Camshaft module: plastic instead of metal
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Camshaft module: plastic instead of metal

The new product promises benefits in terms of weight, cost and ecology

Together with experts from Mahle and Daimler, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute created a new material for housings in which camshafts are installed. According to experts, this will bring many benefits.

Who said the days of an internal combustion engine are numbered? If you keep track of how many innovations continue to be developed for the classic form of movement, you will easily find that this constant thesis is exaggerated, if not incorrectly said. Research groups are constantly introducing new solutions that make gasoline, diesel and gas engines more powerful, economical and often at the same time.

Reinforced with synthetic resin instead of aluminum.

This is exactly what scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) do. Together with specialists from Daimler, Mahle and other suppliers of components for the automotive industry, they developed a new type of camshaft module, which consists of plastic rather than light alloys. The module is an important component of the drive path, so stability is the most important requirement for designers. However, Fraunhofer specialists use a high-strength thermosetting polymer (synthetic resins), fiber-reinforced, instead of aluminum as the material for the module, which serves as a camshaft housing.

The authors of the development claim that this will bring several advantages at the same time. On the one hand, in terms of weight: “The camshaft module is located in the cylinder head, that is, usually at the top of the drive path,” explains Thomas Sorg, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute. Here, weight saving is especially advisable because it allows you to reduce the center of gravity of the car. " But this is good not only for the dynamics of the road. Weight loss is ultimately one of the most effective methods to reduce CO2 emissions from cars.

Cost and climate benefits

Although the part developed at the institute is lighter than the aluminum camshaft module, its creators claim that it is extremely resistant to high temperatures and mechanical and chemical loads, for example, caused by synthetic motor oils and coolants. Acoustically, the new development also has advantages. Because plastics behave as sound insulators, “the acoustic behavior of the camshaft module can be very well optimized,” Sorg explains.

However, the biggest advantage can be low costs. After casting, aluminum parts must undergo an expensive finish and their life is limited. For comparison, the cost of additional processing fiber-reinforced thermoset materials is relatively small. Their monolithic design allows you to pre-process the part at the factory, where it can be installed on the engine with just a few hand movements. In addition, the Fraunhofer ICT promises significantly greater longevity for its new development.

Ultimately, there will also be climate benefits. Since aluminum production consumes a lot of energy, the carbon footprint of the Durometer's fiber optic camshaft module should be significantly smaller.

Hack and predictor Aviator

At the moment, the camshaft module of the Institute of ICT. Fraunhofer is still at the stage of a working demonstration model. On the engine test bench, the part was tested for 600 hours. “We are very pleased with the working prototype and the test results,” said Catherine Schindele, project manager at Mahle. However, so far the partners have not discussed the topic of conditions under which it is possible to plan the serial application of the development.

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