Under the background of global energy shortage and environmental pressure, the lightweight automobile has become a major trend in the future. The results show that if the overall mass of the vehicle can be reduced by 100kg per vehicle, the fuel consumption per 100km can be reduced by 0.3-0.6l. In addition, the pressure of reaching 5.0l /100km fuel consumption limit in 2020 makes it more urgent for oems to develop vehicle lightweight technology. For the engine, the most important assembly part of a car, the reduction of its own weight is of great significance to the lightweight of the whole car.
The different advantages of lightweight materials make them "make the most of everything".
As we know, the means to realize the light weight of the automobile are mainly material, structure and technology. Among them, the application of lightweight materials as the most basic and core means of automotive lightweight has been widely concerned by the industry. Common lightweight materials are divided into metal and non - metal two camps. Metal materials mainly include high strength steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, titanium alloy, etc. Non-metallic materials include engineering plastics and composite materials. It is the appearance of the above lightweight materials that makes the lightweight of the engine possible. But, by the automobile engine that many parts compose, each part chooses what kind of light weight material to replace the traditional material to have exquisite each.
Geely powertrain research institute engineer yuan introduced that among engine parts, in order to effectively achieve weight reduction and cost reduction, intake manifold, cylinder head cover (independent), timing cover of belt drive timing system, timing chain tensioning rail/guide rail, etc., are components with a higher degree of non-metallic materials. However, the prospect of using non-metallic materials in oil sump and timing chain cover (wet seal) is not good.
Taking the balance shaft gear of in-line four-cylinder machine as an example, compared with the difficulties faced by the metal balance shaft gear, the non-metal balance shaft gear can effectively solve a series of problems. Because of the balance shaft speed to achieve its own engine speed 2 times, gear or chain transmission balance shafts are difficult to overcome noise, while the makers are trying to use different transmission design to maximize the deal with the noise, but the effect is not very ideal, non-metallic materials are effective to solve the problem. In addition, the non-metallic gear also has the advantages of good reliability, greatly simplified assembly accuracy, and no metal knocking sound when meshing with the metal gear.
For the future market expectations of non-metallic balance shaft gear, yuan engineer pointed out that if the three-cylinder machine and four-cylinder function in the balance shaft gear cost has been significantly reduced, the application of the prospect will be very wide. In addition to the cost problem, domestic customers' requirements for NVH are constantly increasing; The layout and vibration of the three-cylinder machine itself are not ideal, and the noise of the three-cylinder machine can not be overcome.
Conclusion:
Geely powertrain research institute yuan shuang finally stressed that non-metallic materials have their advantages, but also have inevitable disadvantages, such as three leakage problems caused by deformation and stiffness problems; When choosing non-metallic materials for each engine component, it is necessary to have a clear purpose and not follow blindly. The lightweight of the vehicle must be implemented on the premise of ensuring the strength and safety performance of the vehicle. For the confirmed results, the non-metallic materials must be applied to solve the problems, which need to start from the cost, and improve the reliability, large-scale promotion. In this way, can effectively reduce fuel consumption, reduce exhaust pollution.
