AFT celebrates over 180 million MIM automotive turbocharger vanes
AFT, a member of ARC Group Worldwide, based Rétság, Hungary, recently celebrated the production of 183 million turbocharger vanes manufactured using its Metal Injection Moulding technology. AFT has produced these parts since the company was first established in 2001, and recognises MIM as the key to its success.
Built for its customer Garrett Motion, a global manufacturer of turbocharger systems, the turbo vanes are used in turbocharges destined for final customers such as Audi, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen.
The turbocharger vanes must be able to withstand operating temperatures of 600–800ºC as well as be able to function at -30ºC. To meet these specifications, the vanes are made from HK30 steel alloy. In addition to the speed of production offered by MIM, the use of this process is also a benefit in its ability to manufacture with minimal material loss.
As well as turbocharger components, AFT’s MIM facility also manufactures other automotive components such as parts for fuel injectors and sensors. The final customers of these parts include brands such as Caterpillar, BMW, Citroën, Ford and Tesla. Utilising Metal Injection Moulding, these parts can be produced 20% cheaper – on average – than with precision casting, which represents a very serious price advantage, explains AFT.
