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01/09/2007
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Europe’s biggest car show takes place in Frankfurt from 13 to 23 September. We look beyond the gloss of the show cars and concepts to preview some of the technologies that will be on display
It would be impossible in the space available to preview all the innovations the supplier chain will be showing at IAA. Indeed, many of companies have held back on announcements hoping to gain maximum impact at the Frankfurt event. Others, though, have given us some insight into the main attractions on their stands.
Some of these are covered in detail elsewhere in this journal. One of the show’s star exhibits will be the ‘drop in’ module that turns ZF’s latest eight-speed automatic gearbox into a full parallel hybrid electric drive (see page 16). Also described is an extremely novel ball joint sensor from ZF Lemfoerder, said to be a world first. Meanwhile, visitors to IAA should look out for developments in electronic torque distribution (Vector Drive), now ready for volume production, and sensitive damping control which functions without electronics, and represents an evolutionary advancement on today’s standard dampers as well as to the stroke-dependent Sachs Vario dampers.
This month’s Technically Speaking section (page 14) kicks off with a remarkable development in door latching from another IAA exhibitor, ArvinMeritor. Operating effort is reduced by 50 times and it is a failsafe all-mechanical design even though its locking functions are software controlled.
Just a few pages away are two further innovations from IAA exhibitors – a Fraunhofer (IWM) spot welding model for crash simulation (page 17) and an extremely interesting all-polymer alternative to rubber-metal composite components for damping vibrations developed by BASF’s Elastogran division (page 20).
Many the of the innovations you have read about in the past few months from the major suppliers attending IAA will be highlighted and in some cases demonstrated on their stands. But, of course, there will be some surprises.
Delphi backs solenoid injection for Euro 6
A new version of Delphi’s diesel common rail system will allow compliance with Euro 6 and US Tier 2 Bin 5 without the use of advanced piezo injection technologies. It will be shown for the first time at IAA.
José Avila, general manager of Delphi Diesel, said: “Our customers have proven that for most applications a well-engineered system using solenoid injectors can comfortably satisfy the requirements of Euro 5. Now we are taking this strategy to Euro 6 and beyond.”
For Euro 4 and Euro 5 applications, Delphi has taken the maximum injection pressure from 1,400 bar to 1,800 bar and introduced a range of other upgrades. These include the ability to manage up to five injection events, a revised rail design to optimise the attenuation of pressure waves, and more powerful control software that further improves hydraulic stability and hence refinement and emissions performance. A new high-pressure pump has also been introduced to improve packaging and to allow for higher pressures should they be required.
The 1,800 bar system is expected to enter production for high performance Euro 5 applications during 2008. The system will also include some additional upgrades, largely to further improve hydraulic efficiency and spray optimisation.
Delphi is also launching a whole gasoline direct injection (GDi) system into Europe, optimised for the increasing use of turbochargers and biofuels. It will include injectors, pumps, engine control units, electrical/electronic systems, fuel rails and fuel handling hardware. Until now, only individual components have been shown by the company.
Called Multec 10, the heart of the system is a new multi-hole injector, designed for homogeneous lambda=1 combustion and available with spray preparation options optimised for a wide variety of combustion chamber shapes and static flow requirements.
Refined solenoid technology allows fast opening and closing providing a linear range of more than 15 (the relationship between maximum fuel flow and minimum fuel flow), substantially higher than systems in production today.
Optimisation for biofuels like ethanol involved careful selection and testing of materials and coatings. For example, high-pressure fuel rails are manufactured from stainless steel with brazed caps instead of the more usual aluminium rails which may suffer from internal corrosion if run for long periods on biofuels. And a new high-flow fuel pump has been designed in stainless steel.
The GDi system is targeted to meet SULEV and Euro 6 requirements without after-treatment and using multiple injection pulses to accelerate catalyst heating. The first systems are expected to be production in by 2010.
Delphi is also developing a GDi system for stratified charge (lean) combustion engines called Multec 20. It will require very low sulphur fuel to protect lean-burn-compatible catalytic converters but is said to offer a further fuel saving of around 15%.
Nanofibre filtration set to improve cabin air quality
Mann+Hummel has introduced a nanofibre filtration medium that retains the smallest particles, including diesel exhaust particulates and fine dust. The developer says the technology effectively doubles the efficiency of cabin filters that typically use synthetic fleece media. Series production of the nanofibre is just beginning. Particles ranging from a few nanometres to several hundred microns are trapped by the nanofibres.
The company will also be showing the plenum chamber for the eight-cylinder engine of the BMW M3. The dimensions of the plenum are quite different from the standard volumes in conventional passenger cars, which amount to 0.5 to 3 times the displacement of the engine. With a 28 litre volume, the plenum ensures that the required amount of intake air is available for the engine. Inside the component are eight intake funnels at the clean air outlet on the lower side which are mounted on the individual throttle bodies by decoupling elements. When designing the plenum, the challenge for the engineers was to maintain the high component strength required for this unusually large volume system, using the most up-to-date plastic technology.
Mann + Hummel will also be talking to visitors about a patented radial sealing concept for cylinder head covers, said to offer improved sealing, optimised acoustics and the ability to design weight out of components, the air filter system for the Nissan Qashqai and a plastic oil pan study that will go into series production in 2009.
Thermoset innovations should be on view
Readers can expect something new from Plastic Omnium given that IAA will be the first major event it has participated in since absorbing Inoplast, the specialist in thermoset structural parts.
We already know the company will be showing new motorised door modules with innovative architectures and improved user ergonomics, a vehicle front structure integrating interface composite and plastic parts between the sill and the bodywork, and a new approach to the design, engineering and production of low cost bumpers.
Hybrid makes one-piece beam unnecessary
Engineers from ThyssenKrupp Steel, ThyssenKrupp Presta and Johnson Controls have developed a cockpit structure called EcoSpace said to offer weight-savings of some 20% while ensuring the same levels of passenger protection as conventional designs. It will be shown for the first time at IAA.
“The idea is to simplify the assembly process for automakers by offering them a single-source cockpit structure that already includes the instrument panel, steering column and substrate,” said Martin Hinz, project manager for cockpit structure design at ThyssenKrupp Steel AG.
Key to the new EcoSpace approach lies in a lightweight hybrid construction, a composite steel and plastic structure that makes it possible to do away with half the cross-car beam.
Since structural rigidity is required mainly in the steering column area, engineers used the steel for the driver’s side in the form of a tripod. The central component is a closed profile tube with load-dependent geometry, to which the steering column can be directly attached. The plastic elements, comprising long fibre reinforced polypropylene, come from Johnson Controls.
The plastic is used across the full cockpit width. Air channels, the connection to the airbag and the back of the glove box are integrated directly into the structure. These parts also have a reinforcing function and, as a result, do away with the need for a one-piece cross-car beam.
Bosch gives emissions and cost pride of place
As might be expected from the world biggest Tier One supplier, Bosch will introduce a host of new concepts and technologies at IAA. Three developments stand out – advances in stop/start systems, technologies that support low price vehicles (LPVs) and the latest gasoline direct injection.
Following its first application on the BMW 1 series, Bosch has developed the stop/start to the point where it is ready for series production and is now working intensively with several car-makers.
The ECE15 measuring cycle calls for twelve 15s stops over a distance of 7km. During such a journey, the Bosch system reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by as much as 8%, depending on the vehicle, and within the overall European cycle (NEDC) consumption can be reduced by 4%.
Bosch designed the special starter for the stop/start system for the BMW implementation. This required a higher-performance electric motor, and a low-noise, stronger pinion-engaging mechanism. In addition, Bosch already produces the battery sensor that detects state of charge and communicates with the energy management system
LPVs, being driven by emerging markets, are expected to have an annual growth of 5% – twice that of the overall car market. By 2010 they will have 13% of the market. To this end Bosch has already developed Value Motronic as a cost-effective control unit platform for gasoline engines with two, three, or four cylinders and intake-manifold injection. In addition it is working on systems that support biofuels and natural gas.
For the mainstream sector, Bosch is supporting the use of turbocharging in combination with gasoline direct injection for engines that achieve the same output with a smaller displacement. The latest DI-Motronic allows both lean combustion methods with layered charging and homogeneous charge compression ignition.
Polyolefin foams target acoustics and interiors
Although unspectacular, lightweight foam components are increasingly replacing heavy and rigid plastics in vehicle interiors and engine compartments. However, only a few materials have all the properties needed to provide both acoustic and thermal insulation.
Polyolefin foam manufacturer Sekisui Alveo will be presenting new ideas and products for such applications – some of them for the first time – at IAA.
Acoustic damping has traditionally depended on the thickness and weight of the materials employed. Many of them are tough and thermally stable but quite often bulky and difficult to form. Sekisui Alveo polyolefin foams, especially Alveolen, are said to overcome these disadvantages.
Most interior noise comes from the motor and wind. Despite its thinness and low weight, engine encapsulation made of Alveolen is said to be easily formed into lightweight pieces that are simple to mount. Alveolen is used for watershields in the new BMW 1 Series. The foam serves as acoustic damping between the door body and the interior panel. The watershield is made of various densities and thicknesses of foam and it helps to keep moisture and dust put of the car’s interior.
Alveolit foam for interior systems is described as being multi-talented. Hidden beneath fabric or synthetic coverings with the desired appearance, the soft foam gives a pleasing surface feel. Due to its flexibility, the foam follows every curve that defines the characteristic contours of the interior. Several grades are on offer and properties can be can fine-tuned to match requirements precisely. Conversion processes include lamination, vacuum forming, or low-pressure injection moulding.
Eco-friendly focus for belts and hoses
ContiTech says it is presenting ecologically friendly solutions from drive belts for starter-generators and special hoses for hybrid vehicles through to hose lines for CO2 air-conditioning systems.
For the belt-driven starter generator (BSG) a special high-performance multiple V-ribbed belt with an aramid tension member and new surface technology has been developed. Also new is the Conti Oil Runner designed so that existing engines can use a belt drive instead of a chain drive in oil bath environments. Impregnation makes the timing belt resistant to oil. Previously capable of being employed to drive oil pumps as well as balancer and camshafts, the drive belt reduces the loss of efficiency due to friction by up to 30% compared with oil-lubricated chain drives.
CO2 refrigerants for HVAC systems are on the way and ContiTech has developed an elastomer hose that is impermeable to CO2 refrigerant without the use of a stainless steel corrugated tubing as barrier layer. Instead, a polymer barrier layer inside the hose keeps permeation to a minimum. The new hose is much more flexible than the previous solution so tighter bending radii can be achieved.
Selective catalytic reduction technology also requires special hoses and to this end ContiTech Fluid Technology has developed a product that ensures that carbamide is always capable of flowing even at the lowest ambient temperatures. Carbamide, which freezes at –11ºC, is used in SCR systems to render nitrogen oxide environmentally compatible. The hose has an EPDM jacket, polyester braid pressure carrier and integrated heating wires.
ContiTech will also be showing permeation protected fuel line hoses and hoses lines for particulate filters that are resistant to 225ºC.
High-tech spark plugs for compact engines
Beru, the German-based specialist in diesel cold-start systems and ignition technology for spark-ignition engines, says the optimised combustion process and supercharged, compact spark-ignition engines have placed big demands on spark plugs, both in terms of design and materials.
The company says its narrow bi-hex spark plugs meet these requirements through the use of innovative ceramic compounds and spark plugs that can position the ground electrodes exactly.
For diesel engines, optimum combustion, lower soot/particulate and nitrogen-oxide emissions are being provided for by Beru’s Pressure Sensor Glowplug (PSG) which has won several innovation awards. The product consists of the same robust heating element found in the company’s Instant Start System (ISS) and an integrated sensor which tells the engine control electronics of any rapid changes in pressure in the combustion chamber. The first application of PSF will be seen in a mainstream vehicle at the end of the year.
Beru will also be showing its latest tyre pressure monitoring systems. As well as their safety functions, these are now being considered for environmental reasons. Experts say that if cars in Germany alone all had the correct tyre inflation pressure, then the annual saving in fuel would amount to 200 million litres. That’s roughly the same as a C02 emission level of 490,000 tonnes. Across Europe the figure would be 26 million tonnes.
New ideas in HMI concept
Preh says its new HMI concept – the PrehCon centre console –breaks new ground in design and control functions.
These include a climate control design with just one control knob for both driver and passenger, a black-panel design technology which is also designed for genuine metal surfaces (Preh-PVD translucent), a novel gear shift, a central control knob with a haptic user guidance, and a touchpad that can also be used as a telephone keyboard.
Denso gives notice of a world first in CR diesel
Denso will be focusing on technologies ranging from the electric variable valve timing (VVT) control system it developed with Toyota to advanced frontlighting systems. Visitors are also being advised to look out for a “world first” in common rail diesel technology.
For the car interior the company has developed a new air conditioning system with what is claimed to be the world’s first matrix infrared sensor. This device has multiple sensor elements that detect infrared rays radiated within the vehicle cabin and thus measures the surface temperature of each passenger.
Denso was a pioneer in adaptive frontlighting systems and this year will demonstrate its latest technology, still under development, which is said to further to improve visibility.
Mechatronics drive doors and windows
Dura Automotive says mechatronic innovations will be at the heart of its displays at IAA. Featured will be a new generation of Invisitrak sliding doors which require no exterior rails on the host vehicle, a DigiShift shift-by-wire automatic gear actuator that streamlines driver interface, and Power Flush sliding windows with a “daylight opening” feature.
Concept car to demo clean diesel systems
Now in its sixth year, the Green Diesel Platform will show technologies and strategies to suppress diesel particulates using an additive diesel particulate filter (A-DPF) and reduce NOx using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) combined with CO2 emissions reduction.
Also on show will be a functional concept car, said to be one of the cleanest diesel vehicles in the world, designed by Esperra Sbarro and fitted with an AdBlue storage and distribution for SCR and a fuel-borne catalyst for diesel particulate filters.
Formed in 2002, the Green Diesel Platform promotes the diesel technologies of Aaqius & Aaqius, a venture business company that commercialises innovations, Inergy Automotive Systems, the supplier of plastic fuel systems, and Rhodia, a global specialty chemicals company.
New sensors drive safety in mass markets
Intelligent and integrated safety functions will be the theme on TRW Automotive’s displays and presentations at IAA. In addition the company will showcase fuel efficient technologies such as hybrid braking and electrically powered steering systems.
John Plant, president and chief executive, said: “TRW has developed a suite of environmental sensors to gain a complete picture of the driving environment.”
Peter Lake, executive vice president sales and business development, added: “Studies have shown that the potential value of safety and driver assist systems increase as higher proportions of the vehicle fleet feature these technologies.
“To this end, for the mass market or C-segment typical family car, we’ve developed a series of mid range, lower cost sensors including radar for adaptive cruise control and a camera for lane departure warning systems.
“Other examples of such market positioning are the development of our latest generation electrically powered hydraulic steering, or Active Dynamic Control suspension technology, both of which are competitive systems with advanced functionality.”
Stop-start starts at Valeo
Valeo will feature the stop/start system that now equips the smart mhd (micro-hybrid drive).
Other technologies, including electromagnetic valve actuation and a new water-cooled charge air cooler system, will be on display in a dedicated ‘Green by nature’ zone.
The company says it will also unveil the latest innovations from its three business domains – driving assistance, comfort enhancement and powertrain efficiency.
And in a dedicated area outside the halls set up for automated parking demonstrations, Valeo will show its latest systems.
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Author
Roger Bishop
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