eBook-FJWeiland-Remanufacturing-Automotive-Mechatronics-and-Electronics

Weiland………...13 Selected and Applied Test and Diagnosis Methods for Remanufacturing Automotive Mechatronics and Electronics By Dr.-Ing.. TECHNOLOGICAL TURNAROUNDS OF AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENAN

Editor: Fernand J Weiland

Remanufacturing Automotive Mechatronics & Electronics

Not a threat but an opportunity

By Prof Rolf Steinhilper ……… 5

Remanufacturing New and Future Automotive Technologies

By Fernand J Weiland……… 13

Selected and Applied Test and Diagnosis Methods for Remanufacturing

Automotive Mechatronics and Electronics

By Dr.-Ing Stefan Freiberger………35

Sustainable Development by Reusing Used Automotive Electronics

By Fernand J Weiland ……… 83

Research of Internet & Scientific Databases on Reusing and Inspection of Used Electronics

Fernand J Weiland … ………89

Remanufacturing of Mechatronic and Electronic Modules for Transportation

Vehicles – Challenges and Opportunities

By Rex Vandenberg……… ……… ……….97

Remanufacturing Electronic Control Modules – Evolution in Progress

By Joseph Kripli……….111

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FOREWORD OF THE EDITOR

As the Chairman of the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association’s Electronics & Mechatronics Division, it is my objective to ensure that our members enjoy the benefits of their membership Among the many services an association can provide such as lobbying, facilitating networking opportunities, publishing newsletters and newspapers, etc., I decided to focus my efforts on technical communications My objective is not to educate our members on existing products which they are already familiar with, but to inform them about future product changes and encourage them to embrace new technologies

As a new division, the Electronics & Mechatronics Division has enjoyed tremendous industry support which has been reflected by the large attendance at our meetings Since our start in 2006, we have had many meetings, clinics and plant tours I would like to give special thanks to all those who have contributed their time and talent as board members,

as speakers, and plant owners They all have significantly contributed to the success of this division To encourage all members of our association to embrace the new E & M technologies, I decided to edit a small book with the aim of exploring the changes which will happen to their product lines

Many thanks go to my friends and true professionals, Joe Kripli from Flight Systems and Rex Vandenberg from Injectronics, who have greatly contributed to this book and to our clinics, it is always a joy to work with them Special thanks and gratitude also go to Stefan Freiberger, a young, brilliant engineer who has significantly contributed to this book as both author and technical editor My debt is also to my friend Rolf Steinhilper, who has supported me with his advice throughout the creation of this book, and has shared my enthusiasm for remanufacturing for the last 20 years

Lastly, many thanks to all the participants to our clinics,

to Bill Gager, President of APRA and his staff, in

particular Global Connection editor Kirsten Kase, who

have helped me in getting my job done as the chairman

of our division and as the editor of this book

Fernand J Weiland

Chairman

APRA Electronics & Mechatronics Division

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Preface

By Prof Rolf Steinhilper

Three areas: 1 Service Engineering (a new scientific discipline discovered only recently),

2 Automotive Maintenance (a task undergoing radical changes because of the introduction of electronics and mechatronics into cars) and 3 Remanufacturing Technologies (also challenged by cars’ electronics and mechatronics) form the background of this very interesting new book edited and composed by Fernand Weiland After outlining the key challenges, it presents new technologies and opportunities mainly in the field of remanufacturing automotive electronics, profiting from the pioneering spirit and the expertise of a handful of innovative personalities around the globe who are willing to share their knowledge with those who are also taking part in this exciting journey

So it is a real pleasure and honor for me to give some introductory remarks in a preface to this book, which I hope to be the ignition for inspiring a sequence of more good news and valuable information for the rapidly developing remanufacturing technology of automotive electronics and mechatronics

1 SERVICE ENGINEERING – A NEW SCIENTIFIC

DISCIPLINE

The term ‘Service Engineering’ has now been around for a little more than ten years, describing a challenging and fascinating field of work besides the engineer’s classic disciplines such as design engineering, manufacturing

engineering or industrial engineering

Being a huge new field, Service Engineering is defined in the

academic world as the ‘systematic development and design of

services using appropriate models, methods and (software) tools’

Given this definition, Service Engineering is positioned

in-between engineering and economic sciences Thus it is driven by

both the transition from production-based to service-oriented

So far, however, scientific research & development efforts towards innovative Technical Service Engineering is still a widely ‘unexplored territory’ – but the potentials are both huge and promising

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2 AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET SERVICES –

BUSINESS OF WORLD SCALE AND SCOPE

The so-called ‘automotive aftermarket’ – the business of car repairs and spare part supplies – is of wide scope: both in volume and in secrecy (!).Regarding sales, the global automotive aftermarket business is worth 600 billion Euros (850 billion US $) which means only around one third of the size of the global automotive business But as figure 1 shows, that regarding profits, the automotive aftermarket contributes three times as much than new car sales to the profits of the automotive business!

Figure 1: Automotive Service – How big is it?

17% Sale

of new cars

Origin of profits in the automotive industry

(= USD 888 bn = JPY 94,653 bn = CNY 6,315 bn)

industry turnover of EUR 1,889 billion

Source:

Booz Allen Hamilton from Automobilwoche no.12 (2005) and

OICA (2007)

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The majority of the automotive service and spare parts business, to some extent depending on the geographical region it is operating in, is done by the so called ‘IAM’ (Independent Aftermarket), not primarily by the ‘OEM/OES’ (Original Equipment Manufacturer/Supplier), see figure 2

Figure 2: Independent Aftermarket (IAM) vs Original Equipment Services (OES)

This competition between OEM/OES and IAM is tough, but it is of course good news for both technological progress and service innovations for the customers/car owners

3 TECHNOLOGICAL TURNAROUNDS OF AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE AND REMANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGIES

The rapid introduction of computer controls, which operate engine and power train management, assist driving, steering, braking, suspension and many other safety, transmission and/or comfort functions in today’s vehicles, is challenging both service operations and skills along the car’s life cycle as well as remanufacturing technologies and

Market shares of Independent Aftermarket (IAM) and Original Equipment Services (OES) in 2005

Source: GEP (2005)

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the involved failure diagnosis requirements Figure 3 depicts the radical shift (or technological turnaround) of automotive maintenance operations

Figure 3: Automotive Service Engineering – New Technologies and Opportunities

Many, if not most of these changes in automotive maintenance are caused by the introduction of microcontrollers, electronic and mechatronic components for more and more car functions

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The remanufacturing technologies for such electronic and mechatronic components in today’s and tomorrow’s cars also need to be improved and will see some significant changes and extensions in the near future These developments are the focus of all following chapters of this book – so no details will be pointed out in this preface

It should be stated, however, that many recent Research and Development projects which are run together with OEMs/OESs and the IAM at the Chair Manufacturing and Remanufacturing Technology at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, where Prof Dr.-Ing Rolf Steinhilper and his team of 10 engineers also operate a European Remanufacturing Technology Center, deal with the development of new remanufacturing technologies and business opportunities for automotive electronics and mechatronics The contents and results of all these projects are clearly showing that in the intersection between up-to-date know-how from the three areas Service Engineering, Automotive Maintenance and Remanufacturing Technologies, many new opportunities arise, see figure 4

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Figure 4: Automotive Maintenance Operations

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4 ENJOY READING!

Already today most world class companies have remanufacturing operations to boost their own productivity and competitiveness in the service sector But remanufacturing is also a business for the small, family-owned, local companies, which are the backbone of every national economy Small innovative remanufacturers often tie the most intelligent knots in the global players’ networks

Remanufacturing is an eco-innovation driver, with potentials on the economic and the environmental sides as well It will conquer new disciplines and new product areas like the car electronics and mechatronics and open new markets

We must also remember that the strongest driving force in our market place is always the consumer – ‘technological push’ needs ‘marked pull’ Remanufacturing technology matters, but not as much as the people who will buy the remanufactured components and ultimately benefit Fortunately, consumer research also indicates a rising awareness which

is more than just lip service towards protecting the planet; particularly if customers can have some fun and save money at the same time Remanufacturing offers this magic twin opportunity

So I am very grateful to my friend Fernand Weiland for publishing this book – but not only

my thanks go to him but all the other authors for undertaking this effort

My best wishes mainly go to the readers of this book for their interest in the further advancement of the great concept of remanufacturing There is a strong potential for growth – the kind of healthy, balanced growth we need

Remanufacturers are in business at the right time in the history of the world to provide answers to many of our economic, environmental and employment challenges Enjoy reading, grasp the opportunities in the areas of vehicle electronics and mechatronics and take action!

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REMANUFACTURING NEW AND FUTURE

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

By Fernand J Weiland, FJW Consulting, Cologne Germany)

1 A NEW DEFINITION FOR REMANUFACTURING

AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS AND MECHATRONICS

Until the advent of mechatronics and electronics controllers, the definition for automotive remanufacturing was clear:

A remanufactured automotive component is the functional equivalent of a new component and according to the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) Recommended Trade Practice the exact definition was, “Remanufacturing means renovating used vehicle parts or components in accordance with the generally accepted state of the art so that they can perform their function similar to new ones Remanufacturing regularly consists of dismantling the used units into their components, checking these components, repairing defective components or replacing them with new, reassembling the units, readjusting as necessary and submitting them to a final test.” The unit will be reassembled in such a manner that it is returned to its original status and performs like new

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Figure 1: Remanufacturing process steps

This definition, created for “traditional remanufacturing,” in the future will also apply to mechatronics, however, for electronic controllers the definition will have to be adapted Electronic controllers, also called electronic control modules/units (sometimes colloquially called black boxes), are computers equipped with passive and active electrical/electronics components They do not have mechanical components and therefore the need to completely disassemble the entire unit is not necessary When an electronic unit needs to

be opened, the cleaning will normally be light, since the units are hermetically sealed Defective components will need to be changed with new, and some critical components may also be changed out completely for safety or reliability reasons In this context it is interesting to note whether electronic control units which have already been used and continue to work properly can be reused again without any intervention The German Fraunhofer Institute IZM has studied this criteria and an interim report is available in this book

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2 “REMANUFACTURED PARTS” ARE THE BEST

CHOICE

Figure 2: Remanufactured Parts

To service and repair motor vehicles with “used parts” or “repaired parts” is not the best choice Used parts have not been corrected for any potential problems They have a limited life expectancy Not only will it not be an economical choice to use these parts, but most importantly it can be an unsafe replacement Furthermore, used parts procured from car dismantlers are generally not easily available “Repaired parts” have not been fully disassembled, inspected or rectified their full function is not certain – however, they are

an environmentally friendly alternative, but not without risks to the buyer “New parts” are not the best economic choice either, because they are more expensive then remanufactured units and they are surely not an environmentally friendly alternative

“Remanufactured parts” are simply not only the best choice and the best buy, but environmentally the only viable alternative Remanufacturing saves material and energy and the parts are (re)manufactured to high quality standards In comparison to manufacturing new units, remanufacturing uses 90% less material and 90% less energy!

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Figure 3: Vehicles in Europe and USA

3 GLOBAL POTENTIAL SALES FOR AUTOMOTIVE

REMANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (AND

MECHATRONICS)

Globally speaking, the biggest market for remanufactured products is North America Europe is number two and the rest of the world is only an emerging market In the United States remanufacturing has been in place since 1940 and has steadily developed over the years Today the market is mature and remanufactured products have established a dominant position against new, used or repaired units In Europe remanufacturing has not reached the same level, though the introduction in the United Kingdom dates back as early

as 1945 and in Germany, 1947 The main reasons for this slower growth have been that Europe has been a market where garages tended to repair rather than use remanufactured units However, in recent years this trend has changed and the popularity

of remanufacturing is now progressing well

The question for America and Europe is how will the new technologies of mechatronics and electronics influence remanufacturing? Will the higher technological barriers hinder the development of remanufacturing? At this juncture no one can reliably predict which position remanufacturing will hold in 15-20 years But encouraging all remanufacturers to embrace the change now will not only mean challenges but also opportunities As an

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association APRA has decided to facilitate education and networking in support of these technological developments

Figure 4: European annual production of remanufactured units

4 EUROPEAN FUTURE POTENTIAL FOR

REMANUFACTURING

In terms of communicating volumes or number of units remanufactured every year, there are very few reliable sources APRA is one of the only sources available, and quotes for North America a market of 60 million units each year and for Europe 20 million If one considers that the number of vehicles in use in the United States is around 200 million and

in Europe approx the same number, one can asses that the potential in Europe leaves room for growth However, an accurate estimation of further growth is difficult because too many factors will influence the development

The positive short/medium term growth will certainly come from products like air conditioning compressors, automatic transmissions, etc These product lines will increasingly equip more and more European cars and a new potential for remanufacturing will emerge A further area of growth is expected to come from components for heavy duty vehicles Potential growth is also expected in the areas of Eastern and Southern Europe where remanufacturing is not yet as highly developed as in other parts of Europe APRA estimates that by the year 2015 the total European volume will reach 30 million units Compared to the year 2000 this is two times more! Beyond this date it is difficult to predict the future of remanufacturing due to the potential impacts of mechatronics and electronics

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Figure 5: Potential units to be remanufactured

5 “TRADITIONAL” REMANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

The list of parts which have traditionally been remanufactured, also called “hard parts,” is long (see table above) Most are mechanical and hydraulic parts, however, electrical parts like electrical starter motors and electrical generators represent a significant part of

“traditional” remanufacturing They all have been fitted to our vehicles for many years and over time they have only slightly changed in technology Remanufacturers have always been able to cope with technical changes By nature remanufactures are very inventive and creative and when original technical specifications for products are not available for remanufacturing, they perform reverse engineering, a great capability which remanufacturers have Over the years remanufacturers have invested in very sophisticated tools, not only for the remanufacturing process, but also for the extremely important work of testing the final quality of their products All of these capabilities will help them when they face the important change from traditional components to mechatronics and electronics

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Figure 6: Remanufacturing product life cycle

6 THE REMANUFACTURING PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY LIFE CYCLE

In remanufacturing every product line/technology will follow a life cycle, from “new/future products,” to “current products,” to “mature products,” and finally to “phasing out products.” With products maturing, the remanufacturing volume will increase and so will productivity and profits At the end of the cycle they will phase out, and at that time the volume and prices will decline and the product will become a niche product Electrical power steering, for example, are “new/future products” which will definitely increase in volume over time and follow the above outlined cycle But at the same time the traditional hydraulic power steering, which is a mature product, will decrease in volume and finally will phase out and

be replaced by these new electrical power steerings Most of the time phasing out is due to changing technology Volume reduction can also be caused by increased original product

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reliability, causing the volume required for servicing/repairing cars to decline The profitability of reman components will vary significantly during their life cycle At the start, when up-front investments and learning cost are high, profitability will be low, but with higher volumes, due to economies of scale, the margins earned will reach the highest value Future mechatronics remanufacturing will follow this path and when it reaches the volume production phase the earnings will be very attractive

Figure 7: Evolution of vehicles in use Over a period of ca 15 years the conventional hydraulic power

steering will gradually be replaced by the electrical assisted power steering (EAS)

7 HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING VERSUS

MECHATRONICS POWER STEERING

A typical example to demonstrate the changes of a component during the life cycle is the power steering fitted to the Volkswagen Golf cars Until 2005 this model was fitted with traditional hydraulic power steering, but starting in 2005 Volkswagen decided to install a completely new technology: the electrically driven and electronically controlled power steering This is a typical example of a “traditional” component which was converted to a mechatronic unit The number of cars in use, which still have hydraulic power steering, is

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very significant and it will take up to 10-15 years until all Golf in use are equipped with the new mechatronic version Despite this, remanufacturers must embrace the new technology now if they wish to stay in this business Volkswagen is not the only OEM changing to mechatronics power steering Fiat, Opel and others have changed to the new technology in 1998 and the aftermarket, i.e remanufacturing business, for these units has already started

Figure 8: Mechatronics units

8 WILL THE COMPLEXITY OF MECHATRONICS BE A THREAT FOR REMANUFACTURING?

The list of automotive mechatronics components is as long as the list of “traditional” components because any mechanical, electrical or hydraulic component will be replaced

by electronically controlled components, if it hasn’t happened already The reasons for this

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are many since car components need to become more efficient in terms of energy consumption, safer, smaller in size and weight and faster The only way to improve all these parameters is to control the units electronically and make them part of an

“interrelated car network.”

Furthermore, electronic control will also allow the customisation of car functions By changing the software instead of the hardware - which is much easier - an opportunity to install and add additional features requested by the owner/driver of the car will be presented to the technician The downside of this will be the proliferation or increased number of specific applications (part numbers) for each component and the question could

be asked if these changes or challenges are not too many or too big for the remanufacturer to cope with With the right determination and the right investment remanufacturers can manage all this In fact it will not be the first time the industry will be dealing with such paradigm change, after all they have successfully managed the change from mechanical carburetors to electronically controlled engine management systems, which was quite a challenge

Figure 9: Bosch exchange program (source: Robert Bosch) Bosch is a very committed supplier of

remanufactured products which they call “Exchange” Remanufactured Electronic Controlled Units and Ignition Distributors are only two lines of many other product lines which they offer

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9 WE ALL CAN LEARN FROM THE

REMANUFACTURERS OF ENGINE MANAGEMENT

SYSTEMS

Engine management systems (EMS) control the fuel injection, the ignition and the emissions of combustion engines In total the number of functions which they control is approximately 100 The systems consist of many sensors and actuators and a computer or Electronic Control Unit (ECU) These days nearly all cars are equipped with an EMS system When the change from carburetor to electronic injection happened 25 years ago, some remanufacturers (Original or independent remanufacturers) did not hesitate to embrace the change They were not afraid to go through a difficult learning phase and they were not reluctant to make the investments which such a new business required In this book you will be reading contributions made by two of these “pioneers.” The remanufacturing processes which they invented were more on the electronic side and less

on the mechatronic side which were not yet developed They now remanufacture all the different types of controllers and the pertaining actuators which are the precursors of the future mechatronic reman business They are living evidence of what can be achieved by remanufacturers who are determined to accept high challenges They are the proof of what remanufacturers often say, “In remanufacturing nothing is impossible!” My conclusion

is, “what has been done for electronics can also be done for mechatronics!”

Figure 10: TRW Electrically Assisted Steering (EAS) which is electrically column driven designed for

smaller vehicles (source: TRW Automotive)

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10 REMANUFACTURING MECHATRONICS IS A

FASCINATING PROCESS

What exactly is a mechatronic unit? It is the combination of a mechanical component with

an electrical actuator which is electronically controlled The word mechatronics means a combination of the words “mechanics” and “electronics.” Basically a mechatronic unit is also a control system which, in automotive applications, is often a part of an entire vehicle interconnected network One of the first mechatronic automotive components which is already finding its way into remanufacturing is electrical power steering! During driving, power steering components are constantly actuated; therefore the need for service or replacement often becomes necessary This makes these components very attractive to the remanufacturing business The major Tier one manufacturers of these new mechatronic components are ZF, Bosch, TRW, NSK and Koyo These companies have all designed different systems for different vehicles which have already been in production for

a number of years

Figure 11: Elements of the TRW electrical column driven power steering: the electronic controller, the

angle sensor and the electrical motor actuator

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11 ARE MECHATRONICS REALLY SO COMPLEX?

An Electrical Assisted Steering (EAS) system may look complex, but not so if we analyse it component by component The system can be divided into three major units:

1 The sensor which is part of the steering column that measures the angle the driver makes in turning the steering wheel;

2 The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which processes the sensor data information and calculates and supplies the power,

3 The electrical motor which will rotate the column, that will drive the rack, and turn the wheels of the car

This automotive system is no different from many other control systems which we have used for many years in all sorts of non automotive applications In remanufacturing, the three components of the EAS unit will be processed separately and each will be inspected, repaired and tested Repairing electrical motors is not new to remanufacturers and rebuilding an ECU, as we have seen previously, is a process which remanufacturing specialists are very capable of performing After remanufacture and reassembly of all three components into a complete unit, a final test will ensure the proper functioning of the unit This last check is one of the most important steps for the remanufacturer Specialized manufacturers of test equipment will provide the perfect piece of equipment required to do this final job

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Figure 12: Electronic control unit of an electrical power steering pump

A micro controller of an electrical power steering pump and the frequency of potential failures (defects) which need to be repaired during remanufacturing Out of 100 units which are returned for reman, only 10 units will have a defective microcontroller, 25 defective wiring or connectors and 40 units will show a problem with the power supply modules

an ECU for an EAS is often limited to the more passive components like:

- connectors - for many reasons they are a weak point in any electronic unit;

- the wiring - mechanical stress and corrosion can cause a lot of problems, and

- the power supply - which consists of an often easy to diagnose and easy to replace component

The microcontroller itself is often the last source of complaint Electronic semiconductors (microchips, etc.) normally last “forever” It is the electrical connections which are basically mechanical connections that are often the problem makers!

Assuming the remanufacturer has the equipment and the data to test the unit, the remanufacturing process of this ECU should not present them with a major problem

Figure 13: TRW rear axle caliper is a combination of a hydraulic brake and an electrically driven parking

brake (source: TRW Automotive)

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13 AFTER EMS & EAS WHICH ARE THE NEXT

MECHATRONIC UNITS APPEARING IN

REMANUFACTURING?

After EMS (Engine Management Systems) and EAS (Electrical Assisted Steering) the next interesting area we need to look at is braking A mechatronic braking system which has already existed for a number of years is ABS, a braking system which has mechatronic components, like electrical solenoids and an electronic controller Not many remanufacturers are remanufacturing these components because the reliability and the number of service incidents are so low that the volume for remanufacturing is not sufficient

to justify the investment to reman on a larger scale

With the introduction of the combined hydraulic/electrical brake caliper (see figure16), which is also a parking brake, remanufacturing mechatronics will enjoy a new business Calipers are components which are highly stressed and the frequent service and repair that they require will make them an important mechatronic component for remanufacturing These electrical calipers have a hydraulic piston coupled with an electrical motor and a gearbox Not too complex for remanufacturing, but as for all mechatronics, an electronic tester for inspecting and operating the calipers will be absolutely crucial Fortunately such testers exist already

Figure 14: Side-mounted combined starter-generator with the electronic controller designed by Valeo

(source: Valeo Automotive)

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There are many other areas where mechatronics will be applied, but let us look at a last one which in traditional remanufacturing is one of the biggest reman volume providers, i.e electrical rotating machines or starter motors and generators At this juncture it is difficult

to make an exact forecast of which of the existing new rotating machine concepts will be fitted to volume cars

I have chosen to discuss the Valeo design because it is the best example for illustrating the direction these applications are moving The Valeo design, which would fit in the category of so called “micro hybrid power train,” is a side mounted combined starter-generator The mechanical/electrical concept is close to ‘traditional” rotating machines except that it is electronically controlled Other combined starter generators used for more powerful applications, the so called “mild hybrid power trains,” are also controlled electronically and the challenge to reman will not be very different than the Valeo machine The remanufacturing of these new machines will not be such a great problem; the bigger hurdle will be, as for all mechatronics units, the electronic controller For Starter-Generators the controller will in addition be combined with an inverter for supplying the AC current for the motor mode

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14 HOW REMANUFACTURERS CAN HELP GARAGE

WORKSHOPS WITH BETTER DIAGNOSIS

The garage workshop is very familiar with remanufactured units which it has used extensively for repairing cars over the last several decades Remanufactured units offer an attractive solution for returning defective cars to service With the advent of electronics and mechatronics, remanufacturing will positively expand in so far as the remanufacturer will not only offer a product to the installer but also a technical service! The reason has to do with the increased complexity of the units and the daily struggle of the garage technician with the new technologies Unfortunately for the garage, not only are the units more complex but also the entire electrical car connections are now part of a multiplex network called CAN bus

Figure 15: On Board Diagnosis (source: Robert Bosch)

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Traditionally, the garage technician repairing cars had the capability to check the components, but now with all components becoming mechatronics and interrelated, his testing possibilities for individual components are very limited One has to rely on what the car testers will tell them about the status of the car systems, but often they will not tell him the real status of the individual components Only the remanufacturer has this true and clear capability to inform the installer if a mechatronic unit is accurately working or not! As

a result, the remanufacturer can now help the garage to perform a better diagnosis, a service which is new and will be very appreciated Smart remanufacturers will offer this competitive advantage and will be compensated with greater market shares!

Figure 16: Performance of electronic control units (source: Robert Bosch) Over the last 25 years the

performances of electronic controllers for EMS have increased by a factor of 100! In the same time span, the size/volume of the controllers have decreased five times This is practically a specific performance improvement of a factor of 500!

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15 MECHATRONIC COMPONENTS HAVE A MUCH

SHORTER DESIGN CYCLE

If we compare the changes in Engine Management Controllers over the last three decades, we will see at least three significant paradigm changes (see figure 16) If in comparison we look at “traditional” components like Brake callipers, Hydraulic power steering, etc we have, until the recent advent of mechatronics, not really seen one significant paradigm change over a similar period Brake callipers, power steering and other components are only now going through a paradigm change, i.e they will all become mechatronic components

To illustrate the current speed of change in the design cycle of electronics (and consequently, mechatronics) the best examples are personal computers, mobile phones and digital cameras We replace these units every 3-5 years, some even more frequently Most of the time the reasons for this frequent changing technology is found in the hardware and software In automotive design we are seeing a similar evolution For example, for EMS (Engine Management Systems) the product design cycles have already reached a stage of less than three years, according to a study made by the Technical University of Dresden (Germany)

The bottom line of this evolution will be that design cycles for automotive components will reduce considerably and OES aftermarket sales & service divisions will be highly challenged to keep pace with these frequent changes Fortunately remanufacturing can easily cope with these challenges In the past remanufacturers have always supplied the aftermarket with products It is not unusual that after more than 20 years after the OE stopped production, remanufacturers are still capable of offering a reman unit for repairing cars!

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16 REMANUFACTURING IS A RELIABLE AND VERY

ATTRACTIVE SOLUTION FOR SHORT, MEDIUM & LONG TERM SUPPLIES OF COMPONENTS FOR REPAIRING VEHICLES

I do not have to reiterate the fact that remanufactured products are an attractive solution for replacing defective components I do however, wish to emphasize that for OEMs and Tier Ones, the mechatronic components which are quickly becoming obsolete, will present an immense challenge in terms of securing long term (15 years and more) supplies For them, remanufacturing will be the best choice and a very cost effective and safe alternative compared to making new components They will need to adopt the philosophy to offer remanufactured units now and not at a later date They need to create a system for the return of defective units and they need to retain certain test equipment and data before they dispose of them Remanufacturing needs time to prepare, because it cannot happen overnight when other alternatives, such as small batch production, redesign, produce an all time batch, etc, have failed!

17 FINAL CONCLUSIONS

• “Active” car components will eventually become mechatronics components The conversion has already started and it will take a few years (2-5) until all new cars will

be equipped with them It will take approximately 10 years until the majority of the cars

in use are equipped with them

• Mechatronics will be a new area where remanufacturers can win a competitive edge if they adopt the trend early enough

• “Traditional” remanufacturers do not always have the know-how to tackle electronics and mechatronics They need to go through a learning process which will take time I recommend to subcontract or to work with the specialized electronics remanufactures who can give valuable support

• Investments of time, but also of money, are required to make the change To create a sound basis for the investment, remanufacturers must create a robust plan

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• In the future remanufacturing mechatronics will be an attractive program, not only to offer to the independent aftermarket but also to offer to OEMs and Tier Ones, who may decide to subcontract their programs

• Mechatronics are high value products which will deliver higher margins and which will not be easily copied by low labor countries The parts proliferation will be such that high volumes by part number will not be the norm

• Remanufacturers should decide soon if they want to be in the mechatronic business Mechatronics needs high dedication; success will only come from embracing the new technology with determination Good luck!

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Selected and Applied Test and Diagnosis

Methods for Remanufacturing Automotive

Mechatronics and Electronics

By: Dr.-Ing Stefan Freiberger; Bayreuth University

Structure:

1 Automotive Mechatronics

2 Test and Diagnosis in Remanufacturing

3 Test and Diagnosis of Mechatronics in Remanufacturing

4 Test and Diagnosis of Electronic Control Units in Remanufacturing

5 Test and Diagnosis of Actuators and Sensors in Remanufacturing

6 Remanufacturing of Electro Hydraulic Power Steering Pumps

7 Remanufacturing of Electronic Control Unit of an EHPS-Pump

8 Remanufacturing of Air Mass Sensors

9 Conclusion and Outlook

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1 Automotive Mechatronics

1.1 Design of Mechatronic Systems

The task of mechatronic systems is the arranged and controlled conversion of electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, thermal and pneumatic energy Mechatronic systems are characterized by at least one mechanical energy flow and one transfer of information In order to perform this task, the mechanical, electrical and electronic systems are closely interconnected, exchanging data through a communication system The following figure shows the design of an integrated electronic system, to which literature increasingly refers

as mechatronic system

Figure 1: Mechatronic systems

Actuators and sensors represent the basis of the mechatronic system Through analog or digital signals, the electronic control units are able to communicate with the control system,

as well as with the sensors and the actuators They are also built in the mechatronic system The properties of the system, e g dynamic characteristics, flexibility and learning aptitude are mainly defined by the software in the electronic control unit

1.2 Subassemblies within Mechatronic Systems

The following subsections give a closer insight to the actuators, sensors and electronic control units, which represent the most important subassemblies of mechatronic systems

Mechatronic System Basic System

Energy,

Information,

Material

Energy, Information, Material

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1.2.1 Actuator Subassembly

In many cases, automotive actuators comprised of an electronical input and a mechanical output The following actuators are frequently used in vehicles:

• Electronic actuators: e g direct current motors, electronical valves and generators

• Fluid energetically actuators: e g valves, barrels and pumps

With regard to their power-to-weight-ratio, the hydraulic actuators are clearly superior to the electronical ones The advantages of electronical actuators are inherent in their convenient controllability, in their great dynamics, in their good degree of efficiency, the low costs of production and the good testability Due to the many advantages of the electronical actuators, they are commonly used in vehicles, especially in those with medium requirement

of energy Up to 100 electric motors are already installed in today’s luxury-class vehicles This trend is to be strengthened and spread towards every vehicle class Especially brushless dc motors will be installed in the future, since they posses a higher power density combined with a good reliability Hydraulic actuators are used for several rare applications with a high requirement of energy, e g servo steering systems

1.2.2 Sensor Subassembly

The task of sensors is to measure internal and external signals of a system, to convert these signals and to send the signals to electronic control units Most of, electrical signals are used

as sensor output The value is transmitted by one of the following ways of signals

• For amplitude analogue signals, the amplitude is proportional to the measurand

• For frequency analogue signals, the frequency is proportional to the measurand

• For digital signals, an encoded binary signal can be transformed into the measurand

Furthermore, sensors can be classified according to their measuring principle Table 1 shows the commonly used measuring principles in today’s vehicles

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Table 1: Measurands, measuring principles and applications in the vehicle

Measurand Measuring principle (Code of the

measuring principle)

Measuring application (Code

of the measuring principle) Acceleration Inductive (1), capacitive (2),

piezo-electric (3), hall-effect (5)

Cross acceleration (2, 3, 5), Lateral acceleration (2, 3, 5), Crankshaft acceleration (3) Revolution

speed

Inductive (1), hall-effect (5), optical (6), magneto-resistive (10)

Gearbox rotation speed (1, 5), Wheel rotation speed (1, 5, 10) Pressure Capacitive (2), piezo-electric (3),

resistive (4), piezo-resistive (7)

Absorbing air pressure (7), Charging air pressure (4, 7), Breaking pressure (2, 4), Flow rate Resistive (4), optoelectronic (8) Air flow (4),

Mass air flow (4) Lenth,

Distance

Inductive (1), capacitive (2), resistive (4), supersonic (12), radar (11)

Accelerator value (1), Seat adjustment stroke (4) Clutch stroke (1),

Temperature Resistive (4), optoelectronic (8),

thermoelectrical (9)

Oil temperature(4), Water temperature (4), Exhaust gas temperature (4) Vibration Piezo-electric (3) Knocking sensor (3)

Angle Inductive (1) capacitive (2), Resistive

(4),hall-effect (5), optoelectronic (8), magneto-resistive (10)

Steering angle (8, 10, 5), Damper angle (4),

Accelerator angle (1, 4, 5)

The table above shows some sensors that are used in vehicles Due to the increasing number of used sensors, the continuing trend is a miniaturisation of the systems - mainly in order to economise weight and space

1.2.3 Electronic Control Unit

With the introduction of the microcontroller more and more functions are being transferred to electronic control units (ECUs) Modern cars may contain up to 100 ECU’s, mostly as part of the complex mechatronic systems used in the power train, safety and comfort systems of today’s vehicles Optimal interaction between sensors, actuators, and the control units is a basic requirement for the smooth functioning of the entire system Unfortunately, in recent years, the rising complexity has lead to a decrease in reliability and an increase in the number of call-backs and breakdowns, especially for innovative vehicles This, together with the fact that the end-users’ costs for a single mechatronic system inside their cars range

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between 200 and 3000 Euro, provides a strong incentive to remanufacture these economically

2 Test and Diagnosis in Remanufacturing

2.1 Remanufacturing Process Steps for Mechatronics

Especially with regard to systems that consist of networked subsystems - like mechatronic systems, it makes sense to carry out an entrance test and diagnosis of the whole system, before passing it on to the disassembly This entrance test and diagnosis as a first step in remanufacturing mechatronic systems gives information about the condition of the system The five common steps in remanufacturing can be added to the step of entrance test and diagnosis of the system

Figure 2: Process steps in Remanufacturing

The entrance test and diagnosis divides the mechatronic systems into the fractions remanufacturable and non-remanufacturable During the second process step, the

Remanufacturing Process Steps

Test and Diagnosis of Subsystems

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disassembly, the two fractions are disassembled into different levels Concerning the non- remanufacturable systems, only the remanufacturable subassemblies (e g the sensors) or parts (e g the casings) are disassembled, depending on the entrance test and diagnosis The non-remanufacturable parts are passed on towards material recycling or removal The remanufacturable systems run through a complete disassembly, a thorough cleaning to the fourth process step of remanufacturing: the test and diagnosis of subsystems and parts The next step is the reconditioning of parts or subsystems and last but not least the product reassembly and the final test Having run through the different process steps mentioned above, the remanufactured mechatronic systems can be delivered to the customer with their original quality, their original effectiveness, original life-time, guarantee and service

2.2 Boundary Conditions for Testing and Diagnosis in

Remanufacturing

Some of the remanufacturing companies work in cooperation with one or several original equipment (OE) manufacturers In the following, they will be referred to as OE manufacturer-related remanufacturing companies The main part of the remanufacturing companies however is independent from original manufacturers and therefore these companies do not cooperate with any OE manufacturer Since the choice of the best methods for the test and diagnosis of failures strongly depends on the cooperation with the OE manufacturers, the two types of remanufacturing companies take different ways Concerning the choice of test and diagnosis methods, several basic requirements are stipulated for the two types of remanufacturing companies:

Boundary conditions for OE manufacturer-related remanufacturing companies:

• Existence of drawings (control plans, port information, tolerances in geometry, form and position)

• Existence of parts-lists (element designation, suppliers and assemblage Methods)

• Existence of specifications

• If necessary: existence of original testing tools and test benches

Boundary conditions for independent remanufacturing companies:

• No access to drawings

• No access to parts lists

• No information concerning specifications

• No access to original testing tools and test benches