Car progress sets future machine tool need: News from CECIMO

Request your FREE weekly copy of the Manufacturingtalk email newsletter. News about Professional Associations, Institutions, Institutes, Standards bodies and more every issue. Click here for details.

Ongoing automotive power train, systems and structural materials and components developments may result in a future decline in demand for metal cutting machine tools, reports Mike Page.

Automotive companies now not only have to satisfy increasingly legislated environmental concerns over pollution but also radically raise engine performance per kilogram of power train weight to offset escalating fuel costs Fuel economy continues to generate a desire to save vehicle weight

This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 6 Oct 2005 at 8.00am (UK)

Having considered the results of the interviews and published material, combined with various telephone conversations and literature searches, the initiative suggests that the most significant changes in manufacturing equipment procurement strategies to be made by the automotive industry will be determined by: * The introduction of on-board 42V electrical systems.

Increasing use of high-strength steels, non-ferrous metals, non-metallic materials and composites in body-in-white and final assembly of cars, MPVs and commercial vehicles.

The development of IC engine + electric motor 'hybrid' vehicles The development of electronic valve engines to burn 'bio-fuels' or hydrogen.

* The introduction of wholly electrically powered vehicles.

The significance of 42V systems - all vehicle types - the consensus of opinion is that 42V systems - whether power take-off from the engine, or produced by a fuel cell add-on (the so-called 'hybrid' system) - could be introduced 2007-2010.

Opinions differ widely as to any precise time frame.

At present, the introduction of 14V systems appears to cover the current level of electrical demand in vehicles - including 'throttle-by-wire' and 'parking-brake-by-wire' as well as power steering systems and electric suspension systems.

The availability of 42V systems could bring into volume produced vehicles a whole series of developments - such as 'drive-by-wire' and the camless internal combustion (IC) engine.

Such developments will have significant implications for those production equipment and machine tool manufacturers currently supplying production metal cutting systems and machine tools to the automotive industry.

Essentially, 'drive-by-wire' systems will need fewer machined metal components.

For example, electronically controlled servo-electric actuators can replace existing hydraulic and electro-mechanical/hydro-mechanical systems in steering, braking, parking, automatic gear selection and so on.

Electronically controlled electro-mechanical (solenoid) can replace timing mechanisms and camshafts.

In terms of such systems being technologically perfected ready for commercial introduction, the wider introduction of 'gear shift-by-wire' has begun.

'Steer- and brake-by-wire' systems could be introduced during 2007-2010.

'Parking brake-by-wire' has been introduced.

This report emphasises that while such systems may be technically proven and ready for commercialisation, they will be subjected to safety legislatory approvals and insurance company approvals before production commences.

A fully developed 'drive-by-wire' car with a 'camless' IC engine can, for example, eliminate: * Conventional rack and pinion steering systems.

* On-board hydraulic systems.

* Pedal box assemblies.

* Camshafts and cam shaft timing/driving and camshaft bearing supports.

* Camless engines - as for the electronic controlled solenoid engine valves, according to conversations and published literature, these systems are particularly attractive for burning hydrogen, synthetic and 'bio-fuels'.

Synthetic fuels are already being introduced in some countries, while 'bio- fuels' are expected to come in around 2010-2012.

Essentially the cam-operated IC engine valve system is considered by engine designers as being too inflexible for meeting future environmental legislation on emissions.

The cam represents a 'fixed' engine cycle.

An electronically controlled electrically actuated 'digital' engine valve - managed by a microprocessor - can change engine cycle conditions according to fuels to be burnt, driving conditions and emission controls required.

The camless engine is also seen as a less complex, much more economically attractive proposition than the 'hybrid' engine (where a fuel cell or battery system contributes to the power train).

Camless diesels for volume produced passenger cars could be produced from 2008 onwards.

In Europe, for example, the BMW Group recently demonstrated its hydrogen (h2) -powered H2R prototype in 2004.

The H2R has a 12-cyl power unit (based on BMW 760I petrol engine) with fully variable 'Valvetronic' valve drive that allows it to burn H2 or petrol.

The vehicle accelerated to 100 km/h in 6s on h2.

Powertrain is now developing a camless pre-production engine prototype using Cambridge, UK-based Camcon Technology's binary actuation system.

Camcon has licensed its technology to Powertrain in a joint 'Intelligent Valve Actuation' programme.

The deal follows 18 months' research by Camcon.

In the USA, the US military is taking keen interest in a 'flat pack', twin-stroke IC engine - a 'briefcase-sized' auxiliary power unit (APU) opposed piston/opposed cylinder (OPOC) two-stroke developed by Advanced Propulsion Technologies.

It has 40% fewer parts than an equivalent power, conventional four-stroke engine.

Its significance is that an OPOC engine is modular - each module has a double piston/single cylinder assembly either side of a common crankshaft and mounted in a simple cradle.

The development work is being carried out by FEV Engine Technology, which is also working on an OPOC engine for commercial automotive use.

The 'flat pack' engine design eliminates cylinder head, valves, camshafts and all related drive systems.

Prof.

Dr Peter Hofbauer of FEV says that all the forces in an OPOC act on a single crankshaft and not on the main bearings and crankcase.

Less radical camless engines designs would eliminate the traditional valve head and camshaft and, in diesels, eliminate rocker arms, resulting in a much-simplified single- or two-piece engine structural assembly.

Overall reduction in metal cutting machining requirements is estimated at between 15-30% when compared with traditional camshaft-operated engine designs, and much greater for the 'flat pack' engine.

* 'Hybrid' engines - crudely speaking, a 'hybrid' power train consists of an IC engine backed by an auxiliary electric motor.

The electric motor is powered by a battery or capacitor system that also draws energy from regenerative systems (braking, for example).

There are various levels at which a 'hybrid' design makes use of electrical power.

Most of the development appears to be taking place in the USA.

DaimlerChrysler lists four 'hybrid' power train types: P1 - -electric motor is on crankshaft between engine and clutch.

P2- electric motor behind the clutch and in front of the transmission.

P3- electric motor at end of the transmission.

P4 - electric motor mounted on its own transmission shaft - independently of main transmission - and serves as second drive axle.

DaimlerChrysler (DC) has P1/P2 'dual-mode' S-class hybrid vehicle to reduce fuel consumption by 15-25%.

Module consists of IC engine, hybrid components and transmission.

S-Class hybrid is 191kW 8-cyl CDI engine and two electric motors with combined output of 50kW.

One motor is mounted directly behind the diesel around the crankshaft and also serves as integrated starter/generator.

Second motor is behind the clutch and in front of the transmission - wholly electric drive operation - say in 'stop-go' traffic situations, with clutch disengaged.

If more power needed, then first motor starts the diesel.

The car's 7G-Tronic automatic transmission interacts with the two motors to provide a continuously variable transmission.

In Europe, examples include Mercedes-Benz, which has said it will focus on hybrid drives in rear-wheel drive luxury cars within the next few years.

German power train specialist - LuK - believes that 'parallel hybrids' (DC's P4) that use electrical motors to support a downsized IC engine - rather than systems where the electric motor takes over completely - are the only systems that produce advantages for the 'energy balance sheet'.

Hybrid power rains are much more complex than the conventional IC engine power train.

For example, analysts say that owning a hybrid in US will cost thousands of dollars more than non-hybrids over first five years.

Edmunds.com says that higher cost of purchase, insurance, related expenses more than offset tax breaks and fuel savings.

Analysts determine that petrol would have to cost at least $5.60c/gal for hybrid drivers to 'break even' based on 15,000 miles/year for 5 years.

In US, hybrids currently make up less than 1% of market share, but cost is likely to decrease as hybrid technology matures and more tax incentives arrive.

European OEMs are seen as not embarking on the hybrid route until the end of this decade.

They currently regard hybrids as complex and costly.

Their interest lies in alternative power train developments that increase IC engine efficiency will make use of a wider range of fuels.

For the machine tool supplier - including metal-cutting, die-casting and plastics moulding and to a lesser extent, metal-forming - hybrid power trains are 'good news' in terms of more components required for a complex power train! * 'Conventional' IC engines - Europe's OEMs are looking for more 'intelligent' power train solutions to satisfy growing concerns over particulates and carcinogens in diesel emissions.

Ideas change and 42V systems are not now seen as necessary for stop-start systems now achievable with 14V.

So they are coming soon on small capacity Citroen and Peugeot models using 14V Valeo systems.

Visteon has one, say for small urban vehicles or delivery vans.

The next stage seen is the addition of regenerative braking to power stop-start, so downsizing IC engines further.

Audi predicts it will have a sparkplug-free engine with variable compression ratio by 2015-20.

Mercedes-Benz has similar ideas, with variable compression ratio engines running on synthetic fuels.

Chief engineer Richard Turkins at Pi Technology says that Biofuels are the way ahead.

Saab, for example has its 9.5 2.0t BioPower using a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline (B85 fuel) Hydrogen is seen as a future 'panacea' - whether in fuel cells or as a fuel - but it has to be manufactured and requires a complete infrastructure change.

Automotive industry analysts say there is no clear answer.

Neither hybrids, hydrogen nor bio-fuels are seen as a global answer - only local answers - unless universal emission standards are applied.

In late 2004, Ford unveiled its prototype IC engine - the H2ICE - installed in a Ford Focus C-MAX during the VDA's research conference in Stuttgart.

Developed at Ford's research centre, Aachen, the 2.3L/4-cyl gasoline unit uses compressed h2 at 350bar and a supercharger gives vehicle performance than matches gasoline performance.

Linde Technology group's recent economic feasibility study reports that the cost of developing a hydrogen (h2) infrastructure in Europe by 2020 will be much lower than previously thought - at EUR 3.5bn.

The study covers 12 different scenarios for the production and distribution of h2.

Author David Hart of e4tech costs an initial phase of about 6.1m hydrogen cars throughout Europe by 2020 - needing about 2,800 h2 filling stations.

In Germany, infrastructure for h2 supply 1.9m cars would cost EUR 870m, probably based on centralised h2 production.

In the UK, Professor of Lifecycle Engineering, Cranfield University, Steve Evans reckons as regards fuel-cell powered buses (London has three H2 powered buses in operation and BP is building the UK's first H2 refuelling station near Hornchurch, Essex) that the 'technology path' would allow us to have fuel cell fleets as soon as we have the infrastructure capable of providing hydrogen in the necessary quantities.

That could be in 10 - 15 years.

As regards 'conventional' diesel and gasoline IC engines, apart from detail developments, such as fuel rail technology, materials used in engine blocks and cylinder heads will remain as much as they are today.

As with transmissions, powder metallurgy (PM) holds the attraction of producing components to 'even nearer' near net shape, to further reduce the amount of machining required and, in particular, to eliminate rough machining operations.

New higher heat-resistant plastics will continue to replace 'hot' area engine components, such as in intake and exhaust systems.

* Transmissions - materials developments in gearboxes, whether focussing on gear operation and manipulation, or weight, will not significantly change the machining content as required in today's 4-, 5- and 6-speed passenger vehicle boxes and truck/commercial vehicle boxes.

With current cast iron and aluminium casting/diecasting practices, the foundry industry is considered to be achieving as 'near net shape' components as feasible - particularly now that foundries and machine shops are consulted at an early stage in product development.

However, the emerging families of magnesium alloys and PM aluminium alloys, promise more progress on 'near net shape', such that non-critical holes and features can be cored, leaving only the finishing (boring, reaming and grinding) and threading to be carried out.

In general, as regards gear manufacture, 'near net shape' applies to forging practices, the goal being to eliminate rough machining.

As always, volumes determine whether cold forming techniques can replace rough gear cutting, leaving only gear grinding and lapping, as the machining processes required.

* Electrically-powered vehicles - cost is the main decider.

In traction hydrogen fuel cell, there can be some 600 plates, currently costing some $200/plate (Dana Corporation, 2002).

That plate cost has got to be reduced to below $1/plate, before a fuel cell motive power unit can compete against an equivalent power IC engine.

Some OEMs consider 2020 as 'optimistic' and 2020-2030 'more likely' for fuel cell prime movers in volume produced cars.

One Japanese OEM suggested 2010, for a volume produced fuel cell car.

Significantly, some contacts and one interviewee expressed the opinion that the mass-produced fuel cell powered vehicle may be a lot closer than one imagines.

On the other hand, the fuel cell as an on-board auxiliary electrical systems provider - say for 'drive-by-wire' and electronic camless IC engine systems - is more likely by 2010.

The factor militating against this is the increasing efficiency of the IC engine in terms of power-to-weight ratio.

The camless engine, say its developers, could achieve a 10-15% increase in efficiency when compared with a camshaft-operated engine.

In which case, power take-off from the IC engine to power a 42V system is likely too.

Ultimately, cost and weight will be the main determining factors.

Generally speaking, the interest by OEMs in electric traction has accelerated during the last three years.

Developments shown at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum event in Shanghai, China, 2004, indicated that the emphasis is very much on electric drives - whether for hybrids or fuel cell-powered vehicles.

It is often said that in the industry that the revolution is over and the evolution is just beginning.

A big surprise at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum event was the HyLite fuel cell vehicle by Michelin.

The company developed the vehicle and drive motors, has a range of 250 miles, top speed of 80mph and can reach 62 mph in 12 sec.

The propulsion is by two of Michelin's 'Active Wheel' units.

Active Wheel includes electric traction motor, electrically operated active suspension unit and disc brake.

Power supply is a 30kW fuel cell, developed in conjunction with the Paul Scherrer Institute.

It is combined with an ultracapacitor supplied by Montana (Maxwell, USA).

Ultracapacitors accept a large electrical charge many times more quickly than a battery - so are very efficient at storing energy from regenerative systems.

The fuel cell took oxygen from a compressed gas cylinder on board.

Battery power is a contender too.

For example, Volvo's 3CC prototype (Volvo Monitoring and Concept Centre, California) has a front-wheel drive electric power train in a high-strength steel spaceframe with composite sandwich floor panels.

Outer body is a one-piece carbon fibre shell.

Drive is from lithium-ion batteries packaged in a thin sandwich floor.

Various companies in the USA, Japan and Europe are working on compact, combined self-drive wheel systems.

For example, a Dutch company e-traction (www.e-traction.com) has invented a fully self-contained electric wheel traction unit - demonstrated in early 2005 in its second 'Whisper 2' bus in Apeldoorn.

It comprises an AC synchronous motor, DC to AC converter, control electronics and the wheel.

There is only one moving part - the outer element of the motor affixed - or part of - the wheel rim.

On the vehicle, embedded hardware and software resolve the requirement normally performed by a differential gear when rounding corners - so differential gear is eliminated.

The system is set up for future steer-by-wire applications - when European regulations allow this.

E-traction claims substantial energy and fuel savings for 'The Wheel' and associated systems.

Fuel cells or batteries as 'prime movers', threaten even greater losses to metal cutting machine tools as well as die-casting machines and plastics moulding machines, as far fewer mechanical parts and housings may be required.

Though the loss of the traditional IC engine power train, will be compensated to a certain extent by more demand for pipe couplings, pumps and valves and mouldings, as associated with fuel cell and battery systems.

It is suggested that the mass production of fuel cell units will be akin to that of battery production, mostly a combination of some presswork (for the plates) and plastics moulding.

The fuel cell involves more pipe circuitry, valves and pumps.

Much of these can be plastics mouldings and non-ferrous fittings.

* Materials - structural - much has been printed in the trade and technical press about the 'pros and cons' of steel versus aluminium versus magnesium versus plastics versus composites.

OEMs say that the ultimate determinator is price/kg.

In 2002 1kg of steel costs EUR 0.5 against EUR 35 for 1kg of CFK composite.

The growing legislation demands for materials recycling, coupled with the doubling of, say, steel prices (owing to escalating Chinese and Indian demand) has complicated matters in that determining future materials usage is becoming more difficult.

* Aluminium versus steel - there have been bold moves in the direction of all-aluminium vehicle bodies - Audi A8, A2 and the Jaguar XJ - but little more has happened in the last 12 months says analyst Jeff Daniels, (EAD February 2005).

More pressed steel models have appeared with aluminium closures - such as bonnets, doors and rear hatches (aluminium can be worked in separate factory areas and then married to the steel body before the paint stage).

Otherwise, novel approaches to body construction - be it aluminium or composites - remains confined to low-volume produced models.

Europe's steel industry has fought a successful counter-campaign in terms of high strength - yet deep formable alloys - coupled with elaboration of - and wider use of - 'tailored' blanks (two or more thicknesses spliced together).

There is also the exploitation of new metal forming technologies - such as the hydro forming of closed sections from CRF, CRW or extruded tube.

Looking at car body technology over the past 20 years, Daniels opined that in 20 years' time there will not be a lot of change.

One suspects that the aluminium sector will have to devote as much energy as the steel industry has in order to gain any market share improvement - but that does not seem to be happening.

Also, excitement at injection moulded composite plastics panels has faded in Europe as the emphasis on recycling grows.

Maybe the plastics industry will eventually overcome the recycling problem.

In Detroit, DaimlerChrysler showed its 'bionic' car.

It uses a structural shape based on a boxfish to achieve minimum drag, but also a skeletal-based structure to raise rigidity and reduce weight.

The structure consists of hexagonal 'bony' plates offering up to 40% more rigidity in external door panelling.

Prof.

Matthek, DC, had investigated the biological design principles of trees and bones - the result is a weight-reduced design similar to bone microstructures - total weight reduced by around one-third for same strength and crash safety of conventional structures.

Such structures could consist of a welded fabrication of cast/die-cast 'plates'.

* Can aluminium ever be a serious contender in the volume production car market place? Ola Ivar Moen, director of marketing and sales at Hydro Aluminium, Raufoss, Norway (EAD March 05) says that from a technical standpoint the advantages of aluminium are almost always convincing, but aluminium's base price is considerably higher than steel.

The OEM has to decide whether to accept a certain cost difference in exchange for weight reduction.

Whether aluminium eventually replaces steels in body construction, the growing preference for hydraulic presses - against mechanical presses - to achieve the versatility in control necessary for forming and deep drawing - and working 'tailored blanks' - is likely to continue.

Plastics and composites - recent market research, reports analyst Steve Snook in EAD, September 2004, suggests that in the automotive industry consumption of thermoplastics matrices is growing at more than twice the rate of thermosets.

Advanced composites are becoming increasingly cost-competitive compared with traditional materials owing to significant advances in process technology.

Also, the cost of key reinforcement materials, such as carbon fibres, has fallen considerably - a trend that will continue.

Cyclics Corp., USA, in alliance with Dow Automotive, has developed CBT resins for automotive use.

CBT polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin systems allow thermoset-like processing by melting to a water-like viscosity before they polymerise and solidify to a high-strength engineering thermoplastics.

These resins allow maximum use of structural reinforcing fibres - glass or carbon fibres - to produce lightweight structural composites that can be thermoformed and recycled without hazardous volative organic compound (VOC) emissions.

Cyclics' first production plant - on BASF's Schwarzheide, Germany, site - will have an annual capacity of 2500 tonnes - planned to expand to 5000 tonnes in 2005.

Working with Radius Engineering, Utah, USA, Cyclics says CBT opens the doors for low-pressure moulding of traditionally injection-moulded thermoplastics parts.

President of Radius Engineering, Dimitrije Milovich, said that Cyclics' one-part CBT system, with its low viscosity, will allow even larger, more complex parts to be injected in cycle times of 60-120s with very high quality.

ECOLITE - Efficient Composites - Lightweight and Thermoformed - is a development project sponsored by Lotus Engineering UK, and Jacob Composite, Germany.

The project is to develop a medium volume (30,000 - 50,000+ units/year) passenger car with a chassis structure and body panels produced predominantly from composite materials.

Jacob believes it has a solution that will "rewrite the business case" for automotive composite structures.

Head of vehicle engineering at Lotus - Steve Swift - anticipates new production techniques requiring less investment than steel presswork and also offer faster cycle times.

Contact at Jacob is Dr Marcus Ruf, joint managing director.

ECOLITE aims to deliver composite technologies using polyamide, PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) and polystyrene resin systems based on glass-fibre reinforced materials.

First phase of research programme assesses crash resistance versus steel structures.

Quadrant Plastic Composites launched its lightweight SymaLITE composite in 2003 made from glass and polypropylene fibres.

First applications of SymaLITE were underbody systems, trunk trim liners and load floors.

It has also been validated for headliners and sunshades in place of polyurethane.

Automotive suppliers have also adopted Quadrant's GMT (glass mat reinforced thermoplastics) and GTMex materials to make semistructural and structural components.

GMT and GMTex have long and continuous glass fibres impregnated with polypropylene.

GMT composites - that exhibit outstanding toughness and mouldability - are used in vehicle underbody shields, instrument panel carriers, door module carriers and seat structures.

GMTex composites, with additional textile reinforcement, can be used in those structural components before only achievable with metals - such as bumper and pedestrian protection beams, rear axle supports, tailgates and spare wheel wells.

The foregoing has been only a brief selection from many developments taking place in plastics and composites.

The general trend, in that structural composites/plastics will be only used in replacing metals in non-load bearing panels in volume-produced cars, and more widely in low-volume production, is likely to continue.

The determinators will be ever more stringent recycling legislation and materials/production costs.

For example, over last 25 plastics has gradually replaced steels in fuel tanks, so that today, over 95% of new cars in Europe now have plastics fuel tanks - a loss to the steel industry of some 140,000 tonnes/year.

European End of Life vehicle Directives dictate recovery or re-use rates of over 85% from 2006 and over 95% from 2015.

Lead-free metallic coated steels meet ELV targets and reduce recycling costs, when compared with plastics.

Lotus, Ford and Aston Martin have started to use the Corus steel product (Neotec) for fuel tanks.

* Eastern Europe/Far East - many US/European/Japanese owned vehicle OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers are sourcing more components and sub-assemblies in countries like Hungary, Czech republic, Poland and Romania.

Lower labour costs are the main driver.

Significantly these countries are not such big users of 'front line' CNC support systems, such as, for example, advanced graphics or extensive program options.

Western SMEs are discovering that by using unmanned 'lights out' production that they can compete with these countries, and indeed, with the Far East.

Also the deployment of linked multi-tasking machine tools - to reduce production inventories (work-in-progress) and time lost in waiting for inter-operation quality control routines - also offers advantages in competition with users relying on cheap labour and 'low-level' CNC systems.

So the automotive component supply industry is undergoing more change, with significant shifts in markets for, say 2-axis/3-axis CNC lathes and multi-axis turning centres and, for advanced high specification machining centres and the 'low cost' variety.

* How the introduction of product innovations could affect the future demand for metal-cutting machine tools - a 'worst case' scenario - culminating in the introduction of volume-produced passenger cars with a fuel cell power train and full 'drive-by-wire': * 2005 - 100%.

* 2005 - 2007 - gear shift-, parking brake-by-wire: -5%.

* 2007 - camless diesels: -5-10%.

* 2010 - camless IC engines, full drive-by-wire, suspension-by-wire: -15%.

* 2020 - fuel cell, power train: -30%.

* 2030 - total drop in production metal cutting machine tool demand may be 60+%.

* Note well that these figures do not take into account future machine tool requirements for, for example, fuel cell production or possible increased use of mould and die tool making.

* Summary - two major factors will increasingly determine how the passenger car and commercial vehicle will develop during the next ten years - oil and energy prices and legislative recycling.

In place is legislation of emissions - legislation, which will become more stringent in Europe.

Oil price rises will stimulate even greater IC engine fuel efficiency, and maybe a gradual change to the burning of 'bio-fuels' and hydrogen in existing IC engine layouts, but with modifications in valve actuation.

Valve actuation by electronics means could eventually see the replacement of cam-driven systems with electronically controlled solenoid actuation.

Already we see the appearance of an electronic valve IC engine that can burn h2 or gasoline.

Apart from the disappearance of the camshaft and associated drives, overall IC engine design will still require existing levels of metal cutting machine tool input.

Many European OEMs, apparently, see 'Hybrid' drives, as 'too complex'.

Certainly the complexity of hybrid power trains would require greater metal-cutting machine tool involvement to volume-produce the electric motor drive + IC engine.

The battery or fuel cell as prime energy source would see a drastic reduction in metal-cutting machine tool requirements, with the elimination of the classic IC engine power train and drivetrain.

Such a scenario may not begin to develop within this decade, and maybe not until 2020, 'Steer-by-wire' and 'brake-by-wire' systems still await European approvals.

Energy, oil and legislation trends could have a major impact on future car body and power/drive train and vehicle suspension developments.

Plastics is oil and energy-dependent while aluminium and steel are highly energy-dependent, but readily recyclable.

It was said above that in Europe, until firm recycling legislation strategy is finalised - and it really needs to be a universal strategy, and not just Europe - then recycling will have a more 'patchy' global effect on materials choice.

One can also assume that the current detail replacement of metals components with plastics/composites materials will continue to be weight savings and materials cost dictated.

Indeed, recycling legislation may see a reversion to steel or aluminium components - fuel tanks for example.

Aluminium cost has to come down considerably more before the volume car producers consider replacing steel - in spite of some die-casting developments.

As reported above, aluminium car bodies continue to be the domain of the low volume vehicle producers - up to 50/80,000 vehicles/year.

Whether the intensive drive by the steelmakers, to improve their product and lower cost, will be mirrored by the aluminium/magnesium producers remains to be seen.

An ongoing additional factor is the design attraction of plastics moulding and aluminium/magnesium diecasting.

Where in final vehicle assembly and fitting out, a materials change would offer production cost or vehicle sales benefits over existing materials usage, will be determined by such benefits outweighing, or compensating for, the higher materials costs of alternative materials.

* About the author - Mike Page, editor of Manufacturingtalk, was task leader of CECIMO's MANTYS C.1 (4.3.1) initiative: 'Product Innovation by End Users' (2002-2004).

The initiative covered the automotive and aerospace industries.

The aerospace section will follow shortly.

Mike Page is former editor of 'European Automotive Production' (Findlay Publications), European editor 'Metalworking Production' (then Miller Freeman, now Centaur Publications) and contributor to 'Metalworking Insiders' Report' (Gardner Publications, USA).

* About CECIMO and MANTYS - CECIMO is the European Committee for Co-operation of the Machine Tool Industries, to which most European Machine Tool Associations belong.

CECIMO set up the European Community Growth Programme funded MANTYS - manufacturing technologies - Thematic Network on a variety of topics affecting the machine tool industry, of which 'Product Innovation by End Users' is but one (visit: http://www.mantys.org).

* Comments - the author welcomes any comments on this report from academics, machine tool companies and users.

Please indicate whether comments can be published - anonymously or bylined.

Send to mikepage@freeuk.com.

• CECIMO: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page

Car progress sets future machine tool
need

Ongoing automotive power train, systems and structural materials and components developments may result in a future decline in demand for metal cutting machine tools, reports Mike Page.

Related stories

Further reading

Search the Pro-Talk network of sites

Car progress sets future machine toolneed

Ongoing automotive power train, systems and structural materials and components developments may result in a future decline in demand for metal cutting machine tools, reports Mike Page.

Related stories

Further reading

Search the Pro-Talk network of sites

Car progress sets future machine tool
need