy plans to purchase 117 to replace its P-3 fleet. Boeing assembles the P-8A aircraft in the same facility where it builds all its 737 aircraft. The Poseidon team uses a first-in-industry in-line production process that draws on Boeing's Next-Generation 737 production system. Boeing's industry team includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems, and GE Aviation.
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The second production P-8A Poseidon aircraft is shown being delivered to the U.S. Navy in July.
Northrop Grumman, AgustaWestland team up for helicopter programs
Northrop Grumman Corp. and AgustaWestland signed a comprehensive teaming agreement to respond to anticipated requests for both the new U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Helicopter and the U.S. Navy's program to develop a new "Marine One" presidential helicopter. A U.S.-built helicopter based on the AW101 platform will be offered by Northrop Grumman to meet these requirements. The agreement pairs Northrop Grumman's management and systems integration expertise with AgustaWestland's rotorcraft manufacturing and advanced helicopter design and development. The AW101 system offers both programs an optimum mix of capability to successfully bring the best possible new combat rescue helicopter to the USAF and the best possible new presidential Helicopter to the Navy-Marine Corps team.
Fuel-cell push crosses regional borders
Two recent announcements attest to continuing efforts by government and industry to make the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle viable. On Oct. 5, the U.S. Department of Energy said it would make available $1 million for efforts to "identify cost-effective and efficient materials and processes to produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources and natural gas." These projects will also analyze production and delivery technologies to identify key technical challenges and priorities and continue to evaluate technical progress and hydrogen cost status. Applications for the funding can be found on the EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange website. On Oct. 9, Honda announced that it and three other Asia automakers (Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai) have signed a memorandum of understanding with public and private organizations from Nordic countries to support the introduction of fuel-cell vehicles (and supporting infrastructure) in that region (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland).
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Honda in September announced that it will launch an all-new fuel-cell vehicle in 2015. Its current fuel-cell offering is the FCX Clarity (shown).
GM puts taillights aglow with new LED technology
Working with supplier 3M, General Motors engineers have developed what they claim is an industry-first LED taillight technology that delivers a soft, uniform red glow in a complex and unique shape. It is being deployed first on the MY2013 Buick Enclave, then will be cascaded to other Buick models, the company says. The uniform glow is made possible by 3M's Uniform Lighting Lens technology, which uses a precision engineered, micro-patterned, thermoformable polycarbonate material that provides even illumination around complex shapes with fewer LEDs, reducing both complexity and energy use, according to GM.
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The 2013 Buick Enclave's new taillights use an industry-first Uniform Lighting Lens technology from 3M for a unique look and reduced energy use.
ZF, LiuGong cooperate on modular axle concept for China
ZF and construction equipment manufacturer LiuGong recently formed a new joint-venture axle company, called ZF Liuzhou Axle Co. Ltd., that will produce wheel loader axles tailored to the requirements of the Chinese market. The companies expect that by 2018, approximately 190 employees will work at ZF Liuzhou Axle and that more than 30,000 of the newly designed axles will be delivered to LiuGong and the third market. ZF and LiuGong have been operating a JV company in Liuzhou since 1995, producing construction machinery transmissions and axles; the new JV was launched in the same location. “A team of engineers from ZF Headquarters, LiuGong, and ZF China have been working together to upgrade the existing axle models for LiuGong wheel loaders since October 2011,” said Hermann Beck, head of the ZF Business Unit Off-Highway Systems. “These joint efforts brought about a modular axle concept which, besides the standard version with dry disk brake (Basic Line), offers the possibility to supply a new, even more sophisticated technical solution with wet multi-disk brake (High Line) using a large portion of common parts.” ZF expects this modular concept to greatly reduce production costs. About 3300 newly designed axles are scheduled to leave the Liuzhou production plant in 2014.
ZF's 2015 growth plan puts squeeze on suppliers
Companies are constantly looking to lower their purchasing costs and otherwise lean on suppliers to help their bottom line. ZF is doing so in a very public way, having announced on Sept. 13 sweeping changes to its purchasing practices and to its own supply chain. The German Tier 1 plans to significantly reduce the size of its supply base, and to further centralize purchasing. The changes are part of a plan to increase global sales from €15.5 billion today to €20 billion by 2015, a strategy supported by a substantial investment in new production facilities. ZF's suppliers are being asked to contribute cost reductions to help the company realize €500 million in purchasing savings, according to a press release. ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer, who is also in charge of corporate materials management, noted that "sales growth itself is not a value" and that increased profits is the end game.
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ZF headquarters is placing greater emphasis on suppliers' global capabilities.
Ford cuts rare-earths use in new hybrid system
Ford's switch from nickel-metal hydride to lithium-ion batteries in its third-generation hybrid system will reduce its use of rare earth metals by up to 500,000 lb (225,000 kg) per year, the company says. Among the rare earths used in NiMH batteries are neodymium, cerium, lanthanum, and praseodymium—none of which are used in the new Li-ion batteries. Additionally, Ford has reduced its use of dysprosium by about 50% in magnets employed in the hybrid system's electric motors. Dysprosium is the most expensive rare earth used in Ford vehicles. This reduction is the result of a new diffusion process that is used in the magnet manufacturing process. The company says the Li-ion batteries are 30% less expensive, 25-30% smaller, and 50% lighter. The weight reduction results in better fuel efficiency for Ford's new 2013 C-MAX Hybrid (U.S. EPA certified at 47 mpg for both the city and highway cycles) and the Fusion Hybrid, which Ford projects will also achieve 47 mpg. A Ford spokesman told AEI that the company designed the batteries in house and assembles them at its Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, MI—in keeping with the in-sourcing approach for the third-generation hybrid system.
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The magnets used in Ford's new hybrid electric motors contain roughly half the dysprosium used in previous motors.
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