According to the manufacturer, VW’s EA211 evo engine has been equipped with the latest technologies to increase efficiency and is also available for natural gas models and plug-in hybrids. It thus plays a strategically important role worldwide in the further development of conventional drives and is one of the most efficient engines on the market. The coating of the cylinder barrel tracks is one of the important levers in this process. VW will now install the corresponding production lines in China. For these lines, Gehring received the order to supply the machines for laser roughening and honing. Dr. Sebasti-an Schöning, CEO of the Gehring Group, sees the development strategy confirmed: “We are pleased that we have been able to achieve concrete improvements in the environmental balance sheet through cooperation with our customer.”
Thermal coating of cylinder bores is a technology in high demand for increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines. Gehring focuses on optimizing the laser roughening – coating – honing process chain. In order to produce a strong bond between the layer and the cylinder block, high-performance roughening processes are required to ensure function in every respect. Gehring’s laser roughening creates production engineering advantages that have a design impact in addition to cost savings and improved environment management. In addition to high adhesive tensile strengths with low roughness, there are also economic advantages in series production, since no wearable tools are required and coating material is saved. Both aluminum and cast iron can be pretreated with the laser roughening process. Gehring laser roughening machines feature two spindles with innovative rotary optics for simultaneous machining of two cylinder tracks. The coordinated process steps of roughening – coating – honing result in low-friction and wear-resistant cylinder barrels which, thanks to improved heat dissipation, contribute to more compact and efficient internal combustion engines.
