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Issue link: https://adp.epubxp.com/i/181113
AD&P; > October 2013 > NOTABLE Federal-Mogul Develops New Ceramic for Better Plugs When people generally think about downsized, highly boosted engines, they probably don't take into account the fact that because within the cylinders there are higher peak temperatures and pressures, there are signifcant demands placed on . . . the spark plugs. What's more, lean fuel mixtures and alternative fuels are more difcult to ignite. And because the engines are smaller, because there are four valves, because there is direct injection and so there needs to be space for the fuel injector in the combustion chamber, and because the need for more space for coolant packages to help manage the thermal loads . . . there is less space for the spark plugs. To address this, Federal-Mogul (federalmogul.com) has developed a new high-performance spark plug ceramic, SureFire Plus, that allows the manufacture of spark plugs that can deliver voltages of 42 kV or more (compared with 36 kV) and have a smaller diameter, 10 mm, for example, rather than 14 mm. Whereas spark plug insulators are generally made with 95% alumina and 5% glass, the new Federal-Mogul material is said to have "a signifcantly higher percentage" of alumina and the balance of various oxides that serve to minimize electrical current leakage through the ceramic material. The characteristics of the material have required the development of a new manufacturing process to produce it. Rich Keller, p "The unprecedented level of director of product ignition ceramic performance we have engineering, Bearings achieved in SureFire Plus spark & Ignition, Federalplugs enables a new generation Mogul Powertrain, said, of ignition systems that provide "Developing a ceramic greater energy and durability microstructure with in a smaller package," said superior resistance to high- Rich Keller, director of product voltage breakdown was a ignition engineering, Bearings vital frst step, but to make & Ignition, Federal-Mogul SureFire Plus a production Powertrain. reality required a development breakthrough in compaction process technology." Federal-Mogul plans to have SureFire Plus in high-volume production by May 2014. ROBOTIC END EFFECTORS Robotic Tool Changers increase flexibility and productivity. Superior Fail-Safe—springless design maintains lock position in event of air pressure loss Specially Tapered Cam—second taper produces high locking strength Locking Balls—Low-friction locking balls extend the life of the unit Lock Ring—Wide footprint of lock ring creates high moment capacity in locking mechanism • Increase the flexibility of your robots by adding the ability to use more than one end-effector in an application. • Production line tooling changed in seconds for maximum flexibility. • Change tools in seconds for maintenance and repair. • Increase operator safety by changing tools automatically. • Million-cycle tested for reliability. 18 Over 20 Years of Robotic End-Effector Innovation www.ati-ia.com/adtc 919.772.0115