Value Analysis - Single or Double Sided Power Liftgate?

摘要

Vehicles with Power-Liftgates and Decklids (referred to as Gates) have been available on the market since the beginning of this Millennium. The option rate of this feature has been increasing during this time. In the meantime, Spindle Drives have become the preferred Technical Solution for the actuation. Initial Systems were double sided. To actuate the Gate they replaced the double sided symmetrical force balance systems (gas spring or mechanical springs) of the manual Gate. With the rise of the option rates, the cost pressure on Power Liftgate Systems increases. As a result of this, the Power actuation of the Gates was supported by a force balancing unit (gas spring, Federbein or mechanical spring) using only one Power actuator on the other side. These so called "Single Sided Systems" represent a significant cost saving in actuation of the Gate by removing one of the Power Actuators and replacing it with a lower cost force balancing mechanical actuator. This paper shall serve as an orientation to define the decisive criteria for the use of a single vs. double sided actuation system, thus making the "right" decision between these System Variants.