SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Responding to global vehicle manufacturers’ need to reduce parasitic power losses due to engine component friction, Federal-Mogul Powertrain, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp., has established itself as an engine sealing solution leader with its innovative MicroTorq elastomeric seal. Since its launch in 2010, MicroTorq seals have been featured on or are in development on more than 14 engine programs, including General Motors’ Ecotec small displacement engine family, which began production earlier this year. The new Ecotec family of small-displacement 3- and 4-cylinder gasoline engines ranging from 1.0L to 1.5L is designed to improve fuel economy, performance and emissions.
“While we continue to see an increased demand for MicroTorq on key light vehicle engine programs, we also see many other applications for this innovative product,” said Jan Maiden, senior vice president, Sealing, Federal-Mogul Powertrain. “For example, by integrating the seal into front and rear engine cover modules we can provide customers with a full-system solution that reduces mass, improves vehicle robustness and decreases assembly cost. We’re also testing the capability of MicroTorq on commercial vehicle engines, in order to bring these same benefits to this important market.”
MicroTorq addresses the vehicle manufacturers’ need for reduced parasitic power losses. The seal reduces frictional losses by up to 80 percent versus comparable designs, and enables CO2 reduction of up to 1.5 g/km per engine, the company says. The design concept relies on a dual-hinge flex section to maintain uniform contact with the rotating shaft without creating high loads and without jeopardizing the durability or reliability of an engine.
The seal offers additional benefits as well. It is capable of handling increased crankcase pressure and vacuum requirements found on modern gasoline engines, which enables friction reduction of other engine components, resulting in further engine efficiencies.
With annual production volume slated to grow from two million units in 2015 to over 10 million units in the next five years, the company has planned for additional capacity of MicroTorq seals at its plants in Mexico, Hungary and China to serve the demands of its global customers in all regions.
