innovation
Nemak- Innovative and
Robotic assembly in the Nemak centre.
reliable partner for reducing CO emissions 2
By: Nick Palmen
Lightweight design is one of the key elements in the automotive industry in order to meet the ambitious CO 2 emission targets. The substitution of cast iron by aluminum in large engine components, such as the engine cylinder block( crankcase) and cylinder head, contributes significantly to this goal.
One of the leading suppliers of sophisticated aluminum powertrain components is Nemak. Founded in 1979, Nemak specializes in the development and production of cylinder heads, engine blocks and transmission parts for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
Thanks to organic growth and selected strategic acquisitions over the last ten years, Nemak has developed into a global supplier, with production capabilities in all major automotive regions. Today, Nemak has 35 manufacturing facilities, located in 14 different countries in North America, Europe, Asia and South America, employing over 20,000 people worldwide.
In order to meet the customers’ expectation and to supply best-in-class quality castings, Nemak vertically integrates“ semifinishing” machining processes. This enables Nemak to react and adjust the casting process immediately in response to any quality shift from the foundry. Nemak has recognized that the semi-finishing of cylinder blocks is also the logical step towards facilitating the integration of the coating process for“ liner-less” applications, further reducing the weight of the engine.
Beyond their casting technologies, Nemak is working on various developments to support the automotive manufacturers’ targets to reduce the CO 2 emissions. For example, until now binders for sand cores that are necessary to shape the intricate inner channels and designs of castings have been organic in nature. Most recently, Nemak has started to introduce inorganic binders that will considerably reduce the CO 2 emissions.
Cylinder bore coating
It is estimated that worldwide approximately 50 % of all cylinder blocks are made of aluminum alloy material and due to the weight reduction benefit this share is continuing to increase.
Aluminum crankcases need specific material for the running surface of the cylinder bores to fulfill the tribology requirements of the engine’ s cylinder bore, piston, piston ring, oil film system. As one of the material solutions for the bore, cast-in iron liners, primarily due to their low cost, have become the dominant option for many engines. This crankcase design reaches its limit when the width of the inter-bore bridge needs to be further reduced and at the same time, cooling channels need to be integrated in order to minimize the thermal stress at the bridge area. At the same time, with increasing
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