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Engine E
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
review
wertrain technologies
With a raft of green po
, this year’s Engine Expo
and subsystems on show
e
sitors and exhibitors alik
event was a treat for vi
Powertrain engineers from
around the globe descended on
Stuttgart, Germany, to visit the
tenth Engine Expo, which
proved to be the biggest and
most popular show in the
event’s history.
In total, over 11,000 visitors
passed through the doors of
the New Trade Fair Centre,
which along with Engine Expo,
co-hosted Automotive Testing
Expo, Crash Test Expo, European
Automotive Components Expo
and Vehicle Dynamics Expo
during 6, 7 and 8 May.
Visitors and exhibitors were
delighted with Engine Expo,
which was brimming with new
powertrain concepts and
components from companies
around the world. Jurgen
Buhner, production planning
manager at Mercedes, summed
up the feeling at Engine Expo:
“This is my first time to the show
and I’m really impressed with the
high level of technical content.”
Exhibitors were equally happy,
with the event generating leads,
contacts and even business. Ron
Kukler, Green Diesel Corp CEO,
had a busy time at the Expo: “I’ve
been to many shows, but this is
one of the best yet. We’ve got
superb leads, constant traffic to
the stand and the visitors are
really high-level technical people
that understand powertrains.”
Reinforcing the importance of
Engine Expo was the three-day
Open Technology Forum, which
played host to speakers from the
likes of GM and Antonov.
Engine Expo 2009 promises to
be even better and will be held at
the New Trade Fair Centre, in
Stuttgart on 16, 17 and 18 June.
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
Open Technology Forum
Adding to Engine Expo’s high level of technical content was the three-day Open Technology
Forum, where attendees agreed that there were several standout presentations. On Day One,
Bryn Richards, managing director of Aeristech, attracted crowds with his paper entitled ‘A
hybrid turbocharger for engine downsizing’. On Day Two, a presentation called ‘Advanced
manufacturing technology for hybrid batteries’ – by Ralf Goossens, CEO of PEC Corp – raised
much discussion with visitors. Another well-attended presentation on Day Two – this time
from Eduardo Velasco Orosco, product engineer at GM Mexico – focused on ‘Sustainable
Mobility by 2020’. On the final day of the event, visitors were keen to listen to Professor
Rainer Gadow from the University of Stuttgart, who presented a paper entitled ‘Lightweight
metal matrix composites with tailored textile engineering for automotive applications’.
DIESEL evolution
Green Diesel Corp
Clean mobility debut
From concept to car
A revolutionary injection system that dramatically increases engine power and
torque while cutting emissions output and fuel consumption got many
visitors excited at this year’s Engine Expo event.
The Green Diesel Fuel System, from Australia-based Green Diesel Corp,
features a multi-stage constant pressure cycle and injects diesel at 160,000PSI
– more than seven times that of conventional systems.
According to Ron Kukler, CEO of Green Diesel Corp, the technology
produces up to 30% more power while cutting emissions and fuel
consumption by around the same amount when pitted against traditional
diesel injection systems. Other benefits include the elimination of diesel
knock and costly add-on components such as particulate filters and
EGR systems.
With inroads already being made in Australia and the US, the focus for
Kukler and his team is now on Europe: “We’re looking for a partner or JV
agreements with a European company that can help us push this technology
in a market that is very important to us.”
A clever, emissions-free prototype vehicle that
could help the automotive industry take a major
step toward achieving sustainable transportation
in urban city centers made its European debut
at this year’s Engine Expo.
Gracing the From Concept to Car stand, the
H-due prototype has been developed to run on
two 450W traction wheels while being powered
by a hydrogen-burning battery that was
designed by the Politecnico di Torino and
HySyLab. Constructed from recycled materials,
H-due has a top speed of 25km/h and, when
fully charged, has a driving range of two hours.
Linda Negro, assistant manager at From Concept
To Car, said that H-due will be put into
production later this year following the
unveiling of a second prototype specifically
designed for people with limited mobility.
From Concept to Car is an Italian
organization that gives the industry
the opportunity to get in touch
with more than 150 leading
suppliers in the
Piedmont region.
Suppliers that have
worked on H-due
include AutoStudi.
Green Diesel Corp is now looking
for a European partner to help
push forward the technology
H-due generated lots of
interest at Engine Expo
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
Super model
Scuderi
The first model of an innovative, fuel-efficient internal
combustion engine was showcased at Engine Expo 2008.
Crowds at the Stuttgart-based show gathered to see an actual
model of the Scuderi Air-Hybrid engine concept, which the
company claims improves fuel efficiency over conventional
engines by 50% and cuts NOx emissions output by 80% when
compared to gasoline and diesel powertrains, while offering
improved performance levels over today’s hybrid systems.
The concept features a breakthrough split-cycle arrangement
and disc-valve design that handles the inlet and outlet valves of
the compression cylinder, thus allowing nearly all trapped gas to
be removed. A built-in supercharger reduces cost, weight and
size, while the addition of a simple air-storage tank and some
extra controls allows the engine to capture and reuse energy that
is normally lost when the vehicle slows down.
With Bosch Engineering now onboard to assist with
prototype development, Sal Scuderi, president of Scuderi
Group, is confident that it’s only a matter of time until the AirHybrid engine makes a major breakthrough into the automotive
industry. Speaking at Engine Expo, he added: “There has been
great anticipation around the development of our engine, and
showing this model to the European engineering community
attending Engine Expo will give them a new opportunity to see
the breakthroughs we have been realizing.”
Making the connection
Mape
A new connecting rod that has been specifically designed
for high-end sports car applications was presented at
Engine Expo 2008.
Visitors to the Stuttgart show – which is now in its tenth
year – flocked to the Mape stand to inspect the new part,
which makes use of a high-alloy steel containing nickel,
chrome and molybdenum. “This mixture guarantees
outstanding performance, with extremely high fatigue
strength, ultimate tensile strength and yield point,” said a
company spokesperson. The new connecting rod will be
first used in a GT application that is capable of delivering
470bhp, which the Italian-based supplier says is further
proof of the component’s durability and quality.
The innovative Air Hybrid
powertrain from Scuderi
“This has been a very good show. I came
here to look for NVH powertrain component
suppliers and all in all I am satisfied”
Mape’s stand was busy throughout the three-day Engine Expo event
Kiran Mohan, deputy manager in NVH, R&D Center, Mahindra & Mahindra
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
ENGINE awards
BMW once again put on a dominant display at the International
Engine of the Year Awards, securing no fewer than six category
wins, including the prestigious overall title of International Engine
of the Year 2008 for its outstanding 3-liter twin-turbo engine. The
powerful BMW unit was one of seven engines to triumph in the
2008 Awards that use turbocharging to achieve high power
output from smaller displacement engines that use less fuel and
produce less CO2.
Another BMW class-winner was its 2-liter Diesel Twin-Turbo
unit, which, due to its ability to sip just 5.2L/100km yet deliver
204bhp, scooped the Best New Engine of the Year award. The coengineered BMW-PSA 1.6-liter Turbo engine with a strong 175bhp
also won the keenly contested 1.4-liter to 1.8-liter category.
Peter Langen, BMW’s director of powertrain, who also saw his
engines top the 3- to 4-liter and Above 4-liter categories, said:
“BMW views these awards as the highest industry recognition of
its outstanding achievements in engine technology. It is an honor
for our 3-liter twin-turbo to have secured the highest accolade for
the second year running, and we are delighted that so many of our
other engines have been judged as class-leading.”
2008
Profile promotion
HIDRIA
Iranian promise
iran KHODRO powertrain Company
One of the busiest booths at this year’s Engine Expo event was
that of Hidria AET, which used the Stuttgart show to further
spread the word about the company and its product range. Now
part of the Hidria Corporation, Hidria AET has become a global
leader in the supply and development of a variety of subsystems
and components, including metallic glow plugs, glow plug
control units, air heaters, flame heater plugs and solenoid valves.
The Slovenian company also boasts an impressive customer base
that includes the likes of Iveco, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Ford,
Renault, Caterpillar and MAN.
A new CNG bi-fuel
engine, developed by
engineers in Iran, is
being fine-tuned for the
European market after
being shown at the tenth
Engine Expo.
Designed by Iran
Khodro’s new 1.7-liter CNG bi-fuel powertrain Khodro Powertrain
(IPCO), the 1.7-liter unit will first be used by Samand, a leading
auto maker in Iran that currently buys PSA Peugeot Citroën
engines. But by being present at this year’s Engine Expo event,
IPCO is hoping to forge links with European OEMs, said Amir
Ghannad, marketing manager. The EURO IV-compliant engine is
said to be good for over 100kW at 5,500rpm and has a torque
output of 215Nm at 4,800rpm when running on gasoline.
Hidria has become a global leader
in the supply of various parts and
subsystems, including glow plugs
Thick coat
Iwis MotorSysteme
Iwis MotorSysteme used this year’s Engine Expo to showcase a
new generation of high-resistant coating technology that leads to
lower friction and wear in the tribological joint of timing chains.
The Munich-based supplier says this results in high accuracy
levels of valve timing for the complete lifetime of the subsystem.
Iwis also says reduction of wear elongation when using the
coating hits 60% compared with conventional timing chains,
while improved wear protection is also realized, making the
coating suitable for all combustion operating principles, including
direct injection systems in gasoline and diesel powertrains.
“The show has been really busy and has
provided us with excellent leads”
Bert de Gooijer, technical director, Gomecsys
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
Engines on the go
Gomecsys
One of the most popular attractions at the tenth Engine Expo
event was the second-generation GoEngine from Gomecsys.
The basic functionality of the GoEngine VCR system has not
changed from the first generation, but the key to the secondgeneration system is the introduction of features in addition to
the VCR. For example, the over-expanded engine cycle – which
has a 20% longer expansion stroke than the compression stroke –
gives more combustion force and pressure to the piston, thus
enhancing efficiency and power output. The newly expanded
engine cycle also reduces engine temperature, which makes the
operating environment less harsh for the turbo and reduces the
need for extreme over-fueling.
According to Bert de Gooijer, technical director at the
Netherlands-based engine company, the new GoEngine can
reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by a staggering
40%. He added: “The Go Engine technology can also be used on
Boxer and V6/V8 engines. For example, a 3-liter V8 GoEngine
with 600bhp at 6,000rpm can replace an existing V8 or V12,
thus reducing fuel consumption by up to 40% while delivering
the thrill of a V8 or V12.”
Downsize this
fausto martins innovations
Fausto Martins Innovations, a Portugal-based high-tech company,
showcased its reverse variable valve actuation technology, which
helps enable downsizing of all engines.
The simple system features only three basic pieces. It realizes
low-cost manufacturing, eliminates valve return springs and
guarantees very low friction in the valvetrain.
The second-generation GoEngine from Gomecsys was shown at Engine Expo. The
powertrain can reduce engine size as well as cut overall fuel consumption by 40%
“The exhibition is great. We’ve already
had really good enquiries. This is a
show that attracts true engineers”
Michael Hollaender, director of European sales for Winsert
Enhance and expand
CAPRICORN automotive
Intricate components and takeovers
were the focus at Capricorn
Copper alloy advantages
WIELAND automotive
A raft of interesting powertrain components ranging from rolled
products through to tubes and heat exchangers were on display
at the Wieland Automotive stand.
The German company, which has become a leader in
manufacturing semi-finished and special products in copper and
copper alloys had a busy show. Powertrain engineers were
particularly interested to find out more about Wieland’s slide
bearing materials that consist of copper-based special alloys and
offer high levels of temperature stability and stress resistance.
The components come ready to be assembled and are ideal in
applications where slide bearings with particularly high
tribological properties are required, such as in pistons and
conrods in modern diesel and petrol powertrains, as well as
gearboxes, clutches and fuel-injection systems.
Having opened new facilities near the Nurbürgring in 2006,
Capricorn Automotive used its stand at Engine Expo to highlight
its acquisition of two major motorsport component suppliers in
France and the UK.
Toward the end of last year, Capricorn captured Perfect Bore in
the UK and Chambon in France for undisclosed fees. “These
takeovers have given us the capability of making the complete
rotating parts inside the engine,” enthused Niall Johanson,
European business development manager for Capricorn
Automotive. “Chambon is a very well-established crankshaft
manufacturer that’s been going since the 1930s. This company
has fantastic technology and a key capability in producing parts
that can be one-offs or in batches of 10,000.”
Perfect Bore, based in Andover, UK, specializes in the
manufacture of performance cylinder lines and forged pistons, as
well as offering a range of block machining. “We’re going places,”
added Johanson. “We have good engineering in place and it’s as
simple as that.”
Special products in copper and copper alloys were the talk of Wieland’s stand
www.engine-expo.com
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engine expo 2008
With a new exhibition center located next to Stuttgart airport, Engine Expo – now in its tenth year – proved to be a major success, with more visitors and exhibitors than ever before
Z interest
AUMET Oy
The Z-Engine is 30% smaller and lighter
than an equal four-cylinder powertrain
A new type of combustion
engine that features a pulse
turbocharger and a
supercharger got many visitors
interested at this year’s Engine
Expo.
The Z-Engine, developed by
Aumet Oy, is a new innovation
that the Finnish company says
is an economical alternative to
complex hybrid systems. It is
30% smaller and lighter than an
equal four-cylinder, four-stroke
engine; is cheaper to produce
due to the elimination of less
complex parts and subsystems; and boasts better overall
efficiency than a typical hybrid system.
Having being developed since 1999, the four-/two-stroke
innovation essentially operates at every stroke of each
piston, while the gas exchange is controlled by means of
poppet valves.
“This is my first time attending the show
and I am excited by what I see”
Dr Ali Aslan, assistant manager of powertrain engineering, Ford Otosan
www.engine-expo.com
Fast cast
ACTECH
Casting prototypes was the main technology focus for ACTech at
Engine Expo 2008.
The Saxony-based supplier, which was founded in 1995,
wowed Expo visitors with its vast array of engineering services,
which include laser-sintering of croning material, direct mold
milling, directional solidification, mold assembly, foundry
technology and CNC machining.
With nearly 40% of ACTech’s total staff being engineers, the
company is primed for growth, said a company spokesperson. He
added: “We deliver close to production-quality castings, applying
extensive knowledge gained from over 10,000 projects and more
than 95,000 castings.
“Our rapid castings parts realize shorter lead times and less
costs than castings produced from conventional methods.”
ACTech used Engine Expo 2008 to
promote its casting prototypes