Dana releases eco-friendly cylinder-head cover
Product makes Dana the first company supplying Ford with components from recycled materials for 2010 Ford vehicles.
David Greenfield -- Control Engineering, 11/12/2009
Dana Holding Corporation is now supplying cylinder-head covers made of recycled material on Ford Motor Company's 3.0-liter Duratec engine, which is used in the 2010 Fusion and Escape vehicles.
 2010 Ford Fusion features Dana's new cylinder-head cover, manufactured using EcoLon nylon. Source: Ford. |
Manufactured using EcoLon nylon, the cover is said to be the first automotive product of its kind manufactured from post-consumer recycled nylon. Dana partnered with Wellman Engineering Resins, a compounder and supplier of nylon resins, to test, develop, and supply the material.
To repurpose nylon, Wellman grinds used nylon carpeting into fiber and recaptures the material through a proprietary process. The resulting product is a high-quality nylon resin, which Dana then uses to mold into cylinder-head covers through its injection-molding process.
The highly durable nylon covers also provide greater fuel economy due to weight savings of nearly 20% when compared with aluminum die-cast cylinder-head covers.
The cylinder-head covers are part of a module-based sealing system Dana supplies for the Ford Fusion and Escape programs, which also includes the engine cover, gaskets, fasteners, baffle/air-oil separator, and isolators.
Access other Control Engineering content related to sustainable products:
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- Headlight bulb design and production goes green
- Embedded control system reduces small combustion motor emissions
- Edited by David Greenfield, editorial director
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