Powertrain

Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology

Antriebsstrang
© istock

The powertrain contains all components for the torque generation and transmission. This involves him from motor to wheel. A lot has been going on in the automobile business: cars need less material, are becoming more lightweight and consuming less gasoline. But the world’s resources are limited and the need for energy and raw materials is exploding. Production will have to make do with fewer raw materials if we also want to guarantee future prosperity.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has taken up the frontline theme of “Green Powertrain Technologies” at its various institutes for developing new, efficient and energy-saving technologies and subassemblies for the powertrain of today in tomorrow’s drive systems. The Fraunhofer IWU is coordinating the work of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft on this next-generation issue focusing on low power consumption by driving down friction, using lightweight materials and promoting sustainability.

Nearly all process chains, which are needed for the production of powertrain components, are professional supervised. High qualified employees and excellent equipment in hard and software ensures our customers the maximum in project results.

The service portfolio contains activities from the product, technology and production planning to process design and tool development and production until the manufacturing of sample parts, prototypes and small series. Also feasibility studies, process monitoring and regulation as well as material and component testing are part of our work. Also the investigation and further development of processes, which are usable for the production of tribologic optimal function surfaces, belong to our services.

The tendency towards lightweight construction has its impact on the vibration behavior of powertrain. Unwelcome sounds or even component failure result from this tendency. Therefore it is necessary to understand the powertrain in its vibration and sound behavior to pre-act already during the advanced development phase. We also use our experience from technical acoustics in this subject.

System competence at the Fraunhofer IWU

An essential focus of our research and development work lays in the design and improvement of single processes as well as continuously resource efficient process chains for the production of powertrain components. From the process point of view companies can come back to nearly the entire extensive spectrum of forming and milling production technologies.

The consequent research and usage of all possibilities which lightweight construction offers, is besides the continuous reduction of possibilites our essential task. Furthermore another aim is the sustainable usage of semi-finished products and production technologies.

Process chain development

  • Market analysis
  • Process chain study
  • Process streamlining
  • Cost-to-benefit analysis
  • Coming up with production designs
  • Rough and precision planning for engineering processes
  • Technological dimensioning of processing machines
  • Recommendations for machine investments coming up with and analyzing machining strategies

Market analysis

  • Benchmarking
  • Specific value determing and material studies
  • Developing engineering and process improvement
  • Development, design and manufacturing of tools
  • Processing strategies till factory planning
  • Increasing reproducibility and process stability
  • Benchmarking CAD/CAM systems
  • Reducing of production costs, minimization of time
  • Production of sample parts, prototypes and low volume production

Quality assurance

  • Sensor systems in tools and system
  • Photogrammetric recording of component parts and tool geometries
  • Structure analysis
  • REM-recordings
  • X-ray diffractometry
  • Measuring of micro components with confocal microscopy and strip projection
  • Measuring of machines and tools with laser trackers
  • High-speed- and thermal-image cameras
  • Institutions for grater value determination

Further Information