Eaton invests in manufacturing of engine valves for fuel efficient car engines
Date: 4/13/2012
NORDHAUSEN, Germany…Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced it will significantly expand its production capacities for hollow valves in Nordhausen, Germany, to meet growing demand for this technology. In April 2012, new machines will be installed in the Nordhausen production facility, allowing the plant to nearly double its annual capacity for internally cooled engine valves. Eaton is the leading producer of engine valves for combustion engines worldwide and a leading supplier of hollow valves. The company has developed a unique manufacturing process in Nordhausen that achieves a larger valve cavity allowing the use of a greater amount of sodium and thus generating a higher cooling effect.
“Today’s downsized engines have higher power densities and therefore increased stress on internal components like intake and exhaust valves,” said Carlo Ghirardo, vice president and general manager for Eaton’s Valvetrain Business. “We have to deal with higher thermal loads and with higher mechanical loads. With our hollow valves we offer vehicle manufacturers a solution that enables them to handle those challenges while reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. For this reason, our customers have recently increased their demand for our internally cooled engine valves. That’s why we have decided to invest in the new machines for our Nordhausen plant.”
Most of the new manufacturing tooling installed in Nordhausen were designed and built by Eaton in its facility at Bosconero, Italy, to ensure that they fit the production process. In addition, high speed gun drilling machines, allowing a very short cycle time, are being installed in Nordhausen. Furthermore, the Nordhausen plant develops the final design and manufacturing process for hollow valves and therefore forms “Eaton’s Center of Excellence for Hollow Valve Production”.
The incumbent designs for hollow valves are so called tube-to-tube, where the head and the stem of the valve are separately drilled and then friction welded. Eaton’s unique design and process allows drilling the cavity from the top of the valve head and closing it by a laser-welded plug after the sodium filling has been applied. This provides a longer and more uniform cavity, improving internal cooling performance of the hollow valve through increased sodium cooling mass. The new valve design is not limited by size or stem diameter considerations, and offers up to 25 percent reduction in weight and up to a 70°C decrease in valve operating temperatures, permitting the use of standard valve materials.
Eaton manufactures more than 300 million valves per year worldwide. Additionally, the company produces valve actuation components like roller rocker arms, hydraulic valve lash adjusters and variable valvetrains making Eaton the only supplier offering the complete valvetrain system. Its facilities in Europe as well as North America, South America, India and Asia Pacific regions supply more than 140 automotive and heavy duty engine manufacturers globally. Eaton’s Vehicle Group operates European valve and valvetrain production facilities in Nordhausen, Germany, in Bielsko-Biala, Poland as well as in Bosconero and Monfalcone, Italy. Additionally, the research and development center for valves and valvetrains is located in Turin, Italy, and Rastatt, Germany.
Caption:
Photo: Eaton Corporation, 2012. Reprint free of charge, when source "Eaton" is mentioned. Please forward a copy. Thank you.
About Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 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 73,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com
Philipp Zimmermann, Eaton
Phone: +41 21 823 47 99
Email: philippzimmermann@eaton.com
Frauke Zalkau, pr people
Phone: +49 221 5341 08835
Email: f.zalkau@pr-people.de
“Today’s downsized engines have higher power densities and therefore increased stress on internal components like intake and exhaust valves,” said Carlo Ghirardo, vice president and general manager for Eaton’s Valvetrain Business. “We have to deal with higher thermal loads and with higher mechanical loads. With our hollow valves we offer vehicle manufacturers a solution that enables them to handle those challenges while reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. For this reason, our customers have recently increased their demand for our internally cooled engine valves. That’s why we have decided to invest in the new machines for our Nordhausen plant.”
Most of the new manufacturing tooling installed in Nordhausen were designed and built by Eaton in its facility at Bosconero, Italy, to ensure that they fit the production process. In addition, high speed gun drilling machines, allowing a very short cycle time, are being installed in Nordhausen. Furthermore, the Nordhausen plant develops the final design and manufacturing process for hollow valves and therefore forms “Eaton’s Center of Excellence for Hollow Valve Production”.
The incumbent designs for hollow valves are so called tube-to-tube, where the head and the stem of the valve are separately drilled and then friction welded. Eaton’s unique design and process allows drilling the cavity from the top of the valve head and closing it by a laser-welded plug after the sodium filling has been applied. This provides a longer and more uniform cavity, improving internal cooling performance of the hollow valve through increased sodium cooling mass. The new valve design is not limited by size or stem diameter considerations, and offers up to 25 percent reduction in weight and up to a 70°C decrease in valve operating temperatures, permitting the use of standard valve materials.
Eaton manufactures more than 300 million valves per year worldwide. Additionally, the company produces valve actuation components like roller rocker arms, hydraulic valve lash adjusters and variable valvetrains making Eaton the only supplier offering the complete valvetrain system. Its facilities in Europe as well as North America, South America, India and Asia Pacific regions supply more than 140 automotive and heavy duty engine manufacturers globally. Eaton’s Vehicle Group operates European valve and valvetrain production facilities in Nordhausen, Germany, in Bielsko-Biala, Poland as well as in Bosconero and Monfalcone, Italy. Additionally, the research and development center for valves and valvetrains is located in Turin, Italy, and Rastatt, Germany.
Caption:
 Eaton_Hohlventile.jpg: Eaton's hollow valves deal with the higher thermal and mechanical loads of engine downsizing. |
 Eaton_Nordhausen.jpg: |
About Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 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 73,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com
Philipp Zimmermann, Eaton
Phone: +41 21 823 47 99
Email: philippzimmermann@eaton.com
Frauke Zalkau, pr people
Phone: +49 221 5341 08835
Email: f.zalkau@pr-people.de