Reducing Cost and Weight
Customer Requirements
Reducing total vehicle weight has become a major focus for the automotive industry in recent years, as this allows significant savings in fuel consumption to be achieved in all driving conditions combined with further benefits such as vehicle dynamic behaviour. However, customers are also demanding increased safety and feature content which often leads to vehicle cost and weight increases.
Our Solution
MAHLE Powertrain has proven capabilities in both cost and weight-reduction programmes for engines. Significant savings can be made through a detailed knowledge of design for manufacture coupled with direct access to MAHLE's worldwide engine component manufacturing resources. All opportunities are explored to ensure that both cost and weight are minimised.
Our Strengths
- Substantial practical experience of introducing weight and cost efficient engines into production
- Philosophy of using simple, practical design features to reduce weight and manufacturing costs
- Ability to react quickly to specific customer needs
- Innovative approach not constrained by current practices or equipment
- Ability to consider total powertrain/vehicle system
Our Services
- Consultation to advise potential clients about feasibility of concepts
- Interpretation of customer requirements into defined product objectives and targets
- Clean sheet design to satisfy customer components and products
- Structural analysis, wear prediction, component rig testing, durability assessment
- Manufacturing support for niche or specialist components and spare parts
Customer Benefits
- Increased profit margins
- Reduced energy consumption during manufacture
- Reduced energy use of vehicle over lifetime
- Rapid implementation from concept to production
- Improved technology image
- Reduced raw material usage
Our Tools and Facilities
- Value analysis incorporated at regular design reviews throughout every project
- Finite element analysis, CFD and Gamma Technologies suite of predictive analysis tools
- In house developed lean design techniques to reduce parts count
- 3D CAD CAM modelling allowing virtual reality assessment of design
- Well developed generic Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) that can easily be adapted to specific products
- Functional and durability test rigs, engine and chassis dynamometer cells, climatic chambers
