News Article
GKN Driveline Announces Two Technology Breakthroughs
November 2005
GKN Driveline has developed two new constant velocity joint (CVJ) technologies which are exciting the interest of the vehicle manufacturers in Europe, North America and Asia.
“Both technologies represent major breakthroughs in the principles of CVJ design of the last 70 years and they set new benchmark standards when assembled together in a driveshaft,” said Al Deane, global engineering director for GKN Driveline Driveshafts.
GKN Driveline’s new countertrack™ technology for fixed joints has the ability to reduce vehicle weight, and improve driveline efficiency – keys to improving fuel economy and performance. It can also be used to enhance driveability. GKN Driveline’s crosstrack™ technology for ball plunging joints will dramatically improve driveline noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in a vehicle.
The right ideas at the right time
These CVJ technologies, when combined with GKN Driveline’s tubular interconnecting shafts as an assembly, result in finely tuned driveshafts for each vehicle platform and powertrain combination. Al Deane commented, “GKN Driveline has found that in converting most of today’s front wheel drive (FWD) traditional driveshafts to these new technologies this will result in a 35% saving in weight. This translates to a 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) saving on a typical FWD mid size car in production today. With the pressure of rising fuel prices, GKN Driveline’s new technologies are the right ideas at the right time. They are exciting the interest of our major customers.”
GKN Driveline’s new countertrack™ technology will reduce weight, through smaller package size, and improved efficiency for fixed joints. Engineering analysis has determined that the contribution towards fuel economy can be improved by an average of 0.04 litres /100 km (0.2 mpg) on a typical FWD V6 engine mid-size vehicle. This is a substantial achievement for the fixed CVJ component of the complete overall driveline system.
An alternative feature of GKN Driveline’s countertrack™ technology is to improve a vehicle’s driveability – this allows for tighter turning circles. Engineering analysis has shown benefits up to 1.0 metre (3.2 ft) reduction in turning circle for better parking on FWD mid-size vehicles. If vehicle designers are happy to maintain today’s turning ability, the countertrack™ technology will allow for increasing the vehicle wheelbase to allow more interior space with an enhanced ride and handling.
GKN Driveline’s new crosstrack™ technology has been developed to improve NVH for the driver. The technology will reduce driveline ‘clunk’ noises and vibrations from imbalance - attributes that are key engineering concerns on FWD sideshafts, fitted with automated manual or fully automatic transmissions and on all rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD)/4x4 propshafts.
The design breakthrough for the countertrack™ technology is to use sets of opposed ball tracks with a unique track shape profile. The key design principle for the crosstrack™ technology has been to combine the known benefits of sets of straight tracks with the known benefits of sets of angled tracks, together in one product. Both of the new technologies can be used in sideshafts and propshafts.
Under development at GKN Driveline research facilities for the past few years, the company’s patented countertrack™ and crosstrack™ technologies are currently undergoing further development in collaboration with two European and two Japanese carmakers, as well as one in the USA. “Vehicles equipped with GKN Driveline’s new constant velocity joints will go on sale next year in the United States, followed quickly by new product introductions in Europe,” Al Deane said. “However, because of confidentiality agreements, we are not able to name the customers”.
