Federal-Mogul extends its range of Powder Metallurgy materials for bushings and guides
May 7, 2010
Federal Mogul Corporation is extending its materials range for bushings and guides designed specifically for use at the very high temperatures increasingly found in turbochargers and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) components.
Turbocharging is already almost universal on diesel engines and will become even more common in gasoline applications as engineers improve fuel consumption and emissions by designing downsized engines that have higher specific outputs.
The new materials will allow Federal-Mogul to produce components that meet the very tough durability targets imposed by the increasingly severe conditions seen in this new generation of downsized, low CO2 engines.
To achieve enhanced performance characteristics required by its customers, Federal-Mogul is using Powder Metallurgy (PM) technology. The many advantages of PM pressing and sintering include reduced machining and an ability to precisely tailor the composition of the material to match the performance characteristics required for the component.
‘Federal-Mogul is among the first to develop a range of materials specifically for the requirements of the fast-growing automotive turbocharger and high-performance EGR markets,’ said Rainer Jueckstock, Federal-Mogul senior vice president of Powertrain Energy.
‘Operating at high temperatures can be a considerable challenge, particularly because at very high temperatures no lubrication can be used to reduce friction or wear between moving parts,’ said Dr. Bob Pratt, Federal-Mogul’s sintered products research manager.
With the greater application of PM, Dr. Pratt says that Federal-Mogul can now support customers with components that provide long-term durability and high temperature corrosion resistance as engine designers push exhaust gas temperatures up to around 1050 °C (1922 °F), compared with around 800 °C (1472 °F) for a typical engine application today.
According to Dr. Pratt, PM also allows Federal-Mogul the ability to develop materials that solve specific customer needs and to manufacture components efficiently in the volumes that best optimize the cost and performance for each application. ‘PM expertise provides a growing opportunity for the company,’ he added.
Federal-Mogul has considerable expertise in PM formulation and processing, with dedicated technical centers in Coventry England (UK) and Waupun, Wisconsin (USA). In addition to turbocharger and EGR components, the technique is used to manufacture high-performance valve seats and guides for many of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers.
To ensure efficient, consistently high-quality application of the new materials, Federal-Mogul also is developing enhanced manufacturing processes that are optimized for the new compositions. ‘Every change in composition and part geometry also has an impact on processing and machineability,’ Dr. Pratt explained. ‘To achieve improved tool life, reduced scrap and lower process times, we are working with customers to help them develop improved tools and processes that allow efficient machining of these very hard materials.’
Federal-Mogul’s Valve Seats and Guides Powdered Metal Group manages development and applications engineering projects from networked engineering centres in Europe, China, India and North America. ‘Materials development is at the heart of solving increasingly challenging problems for our customers,’ said Global Research and Development Manager Denis Christopherson. ‘It’s a core expertise for Federal-Mogul and one of the reasons we have a growing leadership position in high-value areas of this business.’ The Valve Seats and Guides Powdered Metal Group currently supplies more than 65 vehicle and engine manufacturers worldwide, and delivers components to all leading turbocharger manufacturers.
