What's New at SAE

LucasVarity At SAE '98

LucasVarity highlights a wide variety of products and technologies at SAE, including a vehicle-simulation laboratory designed to shrink the amount of time it takes to test brake control systems algorithms; adaptive cruise control (ACC) that adjusts the vehicle's speed automatically, ensuring a constant distance is maintained between the vehicles; LucasVarity diesel common rail system (LVDCR) developed to reduce emissions and noise, improve fuel economy and driveability for passenger cars and other applications; fourth generation four-wheel antilock braking systems; rain sensors; and variable reluctance (VR) sensors at Booth #2413. Ward's Info No. 196

Loctite Introduces Niche Strategy

Loctite Corp. introduces chemically based adhesives and sealants at the SAE. Almost 800 million lbs. (363,000+) of these specially formulated compounds were dabbed, dispensed, squeezed, sprayed, splashed, and baked into nooks, crannies, crevices, and nether regions of American-made cars, vans and light trucks in 1996. Loctite products include anaerobics, cyanoacrylates, silicones, polyurethanes, epoxies, acrylics, and UV rapid-curing sealants for use in engine, transaxle, climate-control, powertrain, steering, passenger-restraint, sound-system, body and headlamp componentry. Among these are thermal and electrical conductive adhesives for automotive electronics, and cured-in-place (CIP) and formed-in-place (FIP) gaskets. Booth #2337. Ward's Info No. 197

Mechadyne International Ltd. Exhibits VVT Systems

Help is at hand for engine designers striving to meet current and future fuel-economy and emissions regulations. Mechadyne International Ltd., a British technology transfer company, exhibits its new range of variable valve timing (VVT) mechanisms. In line with its policy of developing cost-effective technologies, the company, which first launched the VVT range at SAE '97, offers continuous VVT systems for most engine architectures. These include single camshaft, inlet phasing, exhaust phasing, dual phasing, dual-equal phasing, Siamese phasing (inlet and exhaust camshafts controlled by one unit) as well as its variable event timing systems for gasoline and diesel engines. The company's unique new VVT system for single-cam engines will be displayed on a Viper engine at this year's SAE show. Mechadyne International also will display a new rolling-element cam phaser design, which cuts response time and which the company claims is robust, compact and low cost. Booth #2405. Ward's Info No. 198

British Group's Cutting-Edge Technologies Roll into Detroit

BASE is one of a dozen companies from Britain exhibiting at SAE in a group presentation organized by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), the major trade association for the British automotive industry. The group is supported by the United Kingdom Department of Trade & Industry. The group also includes: Zytek Automotive, Booth #2402; Peerless Stampings, Booth #2311; InterEurope Regulations Booth, #2306; Kelvin International, Booth #2404; Otter Controls, Booth #2312; Tarragon Embedded Technology, Booth #2304; and Motor Industry Research Assn., Booth #2307. Ward's Info No. 199

DuPont Award-Winning Air Filter Housing on Display

Mercedes-Benz, Mann+Hummel and DuPont Engineering Polymers earned the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) Most Innovative Use of Plastics award in the powertrain category for a flat air filter housing molded with DuPont Zytel (35% glass-reinforced nylon 66). The award-winning component, which debuted on the 1997 Mercedes Benz Actros heavy duty truck 500 series engine, is the world's first flat air filter housing for heavy trucks. With dimensions of 500 mm x 700 mm x 350 mm, the air filter housing is one of the largest components molded of glass-reinforced nylon 66. Booth #1801. Ward's Info No. 200

Sulzer Metco Displays Rotaplasma-500 and Engine Block

In cooperation with an automotive customer, Sulzer Metco has developed an integrated manufacturing system for plasma spray coating of engine block cylinder bores. Designed for a prototype series, the system can plasma spray up to 200 inline 4-cyl. engine blocks per day with a cost-effective molybdenum-alloy coating that increases engine performance and reduces wear. The coatings are thin (140-200 m), uniform (10% of the nominal coating thickness) and smooth (Ra=8-12 m). The RotaPlasma-500 provides rotational motion to the plasma spray gun inside the bore of the engine block. The system includes plasma system, process control unit, plasma gun, RotaPlasma-500, two-axes linear handling for grit blasting, two-axes linear handling for plasma spraying, cleaning station and cooling station. Sulzer Metco also will be displaying thermal spray coating applications and automation at Booth #3371. Ward's Info No. 201

Teleflex Pedals, Throttle and Shifter Control Systems Higlighted

In keeping with the 1998 SAE show theme of "Engineering the Product Development Revolution," Teleflex Automotive brings to Booth #3329 a range of new products that include adjustable pedal systems, electronic throttle-control systems and transmission shifter-control systems. A special adjustable pedal demonstration buck will be part of the display. A series of eight other static and demonstration display modules will present new electronic throttle controls, new shifter control systems and shifter knobs, automotive fuel lines and brake hoses and the complete line of Teleflex mechanical cables and wire controls. Booth #3329. Ward's Info No. 202