E paper performance 2012, en

Performance
CUSTOMER MAGAZINE COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE ENGINE AND ITS PERIPHERY 2012

eFFICIent AnD VARIABLe In DeSIGn:

NEW AIR FILTER MODULES
FOR eURO VI

COnt e nt

4 News briefs
What’s new at the MAHLe Group

6 iNterview
“engine components must be all-around performers”

8 eNgiNe systems aNd CompoNeNts
Less friction, greater strength—optimized crank mechanism for commercial vehicles

Low-cost and flexible: assembled camshafts for commercial vehicles

nIReVA® 3015—the new valve material from MAHLe

Polymer on Sputter coating: superior solution for HDD applications

16 filtratioN aNd eNgiNe peripherals
Modular and highly efficient: new valve covers with integrated oil mist separation

efficient and variable in design: new air filter modules for euro VI

For ultrahigh requirements: new fuel filters for euro VI

Lighter, cheaper, better: the new oil filter module for commercial vehicles

visit us:
from to trade fair name, location
Sept. 18 Sept. 22, 2012 Husum Wind (Husum/Germany)
impriNt Sept. 18 Sept. 21, 2012 Innotrans (Berlin/Germany)
published by Sept. 20 Sept. 27, 2012 IAA Commercial Vehicles (Hanover/Germany)
MAHLe International GmbH
Pragstrasse 26 – 46
Oct. 8 Oct. 10, 2012 Aachen Kolloquium (Aachen/Germany)
70376 Stuttgart, Germany Oct. 23 Oct. 25, 2012 parts2clean (Stuttgart/Germany)
www.mahle.com
Oct. 29 nov. 1, 2012 PtC Asia (Shanghai/China)
responsible for the content
Dr. Jörg Stratmann Oct. 30 nov. 1, 2012 AAPeX (Las Vegas, nV/USA)
Contact nov. 14 nov. 17, 2012 Automechanika Argentina
sales@mahle.com
Phone +49 (0) 711 501-14612 Dec. 2 Dec. 5, 2012 PRI Show (Orlando, FL/USA)
Fax +49 (0) 711 501-4414612

photography/picture credits
MAHLe Archiv

design & production
freelance project GmbH, Stuttgart

Reprint, even partially, only in accordance with
and after authorization by the publisher. mahle Performance—also available online: www.performance.mahle.com
© MAHLe GmbH, 2012

2 MAHLE Performance 2012

e D It OR I A L

dear readers,

Since we last came together at the IAA rising. With our components and systems,
Commercial Vehicles in 2010, the positive we support our customers in the develop-
trend continued in 2011. With an increase ment of new generations of commercial
of 7.6 percent, global production of com- vehicles. Reduced frictional loss, optimized
mercial vehicles developed favorably in engine accessories, and the use of systems
2011. Market developments in 2012 vary, components that can withstand greater me-
Matthias Fix depending on the region and country. In chanical and thermal loads contribute
Vice President Sales and Application Engineering europe, growth has slowed significantly and greatly in this respect. One example I would
Commercial Vehicles
is expected to cool off further in the second like to refer to is our polymer-coated main
half of the year. South America had an ex- and connecting rod bearings, which allow
pected weak start to the year due to the stop-start functionality of the engine. With
“pre-buy” effect in 2011, and the year over- the new Monolite design concept, we are
all will come in 20 to 30 percent lower than working on making our steel pistons for
the previous year. Following consolidation in ultrahigh loads even more compact.
2011, the Chinese market is far below 2010
levels, and commercial vehicle production In the future, it will be even more important
will only see slow growth. Only north America for MAHLe to be included in vehicle and en-
was able to carry over its momentum to the gine development at an early stage, so that
first half of 2012; market indications, how- we can optimally adapt our components
ever, also point to a slowdown. Altogether, and systems and subsequently offer highly
the future prospects must be considered efficient, cost-optimized solutions. Our pro-
with a grain of salt due to their volatility. duction plants and research and develop-
MAHLe is well-positioned internationally, ment centers—and thus the technical ex-
which to some extent can help to compen- pertise of our employees working on global
sate for fluctuations in demand in individual projects—are located at customer sites
markets. With a view to the near future, we around the world.
are building on our solid market position and
innovative product portfolio. Visit us at the IAA. You are cordially invited to
our stand, where we will be happy to show
the euro 6 emission standard will be intro- you the novelties we have to offer.
duced shortly—a major topic at the IAA. While
previous reductions in emissions focused on Sincerely,
nOX and particulates, legislation has now
shifted the attention to CO2 reduction. this
is necessary both from an ecological and
economical perspective—less fuel means Matthias Fix
greater economic eficiency as fuel prices are

MAHLE Performance 2012 3

WHAt’S neW At tHe
MAHLE GROUP

MAHLE has installed a two-cylinder gasoline engine as a range extender in a roadworthy electric demonstrator vehicle.

the mahle range extender—impres-
sive numbers, long cruising range
MAHLe has developed and built a special
engine for range-extended electric vehicles
(ReeVs). ReeVs offer signiicant advantages
over purely electrically powered vehicles
(eVs). In particular, they solve the problem
of the far too short cruising range of pure
electric vehicles. the MAHLe range extender
(Rex) is a very compact two-cylinder engine
with 600 cm3 displacement. It is lightweight
and can be produced at a low cost. In order
to gain experience relevant to the steps re-
quired to reach market readiness with a
ReeV and to refine the noise and vibration
properties, it has been installed in a demon-
strator vehicle. the compact class demon-
strator vehicle shows clearly how new MAHLe
technologies can allow signiicant reductions
in CO2 emissions without sacrificing driving
MAHLE Powertrain implemented the entire engine concept and engine controls. behavior or functionality.


n e WS B R Ie FS

tech Center in shanghai is being
expanded
the MAHLe tech Center in Shanghai is home
to the central functions such as sales, pur-
chasing, human resources, It, and finance,
but especially research and development for
all MAHLe product lines. the center is cur-
rently being expanded, with the addition of
three new buildings that will be officially
opened on november 13, 2012. Following The newly planned campus in Farmington Hills/USA
the expansion, the center will have six boxes
for complete engine test benches, instead the vehicles from thailand to the ASeAn mahle bundles central functions in
of previously only two. Overall, nearly 9,000 countries. MAHLe is adding extensively to North america at one location
square meters of lab and ofice space will be both of its locations in thailand. With the purchase of an adjacent site,
added to the already existing 7,000 square MAHLe Industries, Inc. has gained an addi-
meters. this will allow us to increase the MAHLe engine Components (thailand) is tional 50,000 square meters of office space
number of employees from today 230 to as expanding its plant at the Bangkok location, and storage area, and can thus consolidate
many as 450. which mainly produces pistons. Construc- in Farmington Hills the central functions that
tion work on the new 45 by 90 meter build- were previously distributed between two
ing should be completed in September. the locations. the operations that were located
new building will house an assembly line as in novi to date, such as MAHLe test Sys-
well as measurement and testing equipment. tems and engineering Services, will move to
It will also provide space for future machin- Farmington Hills by 2013. Sales, finance,
ing and coating lines. legal, human resources, and It functions will
also be consolidated on a single campus.
In Samutprakarn, MAHLe Siam Filter Systems
is adding considerably to the existing location. New mahle plant in Kyushu/Japan
The shaded buildings will be added to the Tech the new buildings measuring 5,000 m2 will In the northern part of the Japanese island
Center in Shanghai.
primarily house storage areas and offices. of Kyushu, a new production plant for air
the previous areas that will be cleared will intake systems, valve covers, and activated
two plant expansions in thailand then have space for two new production carbon canisters is currently under construc-
More and more Japanese vehicle manufac- lines for oil coolers and greater capacity for tion. Well-known Japanese vehicle manu-
turers are producing in thailand—not only the production of air intake systems and facturers, such as nissan, toyota, Daihatsu,
for the thai market, but also for exporting valve covers. and Honda, currently produce about 1.5
million vehicles in this region annually. the
new plant is also in close proximity to Mazda
and Mitsubishi Motor. the production area
will comprise 7,500 m 2, and completion is
planned for September 2012.

In Samutprakarn/Thailand, the existing plant (shown here in green) is being generously expanded. The new plant in Kyushu/Japan


I nt e R V I e W

“enGIne COMPOnentS MUSt Be
ALL-AROUnD PeRFORMeRS”

In a conversation with MAHLE Perform- disappears into braking energy. enormous
ance, Prof. Stefan Breuer from Bochum amounts of fuel are ultimately destroyed in
University of Applied Sciences explains this way.
where he sees additional potential for
optimization in powertrains for long- which inevitably leads us to the Bio for Prof. Stefan Breuer
After secondary school, Breuer completed an apprentice-
distance commercial vehicles, and why question of hybrids.
ship as an auto mechanic, then studied general mechani-
it will be difficult to further increase the Breuer: For a long time, I was of the opinion
cal engineering, with an emphasis on automotive engi-
efficiency of diesel engines to any sig- that a hybrid powertrain would not make neering, at the Technical University in Darmstadt/Germany.
nificant degree. sense for long-distance hauling. today’s He then worked briefly at Mercedes-Benz, but his great
highly developed engines have very good interest in research led him back to the university, this
in a topography typical to central efficiencies of around 40 percent. But what time in Essen, to obtain his doctorate.
europe, is an energy-efficient commer- a truck with an exclusive combustion engine
From there he moved to Atlas Fahrzeugtechnik, an auto-
cial vehicle even conceivable? powertrain cannot achieve is to recover en-
motive engineering firm, where he researched vibration
Breuer: this question is near and dear to my ergy from braking and downhill runs. If there
and riding comfort in commercial vehicles in the NVH
heart. the driving dynamics of a truck entail were a way to store that energy, it would be department. He then had a brief guest performance in
two major factors that directly affect fuel possible to save a great deal of fuel. escalator development at Krone, before he moved to the
consumption, and therefore CO2 emissions university for applied sciences in Cologne in 2004 as
as well: grade resistance and acceleration the main priority in long-distance professor for technical mechanics and commercial vehicle
resistance. the act of braking in a truck trucking is transport efficiency—that engineering, and then later for driving dynamics as well.

should theoretically be painful, because huge is, to carry as much freight as possible
Since mid-2011, Breuer has been teaching design and
amounts of energy are being destroyed again. at the lowest possible cost. looking at
technical mechanics classes in the specific areas of
both freight capacity and at costs, is mechanical engineering and mechatronics at the Velbert/
It may be helpful to make a comparison here there any way at all to integrate the Heiligenhaus campus of the college in Bochum, as part of
to passenger cars. If you drive a passenger required energy store and recuperation the mechatronics and information technology program.
car at 120 km/h on the freeway, going up a systems? A more in-depth area of automotive engineering is also
three-percent grade, more energy is required, Breuer: I don’t see any way to achieve this currently planned for the master’s program.

which you can get easily by pushing a little with current technology. It would take up too
His drive: the fascination with the automobile, which
harder on the gas pedal. When you drive much space and weight. Rather, we need to
became particularly evident to him during his guest per-
back down the same grade, you get the consider what possibilities there might be formance in escalator development—it is simply more
energy back, because you don’t brake, you for the future. We would certainly be looking fun to develop or analyze something for vehicles.
just back off the gas. therefore, drivers of at short-term storage, thus not necessarily
cars don’t see much difference in fuel con- electrical but more likely mechanical stor- Breuer is the co-editor of the technical book for commer-
sumption when driving on hilly roads. truck age that should be investigated. even if this cial vehicles (Fachbuch Nutzfahrzeugtechnik, Springer
Vieweg), which is available in its 7th edition at the IAA
drivers, on the other hand, have to fight means that there may be some disadvan-
2012, and the technical correspondent for commercial
their way slowly up a grade, and then brake tage in the level of efficiency. the current
vehicle engineering for the technical journals ATZ and MTZ.
continuously on the downhill side. All of state is 100 percent loss when braking, after
the energy invested in making the climb all, and I am sure that we will not be able to


I n t eR V Ie W

accept that for much longer, as energy costs would be necessary, which are very expen-
will eventually be too high. especially in this sive, particularly at high speeds. Accelerat- Fuel consumption of a commercial vehicle during
very cost-sensitive segment, this could be ing a 40-ton truck from 60 to 80 km/h, at acceleration
definitive for development efforts. an assumed specific consumption rate of
From 0 to 80 km/ h :
190 g/kWh—which would be best case— 1 1 m 2
E= 2 mv 2= 2 · 40 000 kg · ( 22,2 s ) = 9 856 800 Nm =
One prerequisite, however, is that conditions consumes about 0.27 liters of diesel fuel,
2,74 kWh
remain the same or become more uniform according to the law of conservation of
across country borders. If, for example, a energy. this represents an emission of about At 190 g/kWh, this represents 0.52 kg or 0.63 liters of
neighboring country lowers fuel prices, 780 g of CO2. diesel fuel. From 60 to 80 km/h, using the approach above,
such efforts can quickly vanish once again. the result is 0.27 liters of diesel fuel, or about 0.27 × 2.85
Homogenization would be very desirable in is there a technical approach that = 778 g CO2

europe, for example. could be helpful in the short term?
Breuer: the technology to be able to avoid
are you hoping for globalization topographically inefficient routes or traffic engine very much at this stage. the poten-
effects? jams is available; its integration just needs tial is limited to just a few percent, which in
Breuer: this would be a policy question, yes. to be improved. In the future, however, it will view of the long service life of a truck, how-
However, I also see technical opportunities be even more difficult, as freight transport ever, will have to be fully exhausted.
in globalization. In my opinion, for example, continues to increase and traffic becomes
a positive symbiosis has resulted from the more irregular. It may be more valuable in In transition, in the transient range, there will
high mechanical requirements for engine the short term to raise awareness among certainly be future solutions that improve
components in europe and the extensive car drivers as to what it means when they responsiveness. One approach could be to
service life prevalent in the USA. the force a truck to apply its brakes. It would be monitor cylinder pressure, so that engine
approach of “one engine for the life of the nice to see more of a sense of community in controls would no longer be based on an
vehicle” should also be part of the energy this respect. this has more potential on a operating map, but instead would use
analysis. Melting down an old engine like- percentage basis than is likely to be achieved pressure regulation. this would, however,
wise requires energy. In terms of sustaina- by technical solutions. require measuring the highly dynamic pres-
bility, therefore, globalization surely must sure in order to immediately adjust to the
have positive effects, but it also means that Can the conventional powertrain profit target pressure.
new engine components or systems—par- from interlinking topographical data
ticularly the PCU, for example—must really and engine management? Large steps forward, such as what the intro-
be all-around performers. Breuer: this would certainly improve de- duction of charge air cooling made possible,
mand-based actuation of engine accessories are in addition hardly feasible any longer with-
following your earlier energy analysis: in that they possibly would be operated on out extensive modiications to the powertrain
would it not be helpful, in terms of a downhill runs only. In addition, timely selec- coniguration or the package itself. this really
fairly simple measure, for lawmakers tion of the right transmission gear alone can does not come as a surprise, though; when
to allow higher driving speeds for provide an advantage, as will soon be avail- thousands of engineers work on developing
trucks in certain areas, in order to be able in series production. something, eventually it approaches the
able to gather momentum on downhill optimum. Additional advancements in fuel
runs that are immediately followed by earlier you mentioned the very high consumption and emissions therefore do
an incline? efficiency levels of combustion engine not sound very popular anymore. But every-
Breuer: this is indeed done within certain powertrains in trucks. is there any one who deals with the subject knows how
limits, but safety considerations make it more potential for optimization at all? important they continue to be.
advisable to be somewhat restrictive. the Breuer: A great deal of energy is lost via the
kinetic energy of a truck rises as the square exhaust gas heat; solutions to utilize it are professor breuer, thank you very much
of its velocity, which means that the severity currently being worked on with great inten- for your time.
of an accident also rises as the square. In sity by the manufacturers. this might result
addition, traffic would be more dynamic if in another significant step forward in the The interview was conducted by Ruben Danisch.
this gate were opened. that would be very overall efficiency. It does not seem possible
detrimental, because more accelerations to shift the optimal operating point of the


LeSS FRICtIOn, GReAteR StRenGtH

OPTIMIZED CRANK MECHANISM
FOR COMMeRCIAL VeHICLeS

Lower emissions, higher loads: the vehicles are also expected. Requirements
requirements for commercial vehicle for engine power density will only continue
diesel engines are not new, just more to increase rather than decline.
stringent. There is room for improve-
ment in the crank mechanism, in par- Previous efforts to meet eU directives up to
ticular, where large forces are at play. eURO VI have caused fuel consumption of
MAHLE has now managed to extract the basic engine to increase. In order to meet
additional potential. market requirements despite this develop-
ment, numerous opportunities for fuel savings
effects of the legal environment have already been utilized in recent years.
the commercial vehicle is fundamentally
very sensitive to costs. A fleet operator for potential from lower piston compres-
long-distance hauling bases purchasing de- sion height
cisions on transportation efficiency. Besides One significant untapped potential area in
the cost of the vehicle, ongoing operating the engine crank mechanism is the reduc-
costs, which include fuel consumption, play tion of the compression height of the piston,
a decisive role. efforts to reduce fuel con- meaning a lower piston height. MAHLe is
sumption and therefore CO2 emissions, aiming for 20 to 30 percent lower compres-
however, will not be solely driven by cost sion height than is typical today. On the one
pressures in the future. now that the eU has hand, this measure could be implemented
decided to limit CO2 emissions for light com- with longer connecting rods. they guide the
mercial vehicles to an average of 147 g/km piston more effectively in that they reduce the
starting in 2020, regulations for heavy freight lateral forces that the piston exerts on the


e nGI n e SY S te MS A n D C OMP On e n tS

cylinder wall, thus also reducing frictional Initial principle studies have been very suc-
losses. MAHLe has investigated similar cessful, and the beam-based joining method
actions for passenger car diesel engine is now being developed into a mature
pistons and expects, based on this experi- process. this means that MAHLe will soon
ence, up to 0.8 percent diesel fuel savings be able to provide its customers with the
in commercial vehicles. For a commercial most innovative piston technology to meet
vehicle with fuel consumption of about 30 anticipated future requirements.
liters/100 km and a service life of 150,000 Interlayer <50 nm
km/year, this equates to potential savings of piston rings
about 360 liters of diesel fuel per vehicle per Optimization of the crank mechanism in-
year. exact values for the savings potential volves not only the piston and connecting
will be determined soon. As an alternative rod, but also piston rings and piston pins,
to an extended connecting rod, the block for example. One particular challenge is the
height of the engine could also be reduced ongoing development of the first compres-
by the “shorter” piston, which would save sion ring, which is subjected to the greatest
weight, installation space, and manufactur- loading and is thus at high risk of wear. Until
ing costs. now, it has withstood ultrahigh loads with a
coating made of MIP 230 chromium nitride Multilayer NanoBium coating, PVD with alternating
NbN and CrN layers
A piston with typical commercial vehicle (Crn), which is applied in a PVD (arc evapo-
dimensions would also be about 2 kilograms ration) process. Modern combustion en-
lighter. If the connecting rod is also optimized gines have less oil available for lubrication In order to reduce friction losses at the rings,
for design and materials according to the in order to achieve lower emissions. this MAHLe successfully tested the V-SHAPe
latest knowledge, up to 30 percent weight leads to significantly greater thermal loads design on the two-piece oil control ring last
savings can be achieved for the crank on the ring, with the risk that the coating year. the tangential loads that press the
mechanism of a typical commercial vehicle might chip. ring against the cylinder wall are up to 50
engine. the lower mass reduces bearing percent lower. the V-SHAPe has now been
friction, thus contributing to increased effi- In order to be better prepared for such chal- further developed for increasing engine re-
ciency of the engine. lenges, MAHLe has developed the new PVD quirements in that a PVD layer based on
coating nanoBium MIP290. nanoBium is a chromium nitride is applied to the running
implementing the design with new multilayered system comprising alternating surface area. this increases the service life
manufacturing methods nanolayers made of niobium nitride and and taps further potential for minimizing
A more compact piston that offers optimal chromium nitride. friction.
cooling performance at the same time has
previously been limited by production. MAHLe this multilayer structure improves the fatigue piston pin
has now developed a new manufacturing resistance and thermomechanical strength For piston pins in the steel piston, diamond-
method that allows the necessary design of the ceramic layer. MAHLe has demonstrat- like carbon (DLC) coatings showed very
lexibility. Both the steel piston for passenger ed the greater temperature fatigue resist- promising results in initial studies for reduc-
cars and the commercial vehicle piston have ance of nanoBium MIP290 as compared to ing frictional losses, regardless of the load.
thus far been produced using frictional weld- the typical MIP230 chromium nitride coat- Such coatings are being used more widely
ing. For the irst time, MAHLe is going with a ing in a 12.7 liter commercial vehicle engine. in pins for aluminum pistons in diesel en-
beam-based welding method. this allows the wear and seizure resistance of the two gines and have now almost become the
signiicantly greater lexibility in piston design, coatings are at a similarly high level. Based standard. the advantage, in addition to
such as the shape of the cooling cavity or off- on the consistently positive results, MAHLe slightly lower friction, is reduced suscepti-
set bowls. Less material is required in the has already applied for a patent for the bility to seizing of the piston pin. Indications
area of the weld seam in order to provide the MIP290 nanoBium coating. After a long of improved frictional loss balance in the
piston with suficient rigidity during welding. search for better properties, this has been a steel piston are being investigated by MAHLe
the new method also enables the use of breakthrough, optimally equipping MAHLe on a demonstrator engine.
highly temperature-resistant materials for for the requirements of future generations of
the combustion bowl. engines. Author: Dr. Stefan Spangenberg


e nGI ne S YS t e MS A nD COMP One nt S

LOW-COSt AnD FLeXIBLe:

ASSEMBLED CAMSHAFTS

Assembled camshafts present a low-
cost, flexible solution for modern fuel-
efficient commercial vehicle engines.

Cast iron camshafts have long been used
for light commercial vehicles, while medium
to heavy commercial vehicles have resorted
to forged steel camshafts. these technolo-
gies require relatively high tooling costs,
which are very disadvantageous relative to
passenger cars due to the low production
quantities. Assembled camshafts allow
higher contact pressure between the cam
lobes and cam follower in comparison to
cast camshafts, and offer significant weight
advantages over steel camshafts made from
solid material or raw forgings. the great
design flexibility of the individual assembled
components also provides cost advantages
with respect to materials and design. For
example, very durable cam lobes are made
of roller bearing steel and then inductively
hardened, while the drive input and output


e nGI n e S YS t e MS A n D C OMP On e n t S

shrink-fit method, parts such as cam lobes, the resulting reduction in frictional loss and
pulse-generator wheels, and driving and optimized oil balance further contributes to
output elements are joined to precision optimizing CO2 and reducing fuel consump-
steel tubes having a high degree of torsional tion in the powertrain. MAHLe is currently
stiffness and flexural strength. the purely investigating the potential of this technology
elastic shrink-fit composite guarantees a for use in commercial vehicles.
consistently high interference fit of the
joined components over the entire service Assembled camshafts for commercial vehi-
life of two million kilometers required for cles from MAHLe enable modern commercial
commercial vehicle engines. Assembled vehicle engines to fulfill increasing require-
camshafts that are manufactured by plasti- ments related to service life at a low cost,
cally deforming the press fit, in contrast, while simultaneously reducing weight and
demonstrate an aging effect, and the press optimizing fuel consumption. A clear trend
it joint becomes weaker over the service life. toward the use of assembled camshafts
can be seen in the development of future
MAHLe has produced assembled cam- commercial vehicle engines.
shafts for commercial vehicles under near-
series conditions in various concept studies Author: Stefan Steichele
and successfully performed endurance
tests. With the series launch that is currently
underway at a well-known manufacturer in
europe, the first assembled camshafts for
commercial vehicles from MAHLe will see
large numbers built in series production.

In the course of rising requirements for
elements can be made of less expensive modern engines, additional potential gains
materials, as needed. are being evaluated for assembled cam-
shafts, and the component is under ongoing
the MAHLe production method for assem- development. One possibility is to use a roll-
bled camshafts provides optimal conditions ing bearing in place of the hydrodynamic
for flexible manufacturing. Using a thermal plain bearing that is typical for camshafts.

Assembled camshaft for commercial vehicles with rolling bearing and closed cast bearing supports


®
NIREVA 3015
tHe neW VALVe MAteRIAL FROM MAHLe

Continuous improvements in exhaust
gas quality and fuel consumption in ad-
vanced engine design present a constant
challenge to the MAHLE valve develop-
ment team. Familiar trends in engine
design, such as downsizing, lead to rising
mechanical and thermal loads on engine
components, which in turn require new
solutions.



requirements listed above can actually be passenger car engine exhaust valves, is
covered for valves with familiar high-per- currently manufactured under license and
formance nickel-based materials, but these available for use. two materials have been
are less acceptable from a cost standpoint. developed exclusively with a supplier of
While the cost factor has been accepted in steel for valves, and two more alloys were
the past for niche applications such as sports developed regionally in China.
car engines, due to their requirements proile,
it constitutes a problem today given the wide After examining costs and availability, exten-
range of applications and the associated in- sive lab testing for high-temperature fatigue
crease in cost pressure. For reliable operation resistance, wear, and corrosion performance,
throughout the desired engine service life, as well as internal and customer validation
downsizing engines also require the use of runs in various commercial vehicle and pas-
economical material solutions with adequate senger car engines, it was soon evident that
high-temperature fatigue performance and the material developed in Japan presented
corrosion properties. the best compromise.

In the second half of the last decade, the Having technological properties similar to
alloying element nickel saw huge price in- those of the nickel-based materials, the ma-
creases, which inspired MAHLe to initiate a terial known at MAHLe as nIReVA 3015®
global valve materials project in 2008. has 30 percent nickel and 15 percent chro-
mium content, providing our customers with
the goal was to investigate available mate- interesting cost savings potential relative to
rials as well as new ones in order to identify high-performance materials. Once the range
a valve material that would cover as wide a of applications in highly loaded commercial
range of applications as possible with re- vehicle and passenger car engines was de-
spect to cost and performance. ined, its good results convinced our custom-
ers during extensive technical discussions.
While the high-performance materials listed Following the first series production as a
above are made of around 75 percent nickel, hollow exhaust valve in a sports car applica-
the alloying element that drives the cost, tion this spring, several specifically highly
various materials have been developed in loaded passenger car engines will follow in
recent years that close the gap between series production in the course of the current
established heat-resistant materials and the year and the next. Customers have validated
nickel-based high-performance alloys. Using and approved the material in various com-
various alloying concepts, the nickel content mercial vehicle engines, and we have been
is typically reduced to about 30 percent, the nominated for a series production applica-
chromium content is adjusted for good cor- tion starting in 2014.
rosion resistance, and additional suitable
elements are used to try to attain the best Author: Alexander Puck
possible high-temperature properties.
this also leads to new approaches in material
selection for the valve, valve seat insert, and In order to find a solution that is particularly
valve guide components. Well-established well-suited for the specific requirements of
low-cost materials are increasingly becoming valves, various materials were extensively
overloaded as speciic output levels are rising. tested as part of the project. Several candi-
this is especially true for exhaust valves with dates entered the contest and were given a
respect to their high-temperature properties, catchy name: nIReVA, for nickel-reduced
and for commercial vehicle intake valves re- valve alloys. One material, developed in Japan
garding corrosion performance. Some of the and used there by two manufacturers for


POLYMeR On SPUtteR COAtInG:

SUPERIOR SOLUTION
FOR HDD APPLICAtIOnS

Driving cycles and operating conditions
for heavy-duty diesel (HDD) applica-
tions require robust bearing solutions.
Load capacity, wear and seizure resist-
ance are the fundamental requirements
for ultrahigh performance and a long
service life.

Bearing halves are constructed in layers. A
typical composition for a HDD application is
a steel support layer, with a copper-based
substrate and an aluminum-tin sputtered



overlay. the addition of the overlay provides
an optimal combination of bearing material
properties, the right balance of hard and soft
properties are critical when selecting suitable
products for engine applications. Often, a
Uncoated sputter
sputtered overlay is the only usable solution
due to durability requirements, even if the
greater load capacity may compromise sei-
zure resistance. the technological trend is to-
ward bearings with increasingly high speciic
loads, thinner oil films and higher operating
Coated sputter
temperatures.

Under these operating conditions, the poten-
tial for direct contact between metal sur-
faces increases. the introduction of new
fuel-saving technologies for commercial Figure 1: Comparison between a coated and an uncoated sputter bearing after the completion of the scuff
seizure test
HDD applications can also be expected,
with more aggressive operating conditions
for the bearings, which will increase suscep-
tibility to wear and seizure.

In order to improve compatibility in some
applications, a sacrificial overlay is used to
improve the surface properties. these sacri- Uncoated sputter
icial overlays, however, have the disadvan-
tage of wearing over time, which can result
in greater operating clearance, increased
running noise, and higher oil flow. the de-
velopment of a functioning overlay was there-
fore considered to be necessary in order to Coated sputter
maintain the properties of a polymer overlay
beyond the run-in period.

the proposed bearing solution consists of a Figure 2: Comparison between a coated and an uncoated sputter bearing after a 1,000-hour durability test
in an HDD application
functional polymer overlay over a sputtered
layer. this proprietary polymer coating is made
up of a high-performance polyamide imide
(PAI), a solid lubricant, and metallic particles. sputter overlays, a customized inspection sistance on the component bench and en-
the combination provides excellent mechani- procedure was developed for scuff seizure gine test.
cal strength and outstanding thermal and (Fig. 1). the operating conditions were simu-
chemical resistance. the homogeneously lated by interrupting the lubricant feed pres- the combination of a polymer overlay on a
distributed metallic particles, aligned in the sure, which caused the oil ilm to be disrupted. sputter layer provides the optimal balance
running direction on the surface, provides very between hard and soft properties for high-
good wear resistance, mechanical strength, In addition, coated and uncoated sputter performance HDD applications, and is a
and thermal conductivity. bearings were tested in an HDD application robust solution for difficult operating con-
for 1,000 hours (Fig. 2). Compared to the ditions.
In order to be able to compare the wear and uncoated sputter, the polymer-coated sputter
seizure resistance of coated and uncoated showed outstanding wear and seizure re- Author: James George


FI Lt R At I On A nD e nGI ne P e R I P He R A LS

MODULAR AnD HIGHLY eFFICIent:

NEW VALVE COVERS
WItH InteGRAteD OIL MISt SePARAtIOn

New valve covers have been developed separation at nearly any planned engine incli- pressure of the MAHLe separation system
for a new engine platform of a large nation. these are challenging requirements, is the same for a wide range of blow-by vol-
European commercial vehicle manu- as the engine platform is used in a large ume flow rates, identical components were
facturer. The focal points for the devel- number of vehicles, from mid-range trucks to able to be used for 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder
opment of this cover with integrated oil various offroad vehicles (Fig. 1). After pre- applications. the same separation unit, con-
separation were ultrahigh separation cleaning, the blow-by makes its way to the sisting of impactors and pressure regulation,
levels, a modular concept for use in four- switched impactor/ine separator developed can be used for both engines, despite their
cylinder and six-cylinder engines, and by MAHLe (Fig. 2). Since the differential different blow-by levels. Another highlight is
not least an attractive appearance.

Walk-on areas, in particular, and a suitable
structure for the reduction of acoustic emis-
sions were designed for strength. the in-
take line of the compressor for the air brake
was also successfully integrated, which re-
duced the number of variants of this line to
a minimum.

the development started with investigations
Valve cover six-cylinder Valve cover six-cylinder (bus application “standing”) Valve cover four-cylinder
into a suitable blow-by sampling point that
would provide low raw oil emissions for oil Fig. 1: Overview of valve cover types with identical component concept


FI Lt R At I On A n D e n GI n e P e R I P H e R A LS

8
Raw gas
Pre-separator Switched impactor
Clean gas
7 6.7
6.4

6

Oil mass flow [g / h]
Clean side channel 5

4

3
2.3
2

1 0.87 0.77
0.41
0
1,200 2,200 2,400
Engine speed at Full load [1/min]
Pressure regulation valve
Fig. 4: Gravimetric raw gas and clean gas values for
the six-cylinder engine

Oil filler/cap

Fig. 2: Functional integration

the use of a specially developed pressure cylinder engine (Fig. 4).the cleaned blow-by
regulator that reuses the energy from com- then travels in a clean gas channel within
pression to provide very ine separation of the the cover, and is fed into the cylinder head.
oil mist. All passive energy sources are thus Hose connections are thus eliminated.
put to use to achieve ultrahigh separation Shift [mm] at 90ºC

levels. Despite a very fine droplet spectrum extensive calculations have been performed, Fig. 5: Walk-on stability
for the engine, the impactor technology sep- particularly for the accessibility and acoustic
arates 1 µm particles at a rate of over 90 performance of the cover. Since the height
percent (Fig. 3). of the cover is very low, a support on the Sound emission is also an important function
camshaft frame is used to provide walk-on of the valve cover. Appropriate ribbing on
Clean gas values of below 0.9 g/h have been stability. the cover bends in a defined man- the inner side of the cover ensures that no
achieved in the full load range for the six- ner until it contacts the support points (Fig. 5). unpleasant noise is emitted during engine
operation.

0 100
PRV Rohgas am Motor
engine raw gas
Its appearance was likewise considered in
90 the design of the cover. When looking into
0 Fraktionsabscheidegrad
Separation efficiency
80 the engine compartment of a truck, the
valve cover is the first thing that meets the
0 70
density distribution q3 [-]

Fraktionsabscheidegrad [%]

eye. Attention was given to arranging the
Separation efficiency

60 components as symmetrically as possible in
0
order to achieve an attractive appearance.
50
Appropriate emblems can further improve
0
40 the appearance of the valve cover.

0 30
By working together very closely with the cus-
20
tomer, all of the requirements of this trend-
0
10 setting development were able to be met.
Gemessenwith LAP320 (TOPAS)
measured mit (tOPAS)
0 0
0,1 1 10 Authors: Dimitri An, Christoph Lohre, Stefan Ruppel
particlesize [µm] [µm ]
Partikel größe

Fig. 3: Raw gas distribution and fractional separation


eFFICIent AnD VARIABLe In DeSIGn:

NEW AIR FILTER MODULES
FOR eURO VI

New requirements from commercial there are two significant trends in commer-
vehicle customers have placed the focus cial vehicles that will greatly affect future
in air filter development not only on concepts of air management. SCR systems
compliance with maintenance intervals, increasingly supersede air intake from its
but additionally on achieving high sepa- established installation location. this means
ration levels. The available installation that new package solutions are required. If
space has also become a more signifi- a low-profile design can be produced, such
cant factor. The new air filter module as the new MAHLe concept (Fig. 1), the air
from MAHLE not only meets these re- filter module can be located behind the
quirements, but also shines in the devel- driver’s cab; in spite of the fact that plat-
opment of overall concepts for speciﬁc forms are getting longer and longer, so that
markets and customers. the space between the platform and cab is
getting ever tighter.


FILtR At IO n A n D en G In e P e R I P He R A LS

When euro VI takes effect in 2013, air mass
Multi-disk grid for water separation optionally
flow measurement will be implemented in with multi-cyclone for dusty countries
modern commercial vehicle engines as well.
In order to ensure trouble-free functionality Dirty air side duct
of air mass flow sensors (which are at risk
from excessive particle loading) over the life
cycle of commercial vehicles, manufacturers
require air ilter modules with a signiicantly
higher separation level of > 99.95 percent.

In response to these trends, MAHLe has
developed air filter modules with two new Fig. 3: Nanofibers on cellulose (thicker cellulose
fibers shine through the nanofiber layer)
significant features. Air filter element
with plasticized
end caps and nano Air filter module
flat plasticized filter inserts fiber media
the first feature consists in large plasticized
filter inserts (Fig. 2) that allow a flexible and Fig. 1: Extremely low-profile air intake system
mounted between the driver’s cab and the platform,
low-proile design (component height < 15 cm,
with raw air intake and fin mesh for water separation
including housing). this concept provides
maximum freedom of design and can be
applied to inflow and outflow in any direc- the nanofibers are applied to a thin, open-
tion, even in tight installation spaces. celled cellulose medium in an electrical spin-
ning process.
filter media with nanofiber layers
the second feature is a new filter media the underlying concept is surface filtration. Fig. 4: Nanofiber layer
concept. For the first time, MAHLe is using this type of nanoiber fabric is very ine, ilters
nanoibers, speciically polyamide ibers with with very high eficiency, and stores the dust
a diameter of 90 to 110 nm (Figs. 3 and 4). in a dust cake on the untreated side, outside of the medium. the very thin consistency of
the medium with a fine fiber layer enables
very tight pleating and therefore sufficient
filter surface in the plasticized inserts.

overall concept for specific markets
and customers
With the new air filter module, MAHLe has
developed a unique concept that utilizes
our strength in the area of plastification. Of
course, MAHLe also offers market-specific
concepts to address the challenges of dust-
laden countries, extreme conditions of use,
and increased water exposure. Precleaners
in the form of individual axial cyclones or
multicyclone systems are often designed to
meet individual customer requests and inte-
grated in the air filter module. the result is a
customized overall concept with a high level
of iltration performance for every application.

Fig. 2: New type of commercial vehicle air filter insert with plasticized end plates Authors: Andreas Enderich, Matthias Traub


Nearly all commercial vehicles today
use economical diesel engines with
common-rail high-pressure injection
systems, which require efficient water
separation in addition to a high particle
separation rate. MAHLE has developed
fuel filter modules for EURO VI heavy-
duty applications that meet ultrahigh
requirements for particle and water
separation, while simultaneously maxi-
mizing service life.

Modern fuel ilter modules also need to have
as little residual contamination as possible in
order to protect the injection system, even in
its new condition. A new clean room produc-
tion area at MAHLe makes this possible. At
the same time, components must be very
robust while taking up as little installation
space as possible.

FOR ULtRAHIGH ReQUIReMentS:

NEW FUEL FILTERS
FOR eURO VI

the eURO VI modules, driven on the pres-
sure side, feature a high level of functional
integration. this is evident in the adapted
fuel cooler, the pressure sensor on the dirty
side for detecting the level of contamination
of the filter element, and several valves for
controlling pressure and flow within the
complex low-pressure fuel circuit. A manual
air bleed pump, a quick-fill valve for filling by
the customer, two nonreturn valves at the
tank connections, and a manual water dis-
posal system are also integrated.


FI LtR At I On A n D e n GIn e P e R I P He R A LS

highly efficient separation of water Manual priming pump Main filter (3 – 5 µm)
from diesel fuel
In modern diesel fuel systems, water can lead
to wear in the form of corrosion, cavitation,
Pre-filter (100 µm)
reduced lubricity, and microbiological growth,
which may cause the injection system to mal-
function. Fuels that contain biodiesel have
an even greater affinity to water, as well as
lower surface tension. this increases the
formation of fine, stable emulsions.
Complex flow chart with
several integrated valves
Conventional systems are not able to sepa- to control pressure and
volume flow
rate out fine emulsions, and their water sep-
Fuel cooler
aration performance drops off quickly as the
filter medium becomes contaminated by
Water drain valve
separated particles. MAHLe has developed
new filter concepts to meet these more Fig. 1: Heavy-duty fuel filter module for EURO VI
with manual water disposal
stringent requirements, enabling optimal
separation of even very small droplets and
the use of critical fuels throughout the life of
the filter. a stand-alone system and an integrated sys-
tem unit in MAHLe fuel ilter modules (Fig. 1).
the patented filter element for our current
modules is designed as a multistage assem- Filter modules with automatic water dispos- Fig. 3: Functional principle of adsorption
bly. When ultrasonically welded to additional do not just reliably separate out the water.
al components, a filter element is produced they also discharge it to the environment in
that guarantees optimal particle and water a controlled manner. For conventional sys- Since the water to be disposed must gener-
separation and very long service life, while tems, it is necessary to check the water ally have a residual hydrocarbon content of
requiring very little installation space. Solid level in the fuel ilter regularly, and to dispose less than 20 ppm, it lows through a cleaning
particles are filtered out initially in the first of the separated water manually, as needed; unit with activated carbon, patented by
stage. In the subsequent stages, small wa- the new MAHLe BlueDrain® system (Fig. 2) MAHLe, which adsorbs hydrocarbons relia-
ter droplets are coalesced into larger drops, takes care of everything automatically. bly, even for strongly emulsified fuel content
and then the water is separated out by a (Fig. 3). Due to the excellent adsorption ca-
hydrophobic end separator. the ilter element pacity of activated carbon, future standards
also features continuous air bleeding during are also guaranteed to be fulfilled.
operation. A screen acts as a preilter to pro-
Housing Multi-level
tect the mechanical feeder pump from large water level sensor An intelligent actuation and safety concept
contaminants in the tank. determines the current operating condition
and guarantees safe systems function. Ad-
environmentally friendly, automatic vantages of the BlueDrain ® system, com-
low-maintenance water disposal pared with other functional principles, are
system for diesel fuel filter modules the low cost of the replaceable cleaning unit
In addition to highly efficient particle and and its suitability for both pressure- and
water separation in the fuel filter, automatic suction-side applications.
Plug for electronic Electronic control unit
disposal of the separated water is increas- control unit
ingly important. that is why MAHLe has de- Authors: Matthias Gänswein, Hans-Peter Lang
veloped an automatic water disposal system BlueDrain® water
cleaning unit
for diesel fuel with a high water content,
which will be available in the future as both Fig. 2: Design of the MAHLE BlueDrain® system


LIGHteR, CHeAPeR, BetteR:

THE NEW OIL FILTER MODULE

The new MAHLE oil filter module for
commercial vehicles is highly versatile
in terms of integration on both the oil
side and the coolant side. This high level
of integration reduces the number of
interfaces and sealing points. High-
performance plastics are used to help
reduce weight and costs.


FI LtR At I On A n D e n GIn e P e R I P He R A LS

the development and production of com- a molded elastomer gasket that is inlaid in
plex oil filter modules has long been one of the gasket groove on the housing was se-
MAHLe’s core competences. Besides filtra- lected for this interface. the gasket groove
tion and cooling of lubricating oil, additional is cast as is, and the engine flange on the
functions can be integrated into the overall housing is machined. this provides a sealed
system of “engine lubrication and cooling.” joint that is optimized for function and cost.
It also meets the demanding requirements for
high level of integration an ideally level flange on the bolted engine
In our newest oil filter module, the coolant connection.
pump, coolant thermostat, and sensors for
temperature control are all integrated (Fig. 1). the filter element, based on modern filter
A valve provides for venting of the cooling media and production processes, fulfills the
circuit. the coolant drain screw is placed at requirements for as long a service interval as
the lowest point of the module in order to be possible (Fig. 2). the separation level meets
able to empty the block quickly for service. the requirements of a modern engine. the
the integration of the oil thermostat and high quality of the ilter media allowed the
various valves on the oil side helps to reduce reduction of the ilter surface. the element is
friction losses. the restricted installation thus more compact for the same package
space for the heavy-duty platform requires constraint. this improved the total pressure
a high level of functionality. the module also loss of the module at low temperatures by
serves as a support for the bracket of the ten percent. the filter is easy to access, and
charge air pipe. In order to ensure a lifetime a reliably functioning drainage system is in- Fig. 2: Patented filter element with 120,000 km
service interval
seal between the engine and the oil filter tegrated, which improves the ease of main-
housing, despite thermally induced shifting, tenance. the element is patented and there-
fore provides additional protection when
used solely within the customer-specific re-
Controlled coolant pump Patented
with Visco® clutch Coolant vent valve filter element quirements.

weight and cost savings
High-performance plastics have been in use
in the passenger car market for years. the
application of high-performance plastics to
Stainless steel cooler
(rear side) the high service life of commercial vehicles
is a challenge that MAHLe is glad to accept.
By changing the position of internal inter-
faces, the plastic content has been increased
considerably. this reduced component weight
relative to comparable oil filter modules by a
Initial fill valve
significant amount. the innovative pressure
die casting design helps to reduce even more
internal interfaces. the module is very com-
pact. Additional potential material substitu-
tions have been identiied in order to continue
to develop the module with respect to cost
Coolant
temperature sensor Coolant drain screw and weight savings in the future.

Interface
for coolant thermostat Oil thermostat Author: Sabrina Auer

Fig. 1: Heavy-duty oil filter module with controlled pump and oil thermostat


00007665EN3.09/12 www.mahle.com

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