April 3, 2013
General Motors' German brand Opel said on Wednesday that it had found no evidence in a crash test on its new Mokka SUV that HFO-1234yf could catch fire in a collision and release toxic fumes. They said a realistic test conducted together with the independent testing agency TÜV Rheinland had failed to ignite refrigerant that leaked from the system after impact.
The test is the first to be published since Daimler said in September that HFO-1234yf, the only air conditioning coolant on the market that conforms to a new European Union directive on greenhouse gases, could be the primary source for a vehicle fire.
Opel began installing HFO-1234yf-based systems in its Mokka model at the start of the year but Daimler is violating the EU directive by continuing exclusively to use the non-flammable R134a.
Opel research and development chief Michael Ableson said there was "no alternative in the near future to refrigerant HFO-1234yf. Other possibilities such as CO2-based refrigerants are still in the development stage and are years away from entering the market".
CRASH SIMULATIONS
Daimler says frontal crash simulations that it conducted internally last August showed that a fire could ignite under the hood of a car when the new Honeywell refrigerant, mixed with air conditioning lubricant, came into contact with the manifold of a turbo-charged petrol engine at around 650 degrees Celsius (1,200 Fahrenheit).
Opel said on Wednesday it had crash-tested a 1.4 litre turbo-charged Mokka at a speed of 50 km/h (31 mph) against a movable deformable barrier, meant to simulate driving headlong into the last car in a tailback.
It said the impact had damaged the air conditioning system, causing a leak near the Mokka's hot engine manifold, but without causing a fire.
Gunnar Pflug, head of the traffic safety centre at TÜV Rheinland, said the test had been designed and conducted under TÜV Rheinland's supervision to recreate the extreme conditions that Daimler says are necessary to induce a fire. It included reaching an engine temperature more than 100 degrees Celsius higher than that recorded by Daimler.
"Much faster speeds and there would have been nothing left of the engine compartment, basically," he said. "What we did was no standard test, this was the first of its kind."
Manufacturer Honeywell concedes that the mixture is indeed flammable and releases toxic gases when burning, but argues that Daimler's simulations employed 'ideal' conditions expressly designed to create a desired effect.
Daimler, Mercedes' parent, says simulations as opposed to real crash tests were necessary because each car deforms differently during impact, even if the same test parameters are always applied.
Pflug said this was only partly true.
"The same parts are not always damaged exactly the same way down to the millimetre, but if it isn't the third air conditioning fin that breaks, then it's the second or seventh," he said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/gm-honeywell-daimler-refrigerant-idUSL5N0CQ3GL20130403
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
2014 North American Light pick-up powertrains
April 1, 2013
General Motors (Sierra 1500):
- 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6 (available summer 2013)
- 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8 (available spring 2013)
- 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8 (available `later in 2013)
All engines are naturally aspirated and feature: direct injection, cylinder deactivation (i.e., switch to 4-cylinder operation at light load) and continuously variable valve timing. All will be matched to six-speed transmissions.
Ford (F-150)
- 3.7 L V6
- 5.0 L V8
- 6.2 L V8
- 3.5 L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost
Dodge (Ram 1500)
- 3.6 L Pentastar VVT V6
- 4.7 L Flex Fuel V8
- 5.7 L HEMI VVT V8 with FuelSaver MDS
- 3.0 L V-6 EcoDiesel (available Q3 2013)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Cummins Generator Technologies Announces Motor Generator and Power Electronics for Hybrid Commercial Vehicles
March 20, 2013
Cummins Generator Technologies announced the availability of its CorePlus™ Motor Generator and Power Electronics technology in the American market. It is available with power, torque and performance characteristics suitable for hybrid systems, electric vehicle designs, range extender solutions and electrical power generation in vehicles. A Power Electronics package embedding Cummins CorePlus controls software complements the Motor Generator.
The Cummins CorePlus Motor Generator is fitted between the vehicle engine and transmission, allowing OEMs to keep using their preferred engine and transmission. The Motor Generator has an integral rugged housing to allow it to operate in the harsh environment of the engine bay, and has the torsional strength to allow engine torque to be transferred through it to the transmission.
During the concept stage, a number of different permanent magnet rotor configurations were considered including: Surface magnet; inset magnet; and embedded magnet (with either a flat or ‘V’-shape). Ultimately, the embedded magnet layout was chosen due to its mechanical retention and environmental protection of the magnets, good field-weakening capability and low short-circuit current.
Likewise, after they looked at flat and flux-focusing V-shape magnets, a flat magnet installation was chosen as the best solution thanks to a lower magnet mass per unit (lower flux leakage than a V-shape), lower rotor inertia-end constraints for the rotor’s internal diameter and a simpler manufacturing process with a lower number of magnets.
Cummins Motor Generator Specifications:
Cummins Generator Technologies announced the availability of its CorePlus™ Motor Generator and Power Electronics technology in the American market. It is available with power, torque and performance characteristics suitable for hybrid systems, electric vehicle designs, range extender solutions and electrical power generation in vehicles. A Power Electronics package embedding Cummins CorePlus controls software complements the Motor Generator.
During the concept stage, a number of different permanent magnet rotor configurations were considered including: Surface magnet; inset magnet; and embedded magnet (with either a flat or ‘V’-shape). Ultimately, the embedded magnet layout was chosen due to its mechanical retention and environmental protection of the magnets, good field-weakening capability and low short-circuit current.
Likewise, after they looked at flat and flux-focusing V-shape magnets, a flat magnet installation was chosen as the best solution thanks to a lower magnet mass per unit (lower flux leakage than a V-shape), lower rotor inertia-end constraints for the rotor’s internal diameter and a simpler manufacturing process with a lower number of magnets.
Cummins Motor Generator Specifications:
- Peak torque - 660Nm
- Peak power - 90kW @ 1,300rpm
- Continuous power - 35kW @ 1,300rpm
- Motor efficiency - > 95%
- Overall length - 200mm
- Weight - 108kg
- Cooling - water-glycol
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Cummins fuel savings through downspeeding
March 20, 2013
Cummins will deliver improved fuel mileage through a combination of downspeeding and its new SmartTorque2 engine ratings, the company announced prior to the Mid-America Trucking Show.
SmartTorque2, available on the ISX15 in two new ratings (415 hp/1,450-1,650 lb.-ft. and 450 hp 1,550-1,750 lb.-ft.), “enables smarter acceleration and performance under a variety of operating conditions,” explained Jeff Jones, vice-president, North American engine business. SmartTorque offers an extra 200 lb.-ft. of torque in the top two gears for improved performance when cruising or pulling a grade.
A new vehicle acceleration management (VAM) feature controls the amount of power available to the driver when accelerating, providing smoother acceleration with less fuel consumption, Jones added.
The new Cummins engines have been designed to deliver peak torque at less than 1,000 rpm, to provide more efficient gearing.
“We’re recommending trucks with manual transmissions be geared for 65 mph at 1,270 rpm, which is 100 rpm lower than a year ago,” Jones said.
Dr. Steve Charlton, chief technical officer with Cummins’ engine business, said just three to four years ago, Cummins engines were cruising at 1,450-1,500 rpm, while today they can operate efficiently at 1,200-1,300 rpm.
Additional fuel savings can be had by using a 10W-30 low viscosity engine oil, Charlton added. And he said improvements have also been made to the emissions system, with more soot reduction occurring in the cylinder so there’s less particulate matter for the diesel particulate filter (DPF) to eliminate. Charlton said these changes have resulted in nearly 100% passive DPF regeneration.
Jones said Cummins’ position with the OEMs has “never been better.” He indicated Cummins has seen its North American market share grow to more than 40% of the Class 8 and more than 50% of the mid-range markets last year.
http://www.trucknews.com/news/cummins-drives-fuel-savings-through-downspeeding-smarttorque2-ratings/1002155940/?ref=rss&ctid=1002155940
Cummins will deliver improved fuel mileage through a combination of downspeeding and its new SmartTorque2 engine ratings, the company announced prior to the Mid-America Trucking Show.
SmartTorque2, available on the ISX15 in two new ratings (415 hp/1,450-1,650 lb.-ft. and 450 hp 1,550-1,750 lb.-ft.), “enables smarter acceleration and performance under a variety of operating conditions,” explained Jeff Jones, vice-president, North American engine business. SmartTorque offers an extra 200 lb.-ft. of torque in the top two gears for improved performance when cruising or pulling a grade.
A new vehicle acceleration management (VAM) feature controls the amount of power available to the driver when accelerating, providing smoother acceleration with less fuel consumption, Jones added.
The new Cummins engines have been designed to deliver peak torque at less than 1,000 rpm, to provide more efficient gearing.
“We’re recommending trucks with manual transmissions be geared for 65 mph at 1,270 rpm, which is 100 rpm lower than a year ago,” Jones said.
Dr. Steve Charlton, chief technical officer with Cummins’ engine business, said just three to four years ago, Cummins engines were cruising at 1,450-1,500 rpm, while today they can operate efficiently at 1,200-1,300 rpm.
Additional fuel savings can be had by using a 10W-30 low viscosity engine oil, Charlton added. And he said improvements have also been made to the emissions system, with more soot reduction occurring in the cylinder so there’s less particulate matter for the diesel particulate filter (DPF) to eliminate. Charlton said these changes have resulted in nearly 100% passive DPF regeneration.
Jones said Cummins’ position with the OEMs has “never been better.” He indicated Cummins has seen its North American market share grow to more than 40% of the Class 8 and more than 50% of the mid-range markets last year.
http://www.trucknews.com/news/cummins-drives-fuel-savings-through-downspeeding-smarttorque2-ratings/1002155940/?ref=rss&ctid=1002155940
Allison Transmission Claims 5% Better Fuel Economy with TC10 for Tractor Trucks
March 20, 2013
Allison Transmission claims that test fleet users achieved an average 5% fuel economy improvement with the Allison TC10 tractor transmission over their current manual and automated manual transmissions.
"Approximately 100 major fleets throughout the U.S., representing a variety of applications, have been using our TC10 transmission in real world duty cycles over the last two years," said Jim Wanaselja, vice president of North America marketing, sales and service for Allison Transmission.
The TC10 is specifically designed for both city and highway tractor duty cycles and provides a blended architecture with full power shifts, a torque converter and a twin countershaft gear box. It is fully automatic and offers smooth, seamless shifting through 10 gear ranges. This optimizes acceleration and fuel economy, making this transmission especially ideal for distribution applications where a tractor-trailer splits its work cycle between city and highway conditions.
Rated up to 600 horsepower and 1,700 pound-feet of torque at launch, the TC10 is designed with 10 forward speeds and two reverse. It comes equipped with Allison's newest generation of electronic controls which provide fuel economy features, prognostics to eliminate unnecessary oil and filter changes, and enhanced shift selector functionality. A five-year or 750,000 mile warranty is also offered.
Production of the new transmission began earlier this month.
http://ir.allisontransmission.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=227924&p=RssLanding_pf&cat=news&id=1798551
Allison Transmission claims that test fleet users achieved an average 5% fuel economy improvement with the Allison TC10 tractor transmission over their current manual and automated manual transmissions.
"Approximately 100 major fleets throughout the U.S., representing a variety of applications, have been using our TC10 transmission in real world duty cycles over the last two years," said Jim Wanaselja, vice president of North America marketing, sales and service for Allison Transmission.
The TC10 is specifically designed for both city and highway tractor duty cycles and provides a blended architecture with full power shifts, a torque converter and a twin countershaft gear box. It is fully automatic and offers smooth, seamless shifting through 10 gear ranges. This optimizes acceleration and fuel economy, making this transmission especially ideal for distribution applications where a tractor-trailer splits its work cycle between city and highway conditions.
Rated up to 600 horsepower and 1,700 pound-feet of torque at launch, the TC10 is designed with 10 forward speeds and two reverse. It comes equipped with Allison's newest generation of electronic controls which provide fuel economy features, prognostics to eliminate unnecessary oil and filter changes, and enhanced shift selector functionality. A five-year or 750,000 mile warranty is also offered.
Production of the new transmission began earlier this month.
http://ir.allisontransmission.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=227924&p=RssLanding_pf&cat=news&id=1798551
Navistar Considering Cuts to Engine Production Capacity
March 21, 2013
Navistar has more engine plants than it needs and is considering options for consolidating engine production, Chief Operating Officer Troy Clarke said.
"We build engines in three places and none of them is fully utilized. You just can't make any money doing that," Mr. Clarke said during an interview Wednesday at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. "Under-utilized manufacturing capacity is just a cost and it's a cost that we don't have to bear."
Mr. Clarke didn't provide specifics about plant closings being considered, but he said that a final decision will likely take months. The company operates two engine plants in Huntsville, Ala., and a third in Melrose Park, Ill., outside of Chicago. One of the Huntsville plants was opened in recent years to build a 15-liter engine that Navistar abandoned last year.
Mr. Clarke, who will replace interim Chief Executive Lewis Campbell next month, said closing any of the engine plants would be more difficult than the decision last year to eliminate the Garland, Texas, truck assembly plant. Production of heavy-duty trucks at Garland was shifted to plants in Escobedo, Mexico, and Springfield, Ohio.
"We had invested in this build-any-truck-at-any-plant [system], so shutting a [truck] plant down was easier for us to do than on the engine side," Mr. Clarke said.
The company lost $3 billion last year, amid soaring warranty expenses for its new 13-liter engines and a costly change in emission control strategy. By the end of this month, Navistar expects the EPA to certify that the company's 13-liter SCR engine meets the agency's latest emissions standard.
Navistar, which has traditionally been the third largest seller of heavy-duty trucks in North America, lost market share last year to Daimler's Freightliner unit, Paccar and Volvo. Recent estimates put the company's share of the heavy-duty market at about 12%, down from about 21% at the end of 2011.
http://www.4-traders.com/NAVISTAR-INTERNATIONAL-CO-13684/news/Navistar-Considering-Cuts-to-Engine-Production-Capacity-Operating-Chief-16564524/
Navistar has more engine plants than it needs and is considering options for consolidating engine production, Chief Operating Officer Troy Clarke said.
"We build engines in three places and none of them is fully utilized. You just can't make any money doing that," Mr. Clarke said during an interview Wednesday at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. "Under-utilized manufacturing capacity is just a cost and it's a cost that we don't have to bear."
Mr. Clarke didn't provide specifics about plant closings being considered, but he said that a final decision will likely take months. The company operates two engine plants in Huntsville, Ala., and a third in Melrose Park, Ill., outside of Chicago. One of the Huntsville plants was opened in recent years to build a 15-liter engine that Navistar abandoned last year.
Mr. Clarke, who will replace interim Chief Executive Lewis Campbell next month, said closing any of the engine plants would be more difficult than the decision last year to eliminate the Garland, Texas, truck assembly plant. Production of heavy-duty trucks at Garland was shifted to plants in Escobedo, Mexico, and Springfield, Ohio.
"We had invested in this build-any-truck-at-any-plant [system], so shutting a [truck] plant down was easier for us to do than on the engine side," Mr. Clarke said.
The company lost $3 billion last year, amid soaring warranty expenses for its new 13-liter engines and a costly change in emission control strategy. By the end of this month, Navistar expects the EPA to certify that the company's 13-liter SCR engine meets the agency's latest emissions standard.
Navistar, which has traditionally been the third largest seller of heavy-duty trucks in North America, lost market share last year to Daimler's Freightliner unit, Paccar and Volvo. Recent estimates put the company's share of the heavy-duty market at about 12%, down from about 21% at the end of 2011.
http://www.4-traders.com/NAVISTAR-INTERNATIONAL-CO-13684/news/Navistar-Considering-Cuts-to-Engine-Production-Capacity-Operating-Chief-16564524/
Eaton and Navistar Develop New UltraShift PLUS Transmissions
March 21, 2013
Eaton has launched a new family of UltraShift PLUS transmissions designed exclusively for Navistar to maximize fuel efficiency in linehaul applications. To be co-released by the two companies, the new 16-speed direct drive automated mechanical transmissions are designed with a small 17% step between gears to optimize time in a diesel engine's most efficient RPM zone and help reduce fuel consumption.
The new UltraShift PLUS LSE (Linehaul Small-Step Efficiency) will be released initially with Navistar's MaxxForce 13L SCR engines on the International branded vehicles and followed shortly thereafter with Cummins ISX15 engines.
Fleets involved with testing the new transmissions have reported fuel economy improvements from 2 to 4%. Production is scheduled to take place in April of this year.
"The direct drive design also boosts the efficiency of the transmission gear train, to further promote excellent fuel consumption," said Shane Groner, North America product planning manager for Eaton's Commercial Vehicle Transmission Division. "All of the other features and benefits of the UltraShift PLUS are included in this newest addition to our lineup."
The new UltraShift PLUS LSE transmission has 16 forward gears and two reverse gears, and an overall ratio of 14.40. The standard warranty is 5-year/750,000 miles for the transmission and 3-year/350,000 miles for the clutch.
All UltraShift PLUS transmissions use an electronic clutch actuator to provide faster shifting and smoother engagement. The clutch is fully engaged at idle, giving the driver ultimate control in challenging situations, like parking lots, loading docks and other tight spaces.
Additional UltraShift PLUS features include:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eaton-and-navistar-develop-new-fuel-friendly-ultrashift-plus-transmissions-2013-03-21
Eaton has launched a new family of UltraShift PLUS transmissions designed exclusively for Navistar to maximize fuel efficiency in linehaul applications. To be co-released by the two companies, the new 16-speed direct drive automated mechanical transmissions are designed with a small 17% step between gears to optimize time in a diesel engine's most efficient RPM zone and help reduce fuel consumption.
The new UltraShift PLUS LSE (Linehaul Small-Step Efficiency) will be released initially with Navistar's MaxxForce 13L SCR engines on the International branded vehicles and followed shortly thereafter with Cummins ISX15 engines.
Fleets involved with testing the new transmissions have reported fuel economy improvements from 2 to 4%. Production is scheduled to take place in April of this year.
"The direct drive design also boosts the efficiency of the transmission gear train, to further promote excellent fuel consumption," said Shane Groner, North America product planning manager for Eaton's Commercial Vehicle Transmission Division. "All of the other features and benefits of the UltraShift PLUS are included in this newest addition to our lineup."
The new UltraShift PLUS LSE transmission has 16 forward gears and two reverse gears, and an overall ratio of 14.40. The standard warranty is 5-year/750,000 miles for the transmission and 3-year/350,000 miles for the clutch.
All UltraShift PLUS transmissions use an electronic clutch actuator to provide faster shifting and smoother engagement. The clutch is fully engaged at idle, giving the driver ultimate control in challenging situations, like parking lots, loading docks and other tight spaces.
Additional UltraShift PLUS features include:
- Fully automated two-pedal design (no clutch pedal).
- Safety features include auto neutral and Intelligent Hill Start Aid, which prevents roll-back and roll-forward while launching on grades using foundation wheel brakes.
- Automatic, Manual and Low modes offer driver full control.
- Crepe Mode allows the vehicle to be driven at a constant speed (optional).
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eaton-and-navistar-develop-new-fuel-friendly-ultrashift-plus-transmissions-2013-03-21
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