The automotive congress Dritev (DRIvetrain Transmission Electrification Vehicles) offers the powertrain community an optimal platform for exchange. Every year, decision-makers, experts, and industry leaders from around the world meet in Baden-Baden, Germany. Here, vehicle manufacturers and suppliers exchange ideas and capture innovations, developments, and challenges in drive technology.
SmartSights, a provider of operational intelligence software that helps industrial teams improve response times, is integrating WIN-911 autonomous alerts notification software with PEER," an issue management and resolution accelerator.
BorgWarner continues to expand its new energy vehicle motor business and has recently secured four new projects with three major Chinese domestic brands. The projects include the supply of 400V high-voltage hairpin (HVH) motors to a prominent Chinese new energy vehicle supplier for their 200kW hybrid rear-drive platform, with production planned to commence in August 2025. BorgWarner will also provide motors for a top Chinese domestic OEM’s 150kW pure electric platform, scheduled for mass production in March 2026. Additionally, the company will supply electric motors for the next-generation vehicles of another major Chinese domestic OEM, covering both range-extended and plug-in hybrid models, with production anticipated to begin in August and October 2025.
SEW-Eurodrive has launched the DR2C motor, an IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motor engineered for wide speed range operation and maximum long-term energy cost reductions. Designed for industries focused on minimizing total cost of ownership (TCO), the DR2C reduces energy consumption, minimizes heat losses, and enhances operational reliability—delivering a fast return on investment and sustained savings throughout its lifecycle.
The new KR Iontec ultra completes KUKA's portfolio in the payload range of 80 to 120 kg. With a reach of 2,300 to 2,700 mm, this compact and powerful robot offers maximum efficiency and flexibility in the modern production environment – for example in handling or spot welding with lightweight welding guns.
ABB Robotics’ third Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey, in partnership with Automotive Manufacturing Solutions, has highlighted how moving to the “Smart Factory” is viewed as a critical next step by global manufacturers and major suppliers.
ABB will invest $120 million in the United States to expand the production capacity of its low voltage electrification products. The investment will enable ABB to meet increasing demand from customers in a wide range of key growth industries, including data centers, buildings and utilities.
RTEC Engineering Ltd. is on a mission to redefine accuracy standards for dynamometers amid the growing global interest in enhancing engine efficiency and performance.
While it may not be the most visually arresting spectator sport, F1 racing is certainly a behind-the-scenes testament to aerodynamics, engine technology and data analytics. Designers are always searching for ways to optimize these vehicles on race day. Many of the engineering decisions made on or near the racetrack have trickled down to other markets including automotive, aerospace and e-mobility. Lego has decided the time has come to honor these innovations with F1 racing sets for adults and kids.
Numerous bus operators worldwide are already enjoying the benefits of Voith’s DIWA NXT automatic transmission system – especially for intercity and regional bus services. With its first mild hybrid transmission from the DIWA product family, the technology group is closing the gap between diesel-only vehicles and those with alternative drive concepts.
Understanding the overall economy as it relates to the global bearing market is critical because it will ultimately determine how companies spend their money. In a down economy, companies go into protective mode, reducing inventories, headcount, R&D expenses and less willing to spend money on products on projects that have not turned into real purchase contracts. In a healthy economy, we see more R&D in heat treatment, lubrication, steel quality, etc. with headcount and resources willing to support long-term (and unpaid) projects.
The Timken Company recently announced the appointment of Kimberly K. (Kim) Ryan to its Board of Directors. Her election increases The Timken Company Board to 13 members.
ZF has reached an agreement that includes planned volume production of brake-by-wire technology along with cutting-edge steering in a single class of vehicle.
A new era of damping technology has begun as sMOTION from ZF is now bringing stability and dynamics together for improved comfort and driving performance. This system adapts damping force exactly to the corresponding driving situation while also initiating very fast vertical movements for each individual wheel, thus actively lifting the vehicle to ensure optimal roadholding performance while enhancing a more pleasurable driving experience.
The CTI Symposium Berlin 2024 will open its doors to over 700 global automotive leaders from 20+ countries this week. As a key event for engineers and developers in the automotive industry, the CTI Symposium covers the most pressing topics, including electric powertrains, efficiency, cost, innovation and more.
Schaeffler is proud to announce that Vehicle Lifetime Solutions CEO Jens Schueler, has been recognized with the prestigious 2024 Hall of Fame Award by the Import Vehicle Community of the Auto Care Association. Schueler received the award during the AAPEX show in Las Vegas
Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies is broadening its Endurant family of transmission series by introducing the Endurant HD V transmission. It is designed for vocational truck applications with maximum gross combination weight ratings of 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) using 9-liter, 11-liter, and the upcoming Cummins X10 engines. Maximum engine torque is 1,700 lbs.-ft. (2,300 Nm).
Segway-Ninebot, the global leader in the micromobility transportation solutions and robotic service industries, announces a strategic partnership with Mopar the authentic global service, parts and customer care brand for Stellantis vehicles. Through this partnership, select Segway products including its popular electric scooters and GoKart are now available to Mopar’s authorized Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram dealers in North America.
NTN Corporation is pleased to announce the expansion of our “Low Friction Hub Bearing” Series, with the development of two new products with low friction characteristics, “Low Friction Hub Bearing IV” and “Low Friction Hub Bearing V”. These hub bearings were developed to meet the needs of our global automotive OE customer-base, as they strive to make their mobility products more efficient.
Continental's CONTI NXT Multi V-belt from the ContiTech group shows it will also be possible to power auxiliary units in cars using renewable raw materials and recycled materials. CONTI NXT Multi V-belt will use tension cords made from recycled PET bottles, a textile cover layer made from organic fibers as well as rubber certified according to the mass balance standard and recycled carbon black. Overall, the belt is made of almost two-thirds of more sustainable materials compared to conventional V-ribbed belts. The CONTI NXT will be available in the spring of 2025, in addition to the conventional Multi V-belts of the Continental brand – initially in 25 different types for the most common repair needs.
I would like to briefly discuss some thoughts on ball bearing efficiency specifically in terms of applied load and resulting stress. I don’t want to trivialize this subject; there are textbooks written on the subjects of electrohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), octahedral subsurface shear stress and friction losses due to elastic hysteresis. This is a just a high-level discussion on the importance of individual bearing stress on efficiency.
With the launch of its Inspector83x 2D vision sensor, SICK has enabled out-of-the-box Artificial Intelligence machine vision inspections for common inline inspection tasks in demanding high-speed production.
The assignment was simple: compare a CL7 Freightliner M2 retrofit—with a BAE Systems propulsion solution and an Eaton MD 4-speed EV transmission—to a similar sized truck with an ICE. Sure, you can pop the hood, examine the interior, and ask a few questions—which we did during a June 2024 event at Eaton’s Proving Grounds located in Marshall, MI—but the fun part came when we took both vehicles out on the test track to see how the EV truck handled on turns, inclines and at top speeds versus its ICE counterpart.
Eaton will be displaying a number of transmissions for both traditional and electrified commercial vehicles at IAA Transportation, September 17–22, in Hannover, Germany.
High reliability, extended cycle life and greater design flexibility – these are the benefits of the innovative prismatic battery cell solutions from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. Both the cell caps and the nonwoven cell stack envelopes provide manufacturers with significant technical advantages and support the global shift to battery-powered electromobility.
NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings, has announced the launch of the BCA Wheel Hub with Hardware Kits product line. The initial launch of this new product line includes 27 new SKUs for popular import and domestic applications and represents coverage for over 16.3 million vehicles in operation.
Motion Industries, Inc., a distributor of maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts, and a premier provider of industrial technology solutions, signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of Canadian-based LSI Supply Inc. and its sister company 273 Ontario (which trades as LSI). The transaction is expected to close later this month, subject to customary closing conditions.
ZF is harnessing the power of software to develop smarter, more connected, and highly efficient commercial vehicle technologies. By integrating ZF’s intelligent software solutions with its chassis technologies, vehicle performance and safety can be improved, ensuring safer and smoother journeys. As automotive technologies shift towards greater digital integration, ZF is setting the pace as an enabler of smart and connected technologies. ZF is also able to leverage its software domain expertise from other vehicle segments within the ZF Group to produce intelligent systems quickly and cost effectively that can lower the overall total cost of ownership (TCO).
Fanuc America has officially unveiled its new 650,000 square foot West Campus facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The expansion increases the footprint in Michigan to over 2 million square feet and is part of Fanuc America’s strategic investment plan to support and advance industrial automation in North America. The West Campus represents a $110 million investment built on 67 acres of land.
Mechanical and electronic engineering continues to play a significant role in the changing transportation landscape. Areas such as connected vehicles, autonomous driving, new components and software-designed modules will push the latest EV technologies for the next ten to 15 years. Mechatronics will play a pivotal role in these advancements.
NSK has developed a practical magnetostrictive torque sensor (3rd-generation sensor) for automobiles which enables failure prediction, a comfortable ride, extension of driving mileage and performance improvement thanks to its weight-reducing and space-saving features, while also shortening the development period.
NTN Bearing Corporation, the parent company of BCA Bearings and Bower Bearings, is pleased to announce the addition of Mike Ferris to the Automotive Aftermarket sales team. Ferris is joining NTN’s Automotive Aftermarket business unit as the regional sales manager for the Central Region.
LIFT in Detroit was the perfect host for the AGMA Technical Division to lead a recent meeting on EV standards development. Gear and power transmission engineers who work directly on gearboxes for electric vehicles came together to review current relevant standards and create an information sheet for gears specific to EVs.
NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings, is pleased to announce the receipt of a 2024 Content Excellence Award from the Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN). BCA Bearings received the Gold Award for ACES and PIES Data in the Large Category (250,000+ applications) at the 2024 Auto Care Connect/ACPN Annual Conference, held recently in Chicago, Illinois.
Siemens Digital Industries Software announced that Emotors, an independent e-drive manufacturer, has taken advantage of test solutions from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to aid in the development and constant improvement of its e-drive systems for hybrids, plug-ins and full electric vehicles (EVs).
Motion has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Allied Circuits, an electrical and automation firm. The transaction is expected to close later this month, subject to customary closing conditions.
Back in 1913, in Ann Arbor, MI., Leander J. Hoover founded the Hoover Steel Ball Company. In 1990, Tsubaki Nakashima company of Japan acquired the US ball manufacturing company and is currently the biggest manufacturer and supplier of precision balls in the world. Its first markets were the growing automotive and precision bearing industries. More than a century later, the electric vehicles (EV) market is becoming more and more relevant, though the combustible auto industry continues to grow. Its market for high-quality precision products has extended to medical, aerospace, military defense, and critical applications. After the great age of steel, a new era opened wide spaces for more extreme materials which paved the way for ceramics.
After volume production of the CeTrax lite electric drive for light commercial vehicles started in April 2023, ZF has already produced its first thousand units. The ramp-up in volume production was steeper than planned because demand from the customer ISUZU increased. The drive is used by ISUZU to power the latest generation its light distributor truck, the ISUZU ELF EV. Further volume production is set to start imminently this year.
LexxPluss is investing heavily in the US to provide its autonomous mobile robots (AMR) technology. The Japanese automation solutions provider has recently announced a new US demo space to showcase the capabilities of its flexible robotic fleet solutions and the flagship 30x30 ft facility is located in the Indiana IoT Lab, in Fishers, Indiana.
The international automotive supplier Forvia Hella receives the John Deere Award in the sustainability category. The leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery honors Forvia Hella for its heat recovery system at the Großpetersdorf site in Austria. The system saves around 175,000 kilowatt hours of natural gas per year and therefore around 32,000 kilograms of CO2. The award was presented at the John Deere European Supplier Conference in March 2024 in Mannheim, Germany.
SKF has decided to join and co-fund Mission 0 to contribute to the development of groundbreaking technologies and deliver solutions to eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in materials, production and end-of-life of passenger cars. In an initial pilot project, SKF will collaborate with academia and industry experts in a research arena to solve GHG emissions in materials and processes that require new knowledge or disruptive technologies.
Voith air compressors are technological leaders and, especially in the truck sector, also represent a significant milestone on the road to more environmentally friendly mobility. Due to their two-stage compression with intermediate cooling, they greatly outperform single-stage air compressors in delivery mode. And this is with much lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
RoboDK announces its strategic partnership with Comau, a global leader in advanced automation solutions and robot manufacturer. The latest version of Comau Roboshop Next Gen software seamlessly integrates with RoboDK, making simulation more advanced.
NTN Bearing Corporation, the parent company of BCA Bearings and Bower Bearings, is pleased to announce the addition of Kevin Huckins to the automotive aftermarket sales team. Huckins is joining NTN’s automotive aftermarket business unit as regional sales manager, western region.
Schaeffler announces the expansion of its operations in the U.S. with the addition of a new manufacturing facility focused on producing automotive electric mobility solutions. This announcement represents the company’s commitment to innovation and growth in the Americas region.
GKN Automotive has expanded the role of current chief communications and sustainability officer, Dr. Clare Wyatt to include the global human resource’s function. With immediate effect, Dr. Wyatt will take the role of chief people, communications and sustainability officer.
Intelligent power management company Eaton today announced that Ben Sheen, chief engineer, of Eaton’s Mobility Group, was recently elected to the Board of Trustees for the Gear Research Institute (GRI) at Penn State University. The GRI is affiliated with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) to conduct research and development, consulting, and analysis for gear-related needs.
The European Union is currently not “Fit for 55” regarding its self-defined target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 – particularly, when it comes to cutting emissions in the mobility sector. This was the essence of the 7th international FEV Zero CO2 Mobility Conference in Berlin.
ZF continues its pursuit of Next Generation Mobility across passenger car as well as the spectrum of light, medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles with a planned $500 million investment in its Gray Court, South Carolina, facility. Offering everything from traditional ICE to e-mobility technologies, for both passenger car and commercial vehicle applications, ZF Gray Court is officially the company’s first North American flex manufacturing facility.
PCB Piezotronics (PCB) is introducing the new Endevco Model 7330 triaxial angular rate sensor. It provides accurate measurement of rotational velocity in a small, lightweight package rugged enough for extreme environments, such as automotive safety testing.
Hoerbiger has announced the acquisition of Minor Industria Mecanica de Precisão Ltda, the owner of the Minor Jupiter brand. The company will become part of Hoerbiger's Rotary Solutions Business Unit, which with this acquisition will both strengthen its position in South America and increase local manufacturing for customers in Brazil and surrounding countries.
Siemens Digital Industries Software announced today its collaboration with Voltaiq to accelerate battery manufacturing, by combining their strengths to offer unparalleled capabilities for battery manufacturing-focused companies. This collaboration aims to bring together the production-proven capabilities of both Siemens’ Insights Hub and Voltaiq’s Enterprise Battery Intelligence (EBI), customers can gain access to unparalleled capability specific to battery-domain companies to help rapidly scale operations smoothly, from initial testing to full-scale production lines.
Mahle will feature products focusing on electric drives and intelligent charging at CES 2024. Mahle's technology kit for electric motors featured at CES 2024 combines the advantages of the company's benchmark SCT and MCT electric motors. With this unique technology toolbox for electric motors, Mahle can offer its customers customized electrification solutions for any vehicle class, application, or even brand philosophy.
Perkins has introduced a new line of repair sleeves for its 1100 Series engines, enabling end users to return cylinder bores to like-new performance while avoiding the downtime, expense, and waste of a full engine overhaul.
ABB is strengthening its long-standing partnership with Volvo Cars to supply more than 1,300 robots and functional packages to build the next generation of electric vehicles. This will support the Swedish car manufacturer to achieve its ambitious sustainability targets.
Motor & Drive Systems is focused on the latest technical advancements impacting the design, integration, and efficiency of motor, drive systems, and motion control for automation, robotics, manufacturing, and industrial, as well as utilities and automotive applications.
ZF has produced more than three million electric motors, a technology that is used worldwide in electric vehicles. ZF covers a broad spectrum of vehicle electrification: from purely electrically powered passenger cars and plug-in hybrids to electric drives for commercial vehicles. The production anniversary stands for a continuous reduction in the dependency on pure combustion engines as well as for the successful transformation to electromobility.
VCI bags allow auto parts manufacturers and suppliers to eliminate greasy rust preventatives and opt for the dry protection of VCI film instead. Unfortunately, some VCI bags are doomed to failure, leading to the very corrosion that the VCI bag user was trying to prevent. To avoid these negative consequences, Cortec shares the best path to making sure your next VCI bag is the corrosion solution and not the problem.
The Ohio State University was joined by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, congressional leaders, Honda, Schaeffler Americas and JobsOhio officials recently to announce the creation of a new battery cell research and development center.
NTN Bearing Corporation of America is proud to share its story of support for a local animal rescue. On Thursday, November 16th, NTN donated a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with its cargo hold full of supplies to Wright-Way Rescue, but it didn’t happen without a bit of good fortune.
ZF honors seven of its global suppliers for their excellent performance. The ZF Supplier Awards are presented as part of the Group-wide Global Supplier Summit, which this year focuses primarily on sustainability. At the virtual conference, around 1,000 participants from all over the world gain an insight into the technology group's corporate strategy, new technologies and the resulting new requirements and challenges relating to purchasing and logistics.
NTN, the parent company of BCA Bearings and Bower Bearings, is proud to announce the receipt of a 2023 Automotive Communications Award from Women in Auto Care. NTN received the award in the “Business-to-Business – Promotional Goods, Gear, Marketing Collateral” category for its BCA and Bower “Summer Cruisin” Promotions.
Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies has announced its Endurant XD series automated manual transmission is now available in select Kenworth truck models in Mexico and Latin America.
Schaeffler recently displayed its automotive aftermarket solutions at the AAPEX show, hosted at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas. Under the theme, “Your business is our focus,” Schaeffler hosted customers and industry partners at its booth, showcasing products and service solutions that enhance the vehicle’s life cycle, as well as technologies that support the transition to electric mobility.
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has added a state-of-the-art battery testing laboratory to its R&D laboratories at its North American headquarters in Plymouth, MI. The multi-million-dollar investment will facilitate in-house battery and battery component testing, including simulated thermal runaway, and will increase the company’s functional knowledge and product development capabilities in the field of electric vehicles (EVs). Simulation tests that replicate battery cycling scenarios are also possible in the new laboratory.
Global market intelligence firm Interact Analysis recently made some revisions to its global manufacturing outlook forecast. According to the company’s latest research, the outlook for global manufacturing is bleak, and this looks set to continue throughout 2024 into early 2025. Europe in particular is feeling the pinch, while the Americas region fared well during the first half of 2023. Due to the semiconductor slump, manufacturing output in the Asia Pacific region is declining – the region accounts for almost 90% of semiconductor and components production.
Schaeffler AG and GKN Powder Metallurgy announce their joint commitment to advance the development of the permanent magnet industry in Europe and North America through a memorandum of understanding. GKN Powder Metallurgy will supply Schaeffler locally with permanent magnets with the aim to ensure a stable, local supply whilst improving sustainability and transparency in the supply chain.
Deutronic has developed a new line of charging computers to supply reliable power to the 12V board net for EV or gas-powered vehicles in multiple environments in the North American market. Company executives Zubin Verma and Tobias Wanzke will preview the capabilities of the DBL 1903-14 charger at the AAPEX automotive aftermarket show, October 31-November 2 at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.
VesArg, the Argentinian distributor of Vesconite, Vesconite Hilube and Vesconite Superlube low-friction bearing materials, is proud to announce the acceptance of the Vesconite Hilube needle-bearing kit for the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, with VesArg having sold 500 kits for these vehicles in the last two years. This innovative solution addresses the recurring problem of suspension arm issues in these popular utility vehicles, which often require replacement needle-roller bearings.
Voith announces another important development – the Future Inverter Platform (FIP) – for the VEDS drive system. The new inverter has been specifically designed to meet the requirements in the commercial vehicle segment and will be integrated into future generations of the VEDS, Voith's innovative electric drive concept for commercial vehicles that has proven highly effective in numerous applications in the bus segment since its introduction in 2021. The FIP technology will go into series production without integrated DMU in 2024 and with integrated DMU in 2025.
Toray Industries, Inc., has signed an agreement with Honda Motor Co., Ltd., to jointly develop a chemical recycling technology for glass-fiber reinforced nylon 6 parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles. The two have begun verifying this technology, which entails depolymerizing with subcritical water (see note) and regenerating the materials as caprolactam, a raw monomer.
To date, nearly 400,000 city and intercity buses worldwide have been equipped with DIWA automatic transmissions. Passengers appreciate the comfortable and quiet ride, made possible by the stepless starting and braking functions. For operators, lower fuel consumption and consequently lower emissions – as well as low maintenance costs – are important aspects that have led them to use DIWA technology for many years now.
In lithium-ion batteries, higher energy density increases the risk of thermal runaway. As a preventive measure, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed thermal barriers that help to slow down thermal runaway by increasing resistance to propagation. The new 3D thermal barriers can be used at various positions within the battery and have already proven reliable in their initial series productions.
NTN is pleased to announce that two of its North American manufacturing facilities have been recognized for supplier quality excellence by Toyota Motor North America (Toyota). Toyota has awarded NTN Driveshaft, Inc., and American NTN Bearing Manufacturing Corporation each with a Certificate of Achievement for receiving an “A” grade for supplier quality in 2022.
Intelligent power management company Eaton has announced a new name for its Vehicle Group and eMobility businesses. Eaton’s Mobility Group represents the company’s focus on providing solutions across the propulsion spectrum and meeting the evolving needs of its customers from internal combustion to electrified or a combination of both.
The Transfluid MPD (multiple pump drive) is an innovative split drive module designed to sandwich between the main diesel engine and transmission. It features an integrated flexible coupling on the input side and an SAE standard flywheel and housing on the output side. Gear driven PTO heads provide multiple pump pads for mounting pumps, while the output flywheel ensures adequate power transfer to drive larger transmissions.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF Group), one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, and Hon Hai Technology Group (“Foxconn”), the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, recently announced a 50-50 partnership in passenger car chassis systems, a key move aimed at accelerating and expanding automotive and supply chain opportunities with top-tier customers.
Harsh operating conditions are present in many industries such as food and beverage, bakery, automotive parts washing, chemical, water treatment, marine, car wash, and pharmaceutical industries. Applications in these environments are often subjected to intensive cleaning, high-pressure washing, and disinfection processes to meet the highly regulated, hygienic standards. To prevent gear motors from material destruction due to the rigorous cleaning agents and disinfectants, Nord Drivesystems developed nsd tupH – a sealed surface conversion system that ensures easy yet safe cleaning, ultimate surface durability, and wear resistance.
After a long and successful OEM partnership with Ansys, RBF Morph has two proprietary products featured among the world simulation leader's offerings: Ansys RBF Morph Fluids and Ansys RBF Morph Structures.
The two simulation tools are based on RBF Morph's 10+ years of experience with 100+ global customers, including some of the top players and OEMs in the automotive and aerospace industries.
ZF recently unveiled its self-developed thermal management system for electric vehicles at its annual Global Technology Day demonstration event. The new system not only offers a more compact design of the drive but can also increase the range of vehicles in winter by up to one third. In combination with an optimized electric drivetrain consisting of power electronics, motor and reduction gearbox based on 800-volt silicon carbide, the system sets new standards in compactness and weight. The newly developed powertrain software also makes a significant contribution to higher efficiency.
Siemens Digital Industries Software and Stoneridge, Inc. together announce Stoneridge’s adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to support development of its next generation of technologies for the automotive, commercial vehicle and off-highway industries.
eSOL, a global specialist in the development of real-time embedded software solutions, has extended its recently launched eMCOS software development kit (SDK) with the introduction of a new hardware-related board support package (BSP).
NYCU (National Yang Ming Chia Tung University) Vulpes Racing—founded in 2008—is a Formula Student Team that combines mechanical engineering, industrial design, public relations, video production and marketing expertise.
Welcome back to Part 2 of our inner ring and creep discussion. We left off with our creep calculation resulting in a 10.5 µm minimum inner ring fit to avoid creep. For the sake of making clean dimensions, let’s call it 10 µm on the lower end and the upper end is simply whatever your manufacturer can hold.
The earliest example of a gear train dates to at least 2,000 B.C. when Chinese engineers built a chariot that used a complex planetary mechanism made of wooden gears to let a dragon head continuously point south when driven around (Ref. 1). In Greece, a surprisingly advanced Antikythera gearbox mechanism, incorporating at least 37 precisely crafted bronze gears, was built years later, between 205–60 B.C. (Ref. 2).
Siemens Digital Industries Software and Daimler Truck AG recently announced a new collaboration to implement a state-of-the-art digital engineering platform built using the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services. The new platform will enable Daimler Truck to explore a future of commercial vehicle innovation and the efficient product development and lifecycle management of trucks and buses and will be rolled out globally across Daimler Trucks’ engineering hubs, brands and business segments.
PTE will feature a variety of new component technologies online for bearings, motors, couplings, brakes, gear drives, and motion control systems leading up to Hannover Messe 2023 in Germany. Here is a preview of some couplings suppliers to check out if you're planning on attending the event online or in-person in April.
Optibelt GmbH has been honored by the European Power Transmission Distributors Association (EPTDA) for its long-standing membership.
I think I spend more time talking about ball bearings today than at any other time in my career. Ball bearings have always had a large place in automotive, but not typically in high demand positions—other than a few niche areas. High demand positions, such as axles and planetaries, were typically reserved for tapers, needles and cylindricals. The landscape is changing quickly.
SKF has developed a composite bushing for motorcycle front suspensions (or forks) that reduces the need for maintenance. A combination of metals, plus a lubricating coating, gives the bushing both mechanical strength and low friction.
As a pioneer in adopting traditional industrial robots, the automotive manufacturing industry has significantly improved its productivity and efficiency. Although traditional industrial robots have presented significant benefits, one of the fundamental challenges is their high downtime costs. Industrial robots are dangerous and need to be physically separated from human operators. The physical separation means that if a robot malfunctions, human operators must shut all the machines at a production line before entering the robot's working space.
Siemens Digital Industries Software announced that the latest release of Simcenter software for mechanical simulation helps streamline electrification engineering projects, assists new aircraft meet margins of safety, simplifies durability testing across many industries and much more.
Electrification is changing the automotive industry wholesale. This online article looks at training and transmission technology courses available in the e-mobility sector today. Coursework includes examining gearbox structure to battery technology to health and safety issues. This expansion continues to prepare engineers, manufacturers, and technicians for the shift toward electric vehicles.
Bonfiglioli has agreed to acquire Selcom Group from funds controlled by Avenue Capital Group and Europa Investimenti. Selcom Group specializes in the design, production and sale of electronic boards, electronic products, as well as software and solutions for customers in the industrial, biomedical, automotive, intra-logistics and home-appliance automation sectors.
Heat is also generated in an e-motor, sometimes quite a bit. In demanding applications, the motor electronics cause the power to be throttled or even shut down completely. But there is another clever way to protect an electric motor from overheating without losing power: using a thermally conductive casting resin as a heat transfer medium. The principle can also be called a static solid cooling system.
ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions (CVS) division has further underlined its commitment to advancing ‘Next Generation Mobility’ by investing in cutting-edge 5G digital connectivity. Equipping its commercial vehicle test track at Jeversen, Germany, with its own powerful campus network enables enhanced testing of ‘Big Data’ backed solutions which are increasingly facilitating the next levels of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Transportation as a Service (TaaS).
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated the Schaeffler Group’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as being in conformity with SBTi criteria and recommendations and hence in line with what the latest climate science considers necessary in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The global automotive and industrial supplier is committed to cutting its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2030, with 2019 as its base year. The company has also set itself the target of reducing its absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions from purchased goods and services, fuel- and energy-related activities, and upstream transportation and distribution by 25 percent over the same period.
CES, the world’s most influential tech event, is back in Las Vegas on Jan. 5-8. With more to see than ever, the show footprint will be over 70 percent larger than CES 2022.
Next-generation technology—everything from the electrification of vehicles to e-motors, bearings, mechatronics, and thermal management—was discussed during the Schaeffler Symposium 2022 in Detroit. I sat down with Jitesh Modi, director of engineering, during the event to discuss the “reinvention” of bearings for EV applications.
Opto Diode Corporation, an ITW company, introduces the AXUV100G, a 100 mm x 100 mm active area electron detection device specially designed for use in radiation detection applications.
Clark Seals, a sealing technology company, recently announced that Jeff Thompson has joined the company as territory sales manager. In his new position, Thompson will manage sales operations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
On Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17, the Reggio Emilia’s plant of Kohler Engines sponsored and hosted the event "Alternative Fuels. A sustainable path to engines decarbonization", a workshop organized by SAE-NA, STEMS-CNR and Kohler.
Patience was the theme in Dearborn, Mich., in late October when Gerdau hosted speakers from the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), Wards Intelligence, Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association, Munro & Associates, American Axle, AGMA, and the company’s own Denise Correa De Oliveira for a comprehensive discussion on the present and future challenges facing the electric vehicle market.
Cummins (CMI) recently announced that through its subsidiary Meritor, it has completed the acquisition of Siemens Commercial Vehicles business, a top supplier of high-performance electric drive systems for commercial vehicles. The acquired business will report through Cummins New Power business unit.
Eaton recently display technologies to support the zero emissions journey in the commercial vehicle market at the IAA Transportation show in Hannover, Germany.
NTN Bearing Corporation of America is honored to announce that effective December 31, Kevin Judge will retire from his role as brand ambassador for NTN’s Automotive Aftermarket business unit, formally ending his professional tenure with NTN.
ZF presents the latest generation of electric drives for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. It sets standards through outstanding power density and energy efficiency. ZF achieves this thanks to numerous innovations at both the component and system level. These include the compact design of the drives, the "discrete approach" in power electronics, and a resource-saving use of materials, which also makes the production of the drives more sustainable. With their modular concept, the new ZF e-drives support automotive manufacturers in customizing the further electrification of their entire model range. For end customers, the new technologies offer higher efficiency, more power, and shorter charging times.
ZF honors eight of its approximately 30,000 suppliers worldwide for their excellent performance. The technology group is presenting the Supplier Awards as part of its ZF Global Supplier Summit, which this year focuses on the mobility of the future and global challenges. Current topics such as resilient supply chains, the climate crisis and digitalization are addressed.
Emerson Bearing recently delivered this great back to basics blog on rod ends. Emerson Bearing and Action Bearing serve the bearing needs of international and domestic customers. The team at Emerson Bearing caters to global niche markets, while the team at Action Bearing, specializes in solutions for the OEM and MRO markets in New England.
NTN Bearing Corporation of America is pleased to announce multiple personnel updates within the Automotive Aftermarket business unit, including promotions for three team members and two new hires.
JKF Americas Inc, a subsidiary of JK Fenner (India) Ltd., has introduced their extensive Top Drive line of power transmission products to the North, Central and South American markets. The launch of the Top Drive brand is especially timely for businesses that have seen delays and shortages in the supply chain, within the context of the emerging sourcing model across the world.
Motion Industries, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of the new Motion Ai website, https://ai.motion.com. Announced in February 2022, the Motion Ai business group unifies acquired technical companies, including Applied Machine and Motion Control (AMMC), Axis New England/Axis New York, BRAAS, F&L Industrial Solutions, Integro Technologies, Kaman Automation, Meier Transmission and Numatic Engineering.
For more than 30 years, the Schaeffler Symposium has stood for innovation, customer focus and the open exchange of ideas. The 12th Schaeffler Symposium, the ninth event of its kind to take place in the U.S., will be held in two venues this year: in Detroit on Sept. 8 and, for the first time ever, in Silicon Valley on Sept. 21-22. This year’s Symposium will focus on transformation and “Energizing the Next Generation.”
Bosch Rexroth will present its latest automation, material transport and assembly technology products and solutions for battery manufacturing in Booth #1553 at The Battery Show North America and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo, September 13-15, in Novi, Mich.
Smalley received the 2021 General Motors Supplier Quality Excellence Award for the 10th consecutive year.
CTI Symposium Berlin starts with two introductory days dealing with the basics and practice of automotive transmissions, hybrid and electric drives for newcomers and those who want to refresh their knowledge. This is followed by the main program with keynote speeches, panel discussions and technical presentations.
Electric steel is used heavily in the manufacturing of electric motors. The material is key to producing the electromagnetic field used to turn the rotor. Without the electromagnetic properties associated with this iron alloy, the performance of electric motors would be substantially compromised. Historically, motors used in commercial and industrial applications have represented a major customer base for electric steel suppliers, and motor vendors have resultingly had little difficultly ensuring prioritized supply lines. However, the share of business held by commercial and industrial electric motor vendors is being threatened by the automotive sector in the wake of electric vehicles.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently opened the second round of its Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), providing point-of-sale discounts on off-road zero-emission equipment. The project is administered by CALSTART and has $125M in funding available, more than double the amount allocated to the project when it first launched in January 2020. Originally only for freight, in 2022, CORE is expanding to include funding for the commercial harbor craft and agriculture and construction sectors.
PBC Linear has expanded its comprehensive portfolio to include Miniature Metric Ball Screw Assemblies. Building on their lead screw technology, this combination of precision-rolled screw and compact nut is driving exceptional performance from an economical package. Manufacturers of sophisticated laboratory equipment, medical devices, semiconductors, and other automation applications will find these high-precision ball screws a valued solution to their small-scale linear motion needs.
As vehicles become increasingly electrified, automated, and software controlled, ZF is at the forefront of developing and industrializing advanced chassis systems with the industry’s most comprehensive offering of by-wire technologies that no longer require a mechanical connection or system fluids. A primary example is ZF’s steer-by-wire solution. ZF revealed that it has been awarded significant volume contracts by multiple major car manufacturers that will launch in all major regions as of 2023.
Amsted Seals has launched the Endurance Series wheel seals for commercial vehicles.
The seals feature a unique rubber bumper design, providing superior service life in the harshest operating conditions. The hand-installable seal is compatible with all standard axle lubes for easy, error-free installation. Plus, the seal comes with a 1-year, unlimited mile warranty.
Recently, the Swedish rolling bearing manufacturer SKF and the Swiss gearbox design software developer KISSsoft have incorporated SKF’s bearing calculation service within KISSsoft's software. With the so-called SKF Bearing Module in KISSsoft, engineers will have direct access to SKF’s bearing technology and bearing performance data.
Voith is further expanding its expertise in the e-mobility sector for commercial vehicles. With the Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS) and the Plug and Drive H2 storage system, the technology group is presenting two concepts at IAA Transportation 2022 that promote an economical and sustainable mobility shift for heavy-duty trucks and buses. “Alternative, sustainable drives are defining the discourse of the present and the technologies of the future. Even today, the result is an unprecedented variety of drive solutions. We are fulfilling these customer demands with a portfolio geared towards alternative drives,” says Martin Wawra, executive vice president and CEO Voith Turbo Mobility.
Voith is further expanding its expertise in the e-mobility sector. With the VEDS HD+, the company is presenting its first drive concept for heavy-duty trucks. Special configurations for waste collection vehicles, inner-city logistics or long-distance transport applications ensure efficient driving with every use.
Sensors Expo & Conference got its start 37 years ago with a focus on sensor technology. Over the years it has expanded and diversified to include the electronics technologies and embedded systems that work hand-in-hand with sensors, as well as new and emerging application areas such as IoT, Connectivity, Autonomous, Medical, and more. Join us as we explore the entire ecosystem, from sensing to processing to analyzing and connecting.
Voith has acquired Argo-Hytos. Based in Baar, Switzerland, the company develops and produces components for hydraulics and system solutions with a focus on the off-highway sector (agricultural tractors, construction equipment and material handling vehicles). A corresponding agreement was signed on June 6, 2022.
Increasing demands for energy efficiency and plant transparency are presenting industry with continuous new challenges. Automation specialist Lenze is offering an intelligent, cost- and energy-efficient solution with its decentralized frequency inverters i-series motec. The main beneficiaries will be machine builders and operators from material handling and logistics, automotive, and consumer goods industries.
My first trip to the CTI Symposium USA six years ago was eye-opening regarding the ambitious forecasts for electrification in the automotive industry. Hybrid transmissions took center stage back then with a hint at a fully electric future on the horizon. Individual components were showcased in the expo hall as well as the technology sessions. Optimism for self-driving vehicles, e-mobility and the switch from ICE to electric vehicles was somewhat restrained. Today, the future of EV and HEV drives and components looks much more attainable.
Charging power. Infrastructure. Longer battery life. Every time the industry comes together for the CTI Symposium, we get a clearer picture of the technology development toward our electric future.
NTN has announced the receipt of a 2022 Content Excellence Award from the Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN). BCA Bearings received the Silver Award for its Web-Based Catalog at the 2022 ACPN Knowledge Exchange Conference.
The automotive industry is reshaping faster than ever before. Technology advancements are redefining transportation from traditional mechanics to complex sustainable, entertaining, and connected mobility enabled by electronics and software. To stay relevant in this fast-changing market, automakers must revisit how they approach all aspects of product design, development, and manufacturing.
The drive system manufacturer Heinzmann has introduced a new wheel hub motor with integrated transmission, which was developed in close collaboration with Framo Morat. The compact, high-performance drive provides ensures efficient operation in automated guided vehicles (AGV) and autonomous mobile robots (AMR).
Gates has announced the launch of Gates Design Power, a new software platform offering multiple digital design tools to support the engineering and specification of belt-drive systems across a broad array of applications, making the process easier and more robust than ever before.
Eaton's Vehicle Group is celebrating 50 years of MLocker differential production. The mechanical locking differential provides drivers with best-in-class traction without the need for pushbuttons, shift knobs, or other driver intervention, and is applicable to vehicles with both internal combustion engines and electrified vehicles (EVs).
A Conversation with Jeff Hemphill, CTO at Schaeffler Group USA Inc. Matthew Jaster, Senior Editor
Learn about the effect Covid-19 had on the industrial gearbox market and how the industry is predicted to recover.
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