The MPIF has announced the winners of its 2020 powder metallurgy design excellence awards competition in the automotive market segment.
‘Innovation is at the hub of powder metallurgy (PM) manufacturing advancements in the automotive market,’ the organization said. ‘PM materials and consolidation processes are utilized to support the most demanding applications. Transmissions, engines, and chassis rely on performance components to provide durability and consistency.;
The grand prize in the automotive engine category for conventional PM components was awarded to Porite Taiwan C. Ltd and its customer Schaeffler Technologies AG and Co KG, for a VVT sprocket used in a new generation E-VVT design that integrates a sprocket with the stator, and the function of the internal rotor is provided by the gear box.
The grand prize in the automotive transmission category for conventional PM components has been awarded to PMG Indiana Corporation for a torque converter one way clutch stator assembly used in an eight-speed transmission made for FCA US LLC. In the locked position, the part is subjected to a 350 Nm torque and traditionally the races are manufactured from wrought steel, or powder forged and case hardened to handle the high stress.
In the automotive transmission category for metal injection molding (MIM) components, the grand prize was awarded to Phillips-Medisize for an actuator arm supplied to Means Industries and used in a nine-speed forward transmission assembly for General Motors and Ford Motor Co. The actuator arm is part of a Means patented selectable one- way clutch that replaces the reverse clutch.
In the automotive engine category for conventional PM components, an award of distinction was given to Nichols Portland LLC for a variable displacement vane-pump rotor used in an automotive engine lubrication system. The three-level part possesses numerous critical tolerance features achieved with minimal secondary operations. The second award of distinction in the automotive engine category for conventional PM components was given to MPP for a high-strength camshaft-bearing cap. The part is made using a PM aluminum-copper-magnesium alloy, and the machinability of the PM aluminum alloy closely matches that of the cast aluminum heads, permitting consistent line boring prior to installation of the camshaft.
The award of distinction in the automotive engine category for MIM components has been given to Indo-MIM Pvt Ltd for three min-flow setting devices used in the turbocharger of a four-wheeler vehicle. The parts are made using MIM-316L and replaced components that were machined in multiple steps. In the automotive transmission category for MIM components, an award of distinction was also given to the company for a park lock lever manual override used in a vehicle handbrake. Indo-MIM Pvt Ltd also received an award of distinction in the automotive chassis category for MIM components, for left- and right-hand-side cable guides used in a four-wheeler roof assembly. The MIM parts are made in a two-cavity mold and replaced expensive machined components.
In the automotive transmission category for conventional PM components, an award of distinction was made to Allied Sinterings Inc for a sear pin assembly. The part is used in a shift-by-wire automotive transmission actuator that causes an output shaft to rotate the sear pin, allowing a pawl to engage a default-to-park during a catastrophic transmission failure.
This story uses material from the MPIF, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
