"Everything electric? Electric cars seem to be the next big thing according to the media, but what does the increasing electrification of the propulsion system mean for the manufacturing process of automotive key components?" asked a Bahmueller Technologies spokesperson.
"Automotive sales in the USA, especially for trucks and SUVs, remain strong in 2019," continued the spokesperson. "This underlines the customer demand and preference for larger and more capable vehicles. However, with the general trend to more electrification within the automobile propulsion system and an increasing range of powertrain variety, the technology that drives these larger cars is changing. While a full electrification of large cars outside of an urban environment is usually not desirable, hybrid models and advanced modifications to the 'good old' internal combustion engine (ICE) make sure that this 'conventional' powertrain persist competitive and ultimately will remain a customer favorite for some more decades to come."
At the same time, these upgrades make the ICE increasingly more complex, with many more precision components that need to be machined. "Bahmueller offers its customers unique turn-key solutions for the production grinding of these components and can help customers to produce these parts at a high level of precision with the lowest cost per piece," said the spokesperson.
Most engine manufacturers rely on technologies like turbocharging, fuel direct injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation to increase the specific power output of their engines while improving fuel economy at the same time. With respect to turbocharging, Bahmueller provides several solutions for high-volume production grinding utilizing a dual workhead grinding machine of the Bahmueller ULTRA series to finish both the shaft as well as the Inconel impeller in the very same machine. Bahmueller also provides a more flexible approach with a single workhead on the Bahmueller FLEX platform to finish grind either the shaft or the impeller. This machine includes not only an integrated 6-axis robot for workpiece handling, but also a fully automated brushing station to remove any burrs on the Inconel wheel after the grinding process. In- and post-process gauging continues closed-loop feedback to the CNC machine, and acoustic-emission cutting recognition are options on the Bahmueller grinders.
"Gasoline direct injection (GDI) has basically become the standard in modern engines," said the spokesperson. "Developers of these systems continue to increase the system pressure, up to 350 bars in the latest generation, for finer spray patterns and ultimately improved efficiency. At the tip of the GDI injector, the valve seat is a key component to allow the injector to dispense the correct amount of fuel directly into the combustion chamber. The valve seat requires precision I.D. grinding with a challenging roundness requirement of typically less than 0.5 microns. Additionally, an interrupted cut on the bore makes this operation more difficult and a perfect fit for Bahmueller vertical grinding platform called QUBE." This machine can be equipped with up to two I.D. grinding spindles, but usually a single I.D. spindle will suffice to finish a valve seat within 10 seconds or less. Bahmueller offers full turn-key systems including the automation and gauging to run these components efficiently through all three shifts.
Within the valve train, modern engines feature multiple technologies to improve efficiency. Most commonly used are cam phasers to vary the timing of both the intake and exhaust valves. For these parts, Bahmueller offers several solutions to finish grind the rotor and the stator either separately or together, even both components in the very same clamping. "This approach provides the perfect fit of rotor and stator, which reduces oil leakage, allowing engineers to downsize the hydraulic pump and ultimately improve the efficiency of the overall system," said the spokesperson. Other typical components include the lash adjustor, roller finger follower and cylinder deactivation components, which all can be ground on machines from Bahmueller.
Besides these improvements for the gasoline engines, another trend in the automotive world is the utilization of diesel engines. "By nature, the efficiency of a diesel engine is significantly higher compared to a gasoline powered one," said the spokesperson. "This, however, requires more complex injectors and fuel pumps due to the extremely high fuel injection pression of the diesel, typically 2,500 bars or more. For many years, Bahmueller has offered class-leading grinding technology for diesel injectors and pumps," concluded the spokesperson.
For more information contact:
Bahmueller Technologies, Inc.
2321-A Distribution St
Charlotte, NC 28203
704-587-3506
info@bahmueller-usa.com
www.bahmueller-usa.com