Posts Tagged ‘Technology’
Bosch is using six VINSPEC automated inspection units from Vitronic to ensure the flawless production of its new piezoelectric actuators. Piezoelectric actuators work in car engine fuel injection systems to reduce fuel consumption, noise, and carbon emissions. They make for clean, efficient running vehicles. What is piezoelectricity? Piezoelectricity is the ability of some materials to generate an electric field in response to applied mechanical stress. This effect is reversible â such materials produce mechanical stress in response to an applied electric field. How do piezoelectric actuators work? A vehicleâs fuel injection system injects pressurised fuel into the engine cylinder through a valve in precise quantities at precise intervals. Traditional injection systems open and close this valve using electromagnets. Boschâs new actuators use piezoelectricity to control the valve quicker and more accurately than traditional systems, which makes for an efficient engine. Foil printing Boschâs new actuators consist of stacks of special piezoelectric ceramic foils printed with strip electrodes, and guide marks to ensure accurate stacking. After printing, a robotic gripper deposits foils on a conveyor. Fast line-scan cameras from Vitronic capture high-resolution images of each as they travel along. The first VINSPEC system inspects these images to identify flaws on foils, such as holes, missing print, and bleeding. It also checks the position of the strip electrodes and guide marks. If the foils pass all inspections, they are dried and sent for stacking. Faulty foils are unusable, so VINSPEC immediately discards them. Precise automated stacking Robotic grippers then stack several foils into a block on a positioning table. Accurate stacking is essential to ensure actuators function correctly. By analysing images acquired by its cameras, the second VINSPEC system identifies a foilâs guide marks and calculates its position, before instructing the robotic grippers to stack the foils precisely. Completed stacks are laminated. This causes the foils to harden and form solid blocks. Without using the machine vision system VINSPEC it wouldnât be possible to produce functional actuators. Raw actuator processing Next, a specially coated saw automatically divides the hardened blocks into bars and then into so-called âraw actuatorsâ. Cutting bars into raw actuators is a delicate process. An incorrect cut can interrupt the strip electrodes and render actuators unusable. The third VINSPEC system captures photographic images of foil blocks, measures each bar to the nearest micrometer, and coordinates the saw to product precise cuts. The fourth VINSPEC system inspects the function and quality of the raw actuators before sending them for further processing. Checks include actuator dimensions and electrode position. Only flawless actuators pass to the next production stage. Final production stages Bosch applies a layer of insulation finish and electrical strip contacts to actuators before installing them into the fuel injectors. Finish must be evenly applied and bubble free. Strip contacts require careful soldering and must be clear of finish. Defects lead to short circuits, which render actuators unusable. The fifth and sixth VINSPEC units monitor these processes, and immediately discard faulty actuators. Complete control Operators can observe the inspections on monitors at each VINSPEC station. Graphical user interfaces mean results, live photographic images, and system status reports are all easily accessible, allowing operators to intervene if they detect production discrepancies. All inspection results are stored, allowing Bosch to produce statistical evaluations and optimise its manufacturing processes. For more information visit http://www. vitronic. de
Malcolm Smith is the UK Sales Manager at Vitronic. Vitronic is a leading supplier of machine vision systems. A global company, it provides advanced technological solutions to a broad range of markets, such as logistics, traffic control, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and industrial robotics.
For more information visit: http://www.vitronic.com
The auto industry is currently geared towards the reduction of fuel consumption as the global community becomes increasingly aware of the threat of global warming. Aside from car makers, other consumer industries have also taken steps to develop devices which will help vehicles save on fuel.
One of the leading makers of automotive components, Bosch, has recently developed yet another innovative technology which will improve fuel economy of vehicles. The Stuttgart, a Germany based company, recently announced the development of their Climate Control Sensor. This sensor essentially checks constantly the level of carbon dioxide inside a vehicle’s cabin.
By monitoring the amount of carbon dioxide inside a vehicle, the device allows the air conditioning unit to optimize its performance. When the amount of carbon dioxide inside a vehicle’s cabin surpassed the preset volume, the air conditioning unit will feed fresh air in side the vehicle. Then, the unit will automatically switch to recirculation mode which means that the air conditioner will not be using up much energy.
This technology saves fuel since it decreases the load on the vehicle’s engine. The air conditioner’s compressor is being powered by the engine and when it is turned off by the new sensor from Bosch, the engine will not need more fuel to burn to power the compressor.
The design of the Climate Control Sensor (CCS) is compact to save space in the vehicle. The technology uses infrared-based spectroscopy to determine carbon dioxide level inside a vehicle’s compartment. The company known for their excellence in developing cutting edge automotive electronics designed the device to determine even minute level of carbon dioxide.
There is also a more advanced version of the sensor which not only checks the level of carbon dioxide but also measures the humidity and temperature inside the vehicle. This more advanced sensor further optimizes the cooling unit’s performance. The use of the said devices according to Bosch engineers can save consumers by as much as ten percent on fuel consumption.
With this innovation, Bosch once again proved that they are the leading producer of advanced auto components which can complement standard auto parts like Nissan ignition coil and other engine operation related components. Aside from auto electronics, the company also provides automobile components like anti-lock braking system, which the company invented, fuel injection system, starters, and alternators. These components from Bosch are known to perform well and for their durability.
Durability is also a strong selling point of Bosch’s industrial machinery, and hand tools sold all over the world. The company is focused in its automotive department as shown by the fact that half of their annual sales globally comes from their automotive technology.
Ryan Thomas is a native of Denver, Colorado. He grew up in a family of car afficionados. He now resides in Detroit where he owns a service shop and works part time as a consultant for a local automotive magazine.
BMW has partnered with another German company, Bosch, so as to provide their consumers with a vehicle with hybrid like capabilities. Bosch’s Smart Electronic stop-start system will be used on the BMW 1-Series which will start production this month.
The technology is akin to that one used by hybrid vehicles which shuts down the engine when the vehicle stops and immediately starts it once acceleration is needed. This technology was developed by Bosch as part of their operations in automotive parts and system.
The Smart Electronic start-stop feature is essentially a starter which is developed to adapt to stop-start operations especially for city driving. Frequent deceleration and acceleration is needed on city streets due to the hue amount of traffic on city streets. Shutting the engine down when the vehicle is stationary means that no fuel will be wasted. This means that no fuel is burned thus no emission is going to be produced.
According to laboratory tests, the Bosch stop-start system reduces fuel consumption by approximately eight percent on a regular trip. Carbon dioxide emission is also cut down by the same percentage. In city streets congested with so much traffic and the time a vehicle needs to stop is longer, the start-stop system can achieve ore than eight percent fuel consumption and emission reduction.
Dr. Volkmar Denner, a member of Bosch’s board of management, has this to say about their system: “This technology significantly reduces fuel consumption, especially in city driving. ” This is indeed true since like hybrid vehicles, the technology’s performance can truly be appreciated on city streets where frequent stops needs to be made. According to Denner, “This and other systems supplied by Bosch will help to reduce CO2 emissions further in the future. ”
The development of the system is in response to stricter emission standards passed by the European Union. This technology is also aimed to address the current threat of global warming due to excessive production of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from vehicles.
Aside from the start-stop technology, Bosch has already announced the development of a battery sensor which determines the power left in a car’s battery pack and relates the information to the car’s electronic control module which activates the charging of the battery pack. “Bosch has drawn on its combined competence in drive trains, energy management, and starter technology to develop this system and its control function,” says Denner. The technology developed by Bosch can complement engine parts to save fuel and reduce emission.
With more and more innovations such as this, the auto industry will be making great leaps forward in their battle against global warming. In the future, not only BMW vehicles can be equipped with this technology since it can be used on other vehicles without a need to modify the drivetrain.
Joe Thompson is the owner of a successful auto body shop in Ferndale, California. This 38 year old is also a prolific writer, contributing automotive related articles to various publications.