SinterCast European Workshop 1999

SINTERCAST EUROPEAN WORKSHOP 1999 The 1999 European Workshop on Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) organized by SinterCast and supported by AVL, engine design consultants of Austria and by PTW, a department of the Darmstadt University of Technology, was held in Bad Nauheim, Germany on 24 and 25 November. The Workshop was attended by 150 automotive, machining and foundry experts from leading industries in Europe signifying the growing importance which CGI is assuming within the automotive industry. 1999 has been an instrumental year for CGI with the introduction in Europe of three production engines incorporating CGI engine blocks. Audi and BMW both launched brand new V8 TDI Diesel engines, whilst DAF Trucks recently launched its new XE 390 engine. These engines share a common philosophy incorporating high cylinder pressures to achieve new state-of-the-art levels of specific performance and incorporating the strength of CGI to produce compact, power and weight efficient engines. These three new engines were exhibited at the Workshop and presentations were made regarding each of these products. AVL presented - the concept of "downsizing"- which by the use of CGI in Diesel engine blocks resulted in smaller, more compact Diesel engines with the same power as today's volume production engines. The emphasis of the Workshop was on machining of CGI engine blocks where significant progress has been made over the past twelve months. The leading machine tool and honing companies, Gehring, Ingersoll, Kennametal Hertel, Komet, Mapal, Nagel and Rotary Technologies presented or discussed high performance tool solutions expected to meet the engine producers' approval. Time was spent at PTW for a real time demonstration using several types of CGI engine blocks to demonstrate the latest tooling principles for the machining operations of cylinder boring, milling, drilling and honing. The ongoing optimisation programmes by the above companies were recommended by PTW to also take place at the car and truck companies. SinterCast interprets the tool manufacturers' results as a sign that high performance tools are now available for machining of CGI and expects this to be confirmed by the automotive industry after their individual optimization programs have been completed. Three leading car companies confirmed at the Workshop that transfer line testing is now the next step to be taken. Stockholm, 29 November 1999 SinterCast AB (publ) For further information: Bertil Hagman Managing Director SinterCast AB (publ) Tel: +46 8 660 7750 Box 10203 Fax: +46 8 661 7979 SE-100 55 Stockholm e-post:info@sintercast.com Sweden web site:http://www.sintercast.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/11/29/19991129BIT00490/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/11/29/19991129BIT00490/bit0002.pdf