In the past year, for the first time ever, more than 2 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide as reported by the Center of Automotive Management (CAM). With 60% of the worldwide demand, China is the main driver of this development.
Electric power steering has become standard in the manufacturing of automobiles. The technology guarantees very precise steering support for every type of vehicle, high-end driving comfort, and lower energy consumption in the steering system, which has a positive effect on the car’s CO2 consumption.
CVT transmissions are becoming increasingly popular in the American and Asian markets. The technology improves driving comfort as the car shifts gears more smoothly. A critical part of manufacturing these transmissions is the creation of the CVT components like shafts and disks (“pulleys”) that need to be hard machined with extreme precision– all as part of a multi-stage process that uses various turning centers and grinding machines.
The VLC 200 GT is loaded at by the integrated pick-up spindle. The process starts with hard pre-turning of the shoulder and the bore hole in quick succession. Only a few micrometers of material are then left to be removed from the automotive gear by the subsequent grinding process, using either aluminum oxide or CBN grinding wheels.
Transmission manufacturing is among the most innovative areas of passenger vehicle production: This central component has to ensure a high level of driving dynamics, while keeping fuel consumption low at the same time. Transmissions are therefore becoming smaller and lighter, and provide a higher number of speeds. The individual gearwheels are a main focus of the developers. Their production in extremely high volumes requires a high level of efficiency—at high precision, high speed, and highly controlled.