MBtech Is An Innovator at the SAE 2010 World Congress

Technology competence for a new era

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Apr 07, 2010, 11:00 ET

SINDELFINGEN, Germany, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The SAE 2010 World Congress from April 13-15 in the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, USA is fully focused on the new mobility era - and all of the resulting challenges. The motto of the event, "Ecollaboration", implies that sustainable solutions can only be achieved on a cost-efficient basis through closely networked cooperation and continuous innovation in every area. MBtech, the engineering and consulting service provider, presents successful examples of this in Detroit at the exclusive "Innovators Only" exhibition and as part of two expert lectures.

With PROVEtech:uHiL, a highly flexible test system for HiL applications ("hardware-in-the-loop"), MBtech has fulfilled the strict criteria required to participate in the "Innovators Only" exhibition at the SAE Congress. The product was developed by experts from the "Tools & Equipment" department, which belongs to the market segment MBtech electronics solutions - with a focus on functionality and reliability testing of electronic control units (ECUs). As both the number and the variant diversity of ECUs will continue to increase in future vehicle generations, there is a growing need for cost-efficient, space-saving & reusable test systems. PROVEtech:uHiL fulfils all these requirements without any restrictions: The MBtech innovation product unifies all the three requirements in one, thus enabling the user to test a broad range of different ECU variants flexibly, using a single compact test system. The powerful FPGA-based control unit ("Field Programmable Gate Array") provides the necessary speed, precision & software configurability. In addition, PROVEtech:uHiL is extremely compact and requires up to 80% less space than comparable conventional testing systems. The sum of the advantages is quite convincing: Depending on the requirements of the system and the control unit to be tested, PROVEtech:uHiL is capable of reducing the testing costs by up to 50% in comparison with already available solutions. Thus testing with PROVEtech:uHiL already in the early development stages of the ECUs will not only ensure shorter development cycles but also a faster time to market

Electronics safety and engine efficiency

The challenge of guaranteeing the function of entire electrical/electronics architectures (E/E architectures) in the vehicle at all times is even greater than with individual control units. For example, safety-relevant systems such as ABS, ESP as well as electronic suspension and steering systems are already heavily networked - and due to the rise of hybrid technologies the system complexity continues to increase inexorably. In his expert lecture entitled "Hazard analysis and risk assessment for complex EE architectures" Horst Schubotz, Head of Functional Safety at MBtech electronics solutions, presents the Congress visitors with a convincing solution on April 13 (1:40 PM, room D0-03A): An analysis model based on an integrated approach - which thus enables it to recognize, evaluate and eliminate potential and even hidden risk factors in E/E architectures during early development phases.

Dr. Peter Dittrich, Head of the MBtech powertrain solutions segment in Munich presents the "Thermodynamic Potentials of a Fully Variable Valve Actuation System for Passenger-Car Diesel Engines" lecture on April 15, in the Cobo Center (2:00 PM, room 02-38). Today direct injection in modern diesel engines already successfully delivers lower fuel consumption - While the exhaust gas after-treatment systems such as particulate filters, external exhaust gas recirculation systems (EGR) and catalytic converters with urea injection further reduce pollutants. Nonetheless, there is an urgent demand for innovative approaches so that, in future, diesel engines will continue to fulfill the increasingly strict legal restrictions while their development and production costs remain cost-effective. In his study based on a research engine MBtech's expert, Dittrich, demonstrates the potential that fully variable valve control (VVA) possesses for reducing nitrogen oxides, fuel consumption and costs in compression-ignition engines. For example, this would enable the elimination of previously external EGR systems including the components such as EGR coolers, valves and throttle valves. Instead the quantity of recirculation exhaust gases is controlled from within the engine - by the precisely overlapping opening times of the inlet and outlet valves controlled solely by the engine control unit.

About the MBtech Group

The MBtech Group is an internationally leading engineering and consulting company focusing on the automotive industry. The company has 2500 employees at locations in Europe, North America and Asia. In 2009 the MBtech Group generated a turnover of 250 million euros.

MBtech is distinguished by the tightly meshed development and consulting services covering the entire value chain. The MBtech brand combines all of its products and services into four segments: MBtech vehicle engineering, MBtech powertrain solutions, MBtech electronics solutions and MBtech consulting.

Regardless of whether components, systems or modules, new development, integration or testing are required: MBtech supports automobile manufacturers and suppliers beginning with the detailed specifications, covering the design, calculation and testing onward to series maturity. MBtech combines these engineering competencies with tailored consulting services which enable customers to best utilize their technologies and innovations – and thus achieve clear competitive advantages.

www.mbtech-group.com

SOURCE MBtech Group