MATERIALS SPUR INNOVATION

Lighter vehicles are following Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) fuel standards for 2012, set at 33.3 mpg for cars and 25.4 mpg for trucks, and for 2016 at 37.8 mpg for cars and 28.8 mpg for trucks. MAPAL has developed a tool with a PCD head adhered on a solid-carbide tool for drilling smaller-diameter holes, the majority of holes that are made. The electric car industry is using lighter weight alloys, both for mpg, and on a smaller scale for components turbochargers, and crank and camshafts. Seco's PVD-coated TH 1000 grade features the thin alternating layers for turning applications, and its CVD-coated TH 1500 features Duratomic coating. PVD coating on TH 1000 turning grade consists of very thin alternating layers of titanium aluminum nitride and titanium silicon nitride for extreme hardness. Mitsubishi Materials USA has developed a new grade MB4020 with a grain size of CBN with a higher shear angle via an edge preparation for machining PM metals, which are used on many engine parts, including pulleys, timing pulleys, and gears among others.