Dana will supply its new cylinder head covers made of recycled material on Ford Motor Co.’s 3.0-liter Duratec engine, used in the 2010 Fusion and Escape vehicles — providing significant cost and environmental benefits, according to the company.
Manufactured using EcoLon nylon, the cover is the first automotive product of its kind manufactured from post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon. Dana partnered with Wellman Engineering Resins, a leading compounder and supplier of high-quality 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 push to go green in the automotive arena has never been greater; the challenge is to deliver solutions that also are economical," said Marty Bryant, president of Light Vehicle Products for Dana. "Dana successfully met that challenge for Ford by providing an innovative cover made from recycled material and, thanks to EcoLon’s fixed raw material cost, we’re passing on substantial cost savings to the customer."
Greener engines and cost savings aren’t the only customer benefits. The robust, highly durable nylon covers also provide greater fuel economy due to weight savings of nearly 20 percent when compared with aluminum die-cast cylinder head covers.
"Dana’s state-of-the-art testing capabilities, coupled with its advanced manufacturing and engineering expertise, provided us with the resources needed to develop a highly-engineered, sustainable product that works well for the automotive industry. We’re pleased to have partnered with Dana on this program for Ford Motor Co.," said Bob Dastou, southeast regional account manager, Wellman Engineering Resins.
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.
Dana developed, tested and is manufacturing the cylinder head covers at its Composite Sealing Center in Paris, TN.
