9
LOCATIONS – PRIZES & AWARDS – PRODUCTION PROCESSES –
NEWS AND INFORMATION
able cost structures and lack of refu-
elling infrastructure.
The total number of new registrations
for electric vehicles remains, as expect-
ed, very low. And the number of new
registrations for hybrid vehicles is in-
creasing by only a small percentage,
as the EU’s carbon dioxide target of
95 g/km does not come into force until
2020. Large and medium-sized vehicles
can only achieve the specified limit val-
ues through hybridisation, while smaller
vehicles require motor-driven mea-
sures, for example downsizing, min-
imising friction and improving combus-
tion processes, in order to reach the
said limits. The R&D sector is currently
working on the hybridisation of com-
mercial vehicles, such as vans and
trucks, but they are not yet ready to be
ramped up to commercialisation. A
question that cannot be answered is
that of regional legislation. Electromo-
bility could become of interest through
regulatory and legislative changes,
such as zero emission zones in big
cities and greater subsidies. While the
last decade has focussed on optimising
combustion processes with a variable
valve train and novel injection technolo-
gies – for example direct petrol and
common rail injection – recent years
have seen downsizing concepts come
to the fore. In the meantime, super-
charged engines with direct injection
and smaller cubic capacities are the
new basic technology. This has led to
the engine’s operating point moving to-
wards greater efficiency and higher
loads in characteristic maps, thus re-
ducing throttle and friction losses.
Further points include friction-minimis-
ing layers, high-strength materials that
allow smaller dimensions, aluminium al-
loys replacing grey cast iron as the
favoured material for cylinder blocks,
and controlled and switchable auxil-
iaries, such as oil and water pumps.
The use of state-of-the-art transmis-
sions with a wider overall spread of ra-
tios, finer gradation and minimum inner
losses ensures improved engine run-
ning with optimum performance and ef-
ficiency at the respective operating
points. The cost situation – especially
due to the more intricate and expensive
exhaust section and the application of
novel technologies – is to be optimised
with a comprehensive modular strategy
somewhere between petrol and diesel
engines. Furthermore, engines and
their peripheral components will be-
come more intelligent and efficient
through electronically enhanced power-
train systems. Forward-looking and
route-optimised energy management
can, for instance, be realised by inter-
connecting the navigation unit and the
control unit.
It will most probably never be possible
to predict the future exactly, but the
SCHERDEL
Group
can always rely on
its R&D department to provide cus-
tomers with innovative, cost-effective
and sustainable solutions. The compact
and exemplary version of the analysis
strategy shown here offers SCHERDEL
customers the perfect foundations for
the future challenges of an ever-faster-
changing market.
(fm)
Forecast for lightweight-
construction CFRP ver-
sus aluminium
Despite extensive media
coverage, there is no clear
trend in favour of carbon fibre
reinforced plastic (CFRP) in
the lightweight construction
sector. Construction tech-
niques using aluminium alloys
may offer similar potential as
CFRP to achieve weight re-
duction – but at much lower
costs. In fact, the latest indi-
cations from the aircraft con-
struction industry are very in-
teresting, as it is increasingly
returning to aluminium alloys
for future aircraft develop-
ments.
There are still a number of
challenges that prevent fibre
reinforced composites from
being widely used in mass
production, for example the
very large problem of material
costs, the topic of recycling,
the question of repairs and
the extremely long cycle time
of two to three minutes for
the production of a fibre com-
posite component. When
compared to metal assem-
blies, the advantages definite-
ly lie in the integration of
functions and the integral
construction. Our goal is, and
will continue to be, to provide
intelligent and affordable
lightweight construction solu-
tions – the right material for
the right application.
(fm)
Photo: © Audi AG
Audi Q5 – hybrid
2
basis for innovation
oncepts
