MARSHALL, Mich . . .  Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced a series of process improvements and new engine valve product designs that help engine manufacturers address issues related to engine downsizing to achieve better fuel economy and reduced emissions.

“The pursuit of fuel efficient vehicles is driving the development of smaller engines with a greater power density which puts more stress on the internal components like the intake and exhaust valves,” said Dave Genise, director of engineering for Eaton’s Valvetrain business. “To address this trend and help our customers to achieve their fuel economy and emissions goals, we’re developing new alloys, manufacturing processes and original valve designs to meet their needs.”

Engine valves by design operate in extreme environments, and the metal alloys they are made from must be robust. Throughout Eaton’s history, alloy development has formed a key building block of product value. From the historical development of the Eatonite® alloys, to the more recent development of the Crutonite® low nickel valve alloys, Eaton is committed to developing next generation alloys that can survive the wear and tear and extreme heat of today’s engines. New alloys in development promise to be cost effective alternatives to traditional high-temperature alloys, but offering comparable strength and wear and corrosion resistance.

When alloy choice alone is not enough to handle thermal loads, Eaton offers a full range of internally cooled engine valves. Commonly found in aircraft valves through the years, internally cooled, or sodium cooled valves are effective at reducing valve temperatures but a new approach was needed to be a viable option for high volume automotive engines. To meet this need, Eaton developed a new laser welding process, which facilitates high volume manufacture of internally cooled valves with conventional equipment. The new valve design is not limited by size or stem diameter considerations, and offers up to 50 percent reduction in weight and up to a 65°C decrease in valve operating temperatures, permitting the use of standard valve materials. 

Eaton is the world’s largest independent engine valve manufacturer. Our facilities in North America, Europe, and India and Asia Pacific regions supply more than 140 automotive and heavy duty engine manufacturers globally.

Eaton’s Vehicle Group is a global technology leader in truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety with products ranging from engine valves to hybrid drive systems. The group serves Automotive and Truck businesses with $2.7 billion sales in 2009, and is organized by global regions.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.  
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