DENSO To Eliminate Lead in Brushes for All Automotive Electric Motors to Meet New European Regulations
JapanCorp: <http://www.japancorp.net/?page_num=1> DENSO To Eliminate Lead in Brushes for All Automotive Electric Motors to Meet New European Regulations Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 19, 2002 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO Corporation and ASMO Co. Ltd., a DENSO group company, will completely eliminate lead in brushes of all automotive electric motors including starters, alternators, fuel pumps, and electric fan motors by March 2003. "DENSO began switching to lead-free brushes last month by utilizing a newly developed alternative agent for lead," said Koichi Fukaya, senior managing director of DENSO Corporation. "We are scheduled to complete the company-wide switch in cooperation with ASMO by next March for all production motors with an output of around 15 million units per month worldwide." Recent European vehicle disposal legislation prohibits, after July 2003, the use of lead in motor brushes for new vehicle types. "As one of the world's top automotive motor manufacturers, DENSO will meet new environmental regulations before legislation is in effect, with lead-free brushes for all its automotive electric motors," Fukaya said. To achieve the switch, DENSO has developed jointly with a brush manufacturer a new additive agent, consisting of several kinds of additives, to eliminate lead in brushes of large-current starters and improve brush durability, company officials said. Motor brushes with this new agent were found to have longer life and generate more power than brushes using conventional additive lead. Before the new additive was available, lead had to be added to motor brushes of large-current starters to improve brush durability*1 for the life of the motor. Previously, for almost every type of electric motor manufactured, a minute quantity of lead has been applied as a mold release agent during the production process. To avoid using even this minute amount of lead, Fukaya said that DENSO will also begin to substitute an alternate mold release agent in corporation with ASMO in an effort to totally eliminate lead from the production of all types of electric motor brushes. DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global supplier of advanced technology, systems and components. Worldwide, the company employs 87,000 people in 31 countries. Consolidated global sales for the year ended March 31, 2002 totaled US$18.1 billion (2,401.1 billion yen)*2. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges in Japan. ASMO Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kosai, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, is a DENSO group company and produces electric small motors including power window regulator motors, washer motors and wiper motors. *1) A motor brush provides an electric current to a rotating coil while contacting the coil. The brush is liable to be worn during the motor operation because it keeps contact with the rotating coil, significantly affecting the life of the motor. *2) The figures for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002 include the effect of an irregular 15-month reporting period, due to 45 overseas subsidiaries and overseas affiliates changing their yearends to March 31 from December 31. About DENSO Corporation DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global supplier of advanced technology, systems and components. Worldwide, the company employs 87,000 people in 31 countries and regions, including Japan. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges in Japan.For further information, please visit the DENSO Corporation home page at: www.denso.co.jp/index-e.html <http://www.denso.co.jp/index-e.html> Contact Shinya Omi, Yoko Suga, Miwa Kurokawa DENSO CORPORATION Phone: 81-566-25-5594, 5592 Fax: 81-566-25-4509 shinya_omi@denso.co.jp yoko_suga@denso.co.jp miwa_kurokawa@denso.co.jp _____ Dec. 19, 2002, 17:29 (JST) Source: DENSO Corporation DENSO Corporation www.denso.co.jp/index-e.html <http://www.denso.co.jp/index-e.html> From the Japan Corporate News Network www.japancorp.net <http://www.japancorp.net> Topic: Research and development Sectors: Auto Parts & Equipment, Auto R and D, Safety © 2002 JCN Newswire. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK. All rights reserved.