Diesel Progress North American Edition articles from June 2005

Diesel Progress North American Edition archives from June 2005

The next big thing.(Top dead center)(updates in interanl combustion engines)
June 1, 2005... Throughout the pages that follow is the state of the engine business in North America as it exists in June 2005. Add in our annual (and similar) Engine Technical Review in Diesel Progress International and you pretty much have the engine world...

Fleets getting serious about idle times.(street smarts)(cost of idling a tractor's engine for the driver to take rest is expensive )
June 1, 2005... With retail diesel fuel costs now running well over $2 a gallon with taxes, more fleets are seriously taking a look about using auxiliary power units (APUs) on their over-the-road sleeper tractors. It's not that technology has changed...

Wacker adds Weidemann: parent of Wacker Corp. expands construction product line by acquisition; new products include loaders, implements.(industry news)
June 1, 2005... In a move intended to broaden its construction product range, Wacker Construction Equipment AG, the Munich, Germany, parent of Wisconsin-based Wacker Corp. has announced the purchase of Weidemann Holding GmbH. Weidemann is a German manufacturer...

Dateline.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... August Aug 21-25 11th Diesel Engine Emissions Reduction Conference--Palmer House, Chicago IL; DOE Office and Freedom Car and Vehicle Technologies, 1000 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20585. Tel: (800) 342-5363 Fax: (202)...

California court rules against public fleet diesels in SCAQMD; here we go again? Same judge rules Fleet Rules do apply to public fleets.(industry news)(South Coast Air Quality Management District)
June 1, 2005... Apparently California's South Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) infamous Fleet Rules have new life, at least for public fleets. It was thought that last year's landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that federal clean air laws...

Equipment rental industry back to "good ole times".(trendlines)
June 1, 2005... It's been two years since I last talked about the rental equipment industry, and things have changed. The business is more mature, like a prize fighter that has been decked by an opponent, learned something from the experience and is now back...

Making the HEMTT a hybrid: Oshkosh Truck develops diesel-electric version of workhorse Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck.(military vehicles)
June 1, 2005... Now in its third generation, Oshkosh Truck Corp. has developed a diesel-electric hybrid-powered version of its Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, the HEMTT A3. The truck is one of two hybrid HEMTT A3 vehicles developed by Oshkosh under a...

Returning with a vengeance: Yanmar reintroduces vertical shaft V-twin to North American markets; horizontal shaft to follow, both assembled in Georgia.(diesel engines)
June 1, 2005... It is not uncommon for products to occasionally be "reintroduced" to a market. In some cases, such reintroductions are cosmetic, little more than marketing "do-overs," with nothing really changed from the initial debut. But when Yanmar...

Speaking a hybrid language: thermal management specialist EMP finds growing opportunity in hybrid vehicle markets.(technology)(Engineered Machined Products Inc)
June 1, 2005... As the interest and applications for medium- and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles has grown, there has been no shortage of suppliers looking to adapt what they do to gain a foothold in that intriguing niche. For some manufacturers, it's not a simple...

Same story, different show: off-highway manufacturers ready for Tier 3, Tier 4; truck engine markets get more interesting; the return of the dreaded "Fleet Rules?".(THE YEAR IN REVIEW)
June 1, 2005... Looking back over the last 12 months in the engine industry was something like watching the revival of a well-known Broadway play. We're familiar with the story, but the cast is made up of pros who really know how to put on a show. The...

26th annual engine yearbook.(Directory)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Arrow Engine Co. 2301 E. Independence Tulsa, OK 74110-4900 Phone: (918) 583-5711; (800) 331-3662 Fax: (918) 388-3202 Website: www.arrowengine.com Contacts Sales & Marketing Kevin Leslie; ...

Forecasting the outlook for market economics.(industry news)
June 1, 2005... Serving as an excellent "early warning" on the engine-powered equipment markets and economics of 2006 and beyond, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) will hold its annual Economic Outlook Conference August 16-17 at the Pfister Hotel,...

New PDC for Volvo.(powerlines)(parts distribution center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Volvo Trucks North America Inc. has expanded its customer and dealer support with the addition of a new parts distribution center (PDC) in Dallas, Texas. The new PDC joins Volvo's existing PDCs in Reno, Nev.; Memphis, Tenn.; Columbus, Ohio;...

MHSA approves biodegradable hydraulic fluid.(powerlines)(Mining Health and Safety Administration)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Houghton International Inc., a supplier of metalworking fluids, technologies and services, announced approval by the Mining Health and Safety Administration (MHSA) of its fire-resistant vegetable oil hydraulic fluid Cosmolubric B-230. The...

ICUEE exhibit space sales top 958,000 sq.ft.(powerlines)
June 1, 2005... Companies are signing on at a record pace to exhibit at ICUEE 2005 (international Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition), said organizers, with over 958,000 net sq.ft. sold. The show has a goal of 1.1 million net sq.ft. of exhibits....

Weasler Engineering Inc.(powerlines)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Weasler Engineering Inc. has purchased the torsional damper product line from Metal Technologies, which consists of single-stage, RS two-stage and the new VRS three-stage dampers. They are designed to provide reduction of torsional vibration in...

DOE advanced combustion projects announced; projects targeted to increase the engine energy efficiency of commercial vehicles.(industry news)
June 1, 2005... The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has announced the selection of 12 engine projects targeted at increasing the energy efficiency of passenger and commercial vehicles while maintaining low emissions. The 12 projects, with a total value of $175...

New 12-point bolts.(products)
June 1, 2005... High-strength fastener and precision component manufacturer SPS Technologies now offers a line of 12-point bolts from #6 to 1 3/4 in. diameters. The bolts can be manufactured from more than 10 different materials including AEREX 350, MP35N,...

New marine engine ratings.(products)(Cummins MerCruiser Diesel announced new commercial engine )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Cummins MerCruiser Diesel has announced new commercial engine application ratings for the Quantum Series QSM11 at 300 hp, 355 hp, 405 hp and 455 hp, respectively. Additionally, commercial engine application ratings of 490 hp for the QSC8.3...

Heavy-duty engine oil.(products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Petro-Canada said its Duron XL Synthetic Blend 10W-40 was the first 10W-40 grade heavy-duty engine oil (HDEO) to achieve Mack Trucks Inc.'s EO-N Premium Plus '03 specification. It is formulated for operators requiring an HDEO with...

Universal signal converter.(products)
June 1, 2005... Axiomatic Technologies has released a DIN rail mount, universal signal converter with three-way isolation for industrial automation and machine control panels. The converter offers three-way isolation while translating one control signal into...

LED lights.(products)
June 1, 2005... The Hi Count LED lighting line for heavy-duty vehicles from Grote Industries includes popular sizes of clearance, marker and stop, tail and turn applications and features LED technology with as many as 12 times the diodes of standard lighting....

Hose connectors.(products)
June 1, 2005... Designed to prevent temperature and pressure changes caused by leaks in hose connections, Norma Products Inc. has developed the NormaClamp CC clamp connector specifically designed for charge-air coolers in heavy truck engines. This...

Cat takes aim at '07: heavy-duty engines to include ACERT Technology with addition of crankcase filter, diesel particulate filter and Clean Gas Induction.(TRUCK ENGINES 2007)
June 1, 2005... When Caterpillar previewed its 2007 heavy-duty truck engines at the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., a lot of what the Peoria, Ill., company showed seemed very familiar to anyone who has followed the truck engine business...

The flagship behind the flagship: Volvo's D16 engine debuts in VT 880 truck; new engine features 625 hp rating cooled EGR for emissions.(TRUCK ENGINES 2007)
June 1, 2005... When Volvo Trucks North America recently unveiled the VT 880 truck as its new flagship vehicle for North America, it was a big event, as it gave the company its first truck specifically targeted toward premium owner-operators. But perhaps...

A big step up for international: first in new family of big bore truck diesels to debut in '07; first fruits of alliance with MAN.(TRUCK ENGINES 2007)
June 1, 2005... While the designation "International" has been part of its identity for decades, it took on a little extra meaning when International Truck and Engine Corp. recently offered a first look at its new big bore diesel engines. That's because the...

Consistency key for Cummins: company's 2007 truck engines build on existing cooled EGR foundation with more in-house aftertreatment.(TRUCK ENGINES 2007)(exhaust gas recirculation)
June 1, 2005... In almost any endeavor, there is a lot to be said for consistency. As a classic example of how consistency can serve as both a technical and a business philosophy, you don't have to look much beyond Cummins Inc. and its strategy for meeting the...

Looking beyond an icon: Detroit Diesel unveils Series 60 for 2007--and its successor; new engine to be built in updated Redford manufacturing facility.(TRUCK ENGINES 2007)
June 1, 2005... It's not often that news about Detroit Diesel Corp.'s (DDC) Series 60 diesel engine takes a back seat to anything else at the company. After all, if any engine could be said to hold iconic status in the truck business, it would probably be the...

New president at Tramont Corp.(newsmakers)(Sean McGowan appointed)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tramont Corp. has announced Sean McGowan as its new president. Tramont is a manufacturer of UL listed diesel fuel day tanks and sub base tanks for industrial engine-generators. Founder Jeffry Christofferson will continue an active role as...

Mike Schwanzl--to global director of business development, Trailer Products for Dana Corp.(newsmakers)(Mike Schwanzl and Javier Loyola promoted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Mike Schwanzl--to global director of business development, Trailer Products for Dana Corp. In this new assignment, Schwanzl will report to Frank Sheehan, vice president of sales, marketing and product planning, Commercial Vehicle Systems. Also...

Field testing for active DPF regeneration.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)(diesel particulate filters)
June 1, 2005... With diesel particulate filters (DPF) becoming a more integral part of the emissions solution for heavy--and medium-duty trucks and other types of engine-powered equipment, a great deal of development work continues to be devoted to the...

Mining new possibilities: fuel cells may find promising niche in underground equipment; prototype loader reduces emissions, noise.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)(Vehicle Projects LLC )
June 1, 2005... With the mining industry facing regulations to further reduce engine emissions and noise levels of underground mining equipment, Vehicle Projects LLC and a series of international participants have developed what could be a viable alternative....

U.S. firms, EPA partner to help Mexico City toward cleaner air.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)(Environmental Protection Agency)
June 1, 2005... It's often difficult to quantify ambient air quality without sophisticated measurement technology. But in some areas, all it takes is your eyes and your nose to understand how emissions can contribute to the problem. One such place is...

Alternative fuel choices growing for diesel engine operators.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)(E diesel )
June 1, 2005... The concept of alternative engine fuels is nothing new. Some of the earliest diesel engine prototypes were engineered to operate on vegetable oil and even Henry Ford envisioned vehicles running on ethanol. The low cost and seemingly...

Rebuilding toward the future: California city purchases rebuilt buses incorporating hybrid drive system.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)
June 1, 2005... Many transit agencies wanting to upgrade their bus fleets to attract more riders, add more routes or meet more stringent air quality standards frequently run into budgetary roadblocks. Yet while it's hard for many communities to justify the...

Fuel cell-powered forklifts at work in auto plant.(TECHNOLOGY OF CLEAN air)
June 1, 2005... While it might be a decade or more before fuel cell vehicles roll off assembly lines, fuel cell-powered forklifts are already being used, at least in prototype form, in a General Motor's car plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. General Motors of...

Engelhard Corp.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Engelhard Corp. is launching a new catalyst technology designed to meet stringent Euro 4 light-duty diesel emissions regulations while reducing precious-metal costs. The new technology, which Engelhard has been developing for the past several...

Johnson Matthey.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Johnson Matthey's Environmental Catalysts and Technologies (ECT) group said that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has verified its Exhaust Gas Recirculation Technology (EGRT) diesel retrofit system for use on select Cummins, Detroit...

Volvo Group.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Volvo Group has shown a truck equipped with a dimethylether (DME) engine for the first time. DME is an LPG-like fuel that can be produced from biomass and residual products from paper pulp production. The truck was unveiled in conjunction...

FedEx Express.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., said it plans to add up to 75 hybrid, diesel-electric trucks to its service fleet in the next 12 months, contingent upon pricing and availability. The announcement coincided with the unveiling of two...

Chicago School Transit.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Chicago School Transit has become the first school bus service in the Chicago metropolitan area to use a biodiesel blend in its vehicles. The school buses run on B20, a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel. CST is using soy-based biodiesel as...

The European Parliament.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The European Parliament has finalized a new marine fuel directive to reduce sulfur content in heavy fuels used by seagoing ships. The mandated sulfur reductions will result in lower sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions from ships. Marine...

Washington D.C. Metro Board of Directors.(emissions & alternatives: COVERING FUEL CELLS AND OTHER EMERGING AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Washington D.C. Metro Board of Directors has approved the purchase of 100 diesel electric-hybrid buses for the Washington region. With this procurement, Metro will join other major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Seattle in selecting...

Material gains: AlloyTec offers expertise in engineered alloys for engine system applications.(technology)
June 1, 2005... Industrial innovation is typically an evolutionary process, frequently beginning with an idea in one area that reaches its potential in an entirely different venue. A case in point is Alloy Technology Solutions Inc. (AlloyTec). The seeds...

Advanced military vehicles keep rolling along.(alternatives)
June 1, 2005... With the world's largest vehicle fleet, the U.S. Army is a leading advocate of hybrid and fuel cell vehicles to reduce the amount of fuel it must purchase and transport to vehicles in the field. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and fuel cell...

Solenoid features built-in control.(accessory products)
June 1, 2005... Trombetta Motion Technologies, Menomonee Falls, Wis., has introduced a new module that incorporates a solenoid, control module and wire harness in one unit. The new Equalizer solenoid is targeted toward a range of mobile and industrial...

MTS introduces hydraulic cylinder position sensors.(mobile hydraulics)
June 1, 2005... Building on its Temposonics MH position sensor, MTS Sensors has now introduced what it calls a comprehensive line of mobile hydraulic position sensors. Beginning with an enhanced version of the existing MH sensor, the M-Series sensors...

Deere engine emissions.(product information center)
June 1, 2005... John Deere has published a new brochure on the emissions technology behind its PowerTech diesel engines. The brochure includes information on Deere's Tier 3 diesel technology, as well as an outline of its Tier 4 strategies. The brochure also...

Engine maintenance.(product information center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Detroit Diesel has published a brochure on its line of maintenance products for Detroit Diesel, MBE and MTU engines. The brochure features oil, coolant, charge-air coolers, engine brakes, filters and elements, starters and alternators, as well...

Generac engines.(product information center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Generac Power Systems, which recently announced it will begin selling its engines to other manufacturers, has published a brochure detailing its range of gasoline and gaseous-fueled engines. The brochure contains details on the company's line...

Scania 12 L V8 diesel.(product information center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... New literature from Scania details its new 12 L marine diesel. The new Scania model DI 12 M EMS offers a power range from 300 hp at 1800 rpm to 650 hp at 2200 rpm. The brochure provides technical specs on the engine, as well as propulsion, fuel...

Navistar International Corp.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... As detailed elsewhere in this issue, Navistar International Corp. said its South American engine subsidiary, International Engines South America, has agreed to acquire MWM Motores Diesel Ltda (MWM), a Brazilian diesel engine producer. Financial...

AGCO Corp.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... AGCO Corp. said that it has received formal approval from the Brazilian competition authority related to AGCO's purchase of Valtra. AGCO purchased Valtra, including the Brazilian operations, in January 2004. This approval allows AGCO to...

Stewart & Stevenson Services Inc.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Stewart & Stevenson Services Inc. said it has acquired the outstanding shares of Automotive Technik Holdings Limited (ATL), a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of the Pinzgauer light utility military vehicle, for approximately $47.2 million in...

Bosch Diesel.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Bosch Diesel opened a new manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic near the town of Jihlava, about 62 miles east of Prague. The plant is an expansion of an existing facility and is designed to manufacture high-fuel injection pressure pumps.

Odyssey Investment Partners LLC.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Odyssey Investment Partners LLC said it has agreed to buy Neff Corp., an equipment rental company in a deal valued at $510 million. Neff operates 66 outlets mainly in the southeast and western United States, generating revenue of about $250...

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. said it will raise hydraulic excavator production capacity to 32,000 units per year for fiscal 2006, a 20% increase from fiscal 2004, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper in Japan. Hitachi said some...

Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Japan's Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. said it plans to spend about $46.5 million to modernize its flagship plant in Kanagawa Prefecture by the end of fiscal 2006. The company will focus on installing welding robots and high-speed machine...

Modine Manufacturing Co.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Modine Manufacturing Co. said it has received a multi-year contract to supply Volvo Construction Equipment with engine cooling modules for its various product lines, including excavators, wheel loaders and articulated haulers, starting in 2005....

Williams Controls Inc.(global business notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Williams Controls Inc., an electronic throttle control manufacturer, announced that it has established a wholly owned subsidiary, Williams Controls Europe GmbH, Ismaning, Germany, to support European heavy truck, bus and off-highway customers.