Current press reports indicate that the EU is planning to impose penalties on the automotive industry starting in 2020. For each newly registered vehicle with a combustion engine and for each gram of CO2 emissions exceeding the 95 g/km limit, the manufacturer will then have to pay Brussels 95 euros. According to the Council on Clean Transportation, emissions averaged 121 g/km in 2018. Florian Reinle, an engineer in the Research & Development department at the mechanical engineering company OTEC Präzisionsfinish, demonstrates how automotive manufacturers can further optimize their production processes while simultaneously reducing friction.
Mr. Reinle, you work with friction at OTEC and therefore know where the automotive industry often faces problems. Do you have any recommendations?
"From our experience and discussions with customers, we know that there is a significant efficiency lever in the targeted, application-optimized smoothing of friction partners. Components subject to sliding friction, such as cams, piston rings, crankshafts, or gears, can be precisely smoothed by machine. Since we also combine additional benefits such as deburring, we speak of a holistic component improvement."
That sounds like a challenging topic. Can you first explain what you mean by targeted surface smoothing?
"With pleasure! By this, we mean leveling the surface, removing roughness peaks and machining grooves. This results in an isotropic surface and a roughness agreed upon with the customer. With our process, we prepare the component for field use by injecting a high level of frictional energy. We ensure a reduction in both friction and wear. A shear layer is created on the surface in which we generate structural changes and compressive residual stresses, which condition the component to a favorable degree for use. Thinking further, this precise finishing reduces friction in the drive train: Less fuel is consumed, meaning the available drive energy is used more efficiently – and thus, CO2 emissions are also reduced."
Crankshaft after OTEC finishThat sounds very promising – can you specifically name the other advantages and explain what the overall component improvement entails?
“During the processing itself, we can ensure process reliability through the mechanical processes
