Energy-Efficient Engine Technology Wins Ford Team National Inventor of the Year Award
DEARBORN, Mich., May 28, 2009 -- SUMMARY:
-- The Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation is honoring the
inventors of the Ford-patented Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA)
technology used to apply coatings on engine cylinder bores with the
2009 National Inventor of the Year Award
-- Ford's PTWA thermal spray coating process for aluminum engine blocks
replaces heavy cast iron liners which improves an engine's fuel
efficiency by reducing engine weight and internal piston friction
losses
-- Ford has 95 issued and pending patents related to the new PTWA coating
technology and will introduce it on its North American powertrain
lineup within the next year
CONTEXT / BACKGROUND:
-- An aluminum engine block offers a substantial weight savings to a
vehicle, making it an attractive option for automakers looking for
ways to reduce curb weight, and in turn, fuel consumption and CO2
emissions. However, most aluminum engines require heavy cast iron
liners because of aluminum's low wear resistance, somewhat offsetting
the block's initial leaner weight.
-- A Ford-patented thermal spray coating process for cylinder bores
replaces these heavy liners with a low-friction, wear-resistant
coating that makes the engine lighter and more efficient. This
technology has the potential to reduce vehicle weight, increase fuel
efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, which are all key elements of
Ford's plan to deliver more sustainable solutions that can be applied
to millions of cars and trucks in the near term
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DETAILS:
The Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation's 36-year-old National Inventor of the Year Award program recognizes individuals that epitomize American traditions of technological leadership, and increases public awareness of current inventors and how they benefit the nation's economy and our quality of life.
The 2009 Inventor of the Year award goes to Ford and Flame-Spray Industries for the collaborative development of the spray apparatus for use with Ford's patented production-ready Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA) thermal spray coating process for aluminum engine blocks.
This accomplishment puts Ford and Flame-Spray Industries in elite company with medical and pharmaceutical powerhouses as well as agricultural and chemical standouts, among others. Past Inventors of the Year, for example, include Dr. Raymond Damadian of Fonar Corporation for the development of Upright MRI technology and Dr. Ihor Lys of Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions for his development of a more efficient LED lighting system.
The team of inventors being honored at the National Inventor of the Year Award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 28 is Ford retiree James Baughman and Dr. David Cook, Keith Kowalsky and Daniel Marantz of supplier Flame-Spray Industries. Cook was a member of the Ford team when the spray device initially was developed.
How it Works
The Ford-patented PTWA thermal spray technology for cylinder bores replaces the heavy cast iron liners typically required with aluminum block engines with a low-friction, wear-resistant thermal spray coating. The plasma-sprayed coating offers several advantages, including:
-- Engine weight reductions - the coating can reduce the weight of a V-6
engine, for instance, by approximately six pounds
-- Reduced friction between the piston rings and cylinder bore, which has
been shown to deliver measurable friction reduction
-- Improved oil and fuel economy
-- Improved engine performance due to better heat management
In addition, the PTWA coating process has been used to recycle damaged and worn aluminum and cast iron engine blocks by applying the wear-resistant coating to the cylinder bore surface. Remanufacturing engines using the PTWA process requires 50 percent to 80 percent less energy to produce compared with a new manufactured engine block - demonstrating another step toward Ford's commitment to reducing its manufacturing CO2 footprint.
Aerospace Meets the Road
Thermal spray coatings have been used for years, popular in the aerospace industry for increasing the durability and performance of aircraft turbine engines.
Ford researchers began collaborating with Flame-Spray Industries and other suppliers in the 1990s to transfer this efficient, lightweight aerospace technology to a low-cost, high-volume application suitable for the auto industry. One of the challenges was to create a robust coating applicator since commonly-used thermal spray devices were not capable of coating cylinder bores of automotive engine blocks.
The innovative PTWA spray torch technology was a significant enabler of making this high-volume coating process more reliable for automotive applications, while offering the economies of scale for low-cost coating of engine cylinder bores.
Patent Leadership
Earlier this year, a new study by the world's leading patent analyst, The Patent Board, found that Ford Motor Company outperformed all other automakers in the quality and significance of its technology patents.
Ford's leadership in developing PTWA thermal spraying further demonstrates why Ford continues to surpass the competition in the patent arena. Ford has more than 95 U.S. and foreign issued and pending patents related to the PTWA thermal coating method and application, alone.
Ford will introduce the PTWA thermal coating process to its North America powertrain lineup within the next year, adding to the company's growing list of in-production powertrain technologies that are improving vehicle fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance.
They include:
-- Ford EcoBoost gasoline engine technology, which combines turbocharging
and direct injection to smaller displacement engines that offer
improved fuel economy and fewer emissions, yet deliver performance
feel of larger displacement engines. EcoBoost engine production began
earlier this month at Ford's Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
-- Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off, which temporarily turns off
fuel to the engine when the driver releases the accelerator pedal to
slow down, resulting in an efficiency improvement of approximately 1
percent. This technology was first featured on the 2009 Ford Flex.
-- Cam torque actuated variable cam timing (iVCT). Ford is the first to
use camshaft torsional energy rather than traditional pressurized oil
to phase the camshafts, for lower parasitic energy loss and improved
fuel economy. The technology debuted on the 3.0-liter V-6 engine on
the 2009 Ford Escape.
QUOTES:
"Without the intense cooperation between Ford and our suppliers, this technology would have never made it to production. This award is a great honor and recognizes the tireless effort of all involved to deliver on key elements of Ford's sustainability plan."
- Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Vice President, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering
"Flame-Spray Industries and Ford have enjoyed a close working relationship that has facilitated the successful development of the PTWA technology. The implementation of this technology offers significant possibilities to improve performance and fuel economy on future aluminum engines."
- Dr. David Cook, Vice President, Flame-Spray Industries
"We are pleased to honor this team of inventors with this year's award. Given the concerns about the environment and the global competitiveness of the American auto industry, we feel it is more important than ever to point out that the tradition of innovation in this industry continues, as reflected by the commercialization of this important invention."
- Phil Johnson, President, Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 205,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com
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