CGIs Heavy-Duty Move: advanced iron material making inroads

摘要

International Truck and Engine Corp., Navistar International Corp.'s long-time diesel engine and commercial truck maker, will introduce next year an all-new line of "big-bore" diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks that use compacted graphite iron (CGI), an advanced iron formula that is stronger, yet demonstrably lighter than the conventional gray iron from which most diesel engine blocks are cast. International's move is another boost for CGI, whose proponents have spent years expounding its weight-saving advantages for diesel engines for the passenger-vehicle market, as well. International engineers say it is difficult to gauge precisely how much weight CGI will shave from its all-new line of Maxxforce big-bore diesel engines, but a typical engine in the 11L to 13L big-bore range weighs on the order of 2,500 lbs. (1,135 kg).