Economic Impacts of Flow-Control Machining Technologies: Early Applications in the Automobile Industry

摘要

This study investigates the impact of two new process technologies developed in the ATP Flow-Control Machining Project: abrasive flow-control machining (AFCM) and non-traditional combustion chamber sizing (NCCS). These new processes offer large potential benefits to manufacturers who need to increase the functional precision and performance of cast-metal machine parts. The new processes advance the state-of-the-art in the finishing of cast-metal parts that carry fluids in interior passageways. Currently, these parts often have manufacturing imperfections which decrease their precision and therefore functional performance. Finishing processes exist which correct these imperfections, but they are time consuming and costly, relegating their use to high-value, low-volume production applications. The goal of the Flow-Control Machining (FCM) Project, a joint venture between Ford, GM, Extrude Hone, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, University of Pittsburgh, and the ATP, is to develop two new automated and cost-effective finishing processes which-by smoothing, sizing, and balancing passageways-markedly improve the performance of cast-metal parts. This collaborative project is on track toward completing its goals; when successful, the new processes will have potentially wide application in automobile, aircraft, diesel-injector, and other manufacturing industries. The first application of the FCM processes is to airflow components in passenger-car and light-truck engines and is, therefore, the subject of this study. The new processes will allow automakers to manufacture engines that have higher precision and performance. The processes can be used to increase engine horsepower or fuel efficiency by an estimated six percent. This study finds that under current market conditions automakers will likely use the FCM processes to increase the fuel efficiency of their automobiles. For the past twenty-five years, automakers have adopted fuel-efficiency technologies in an effort to meet federal CAFE fuel-economy regulations; the FCM processes achieve the same objective but with lower design and manufacturing costs. Profit-maximizing assumptions in the face of CAFE fleet regulations lead us to conclude that the first applications of the FCM processes will be in the light-truck classes of automobiles, such as large utility vehicles.