Beecham's Tech-Talk
By: Matthew Beecham
Matthew Beecham interviews automotive component industry specialists to learn more about changing technologies and new innovations.
RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Fuel tank systems
20 January 2012
Fuelled by the need to save weight and reduce evaporative emissions, a great deal of innovative design and materials work is going into vehicle fuel tank systems, writes Matthew Beecham.
Q&A with Cummins: Diesel downsizing
13 January 2012
Smaller engines, producing the same power as the larger engines they have replaced while using less energy and therefore generating lower exhaust emissions, are high up the priority list of every vehicle manufacturer. In truth it is part of a process that has been continuing for many years. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Neil Pattison, Director of On Highway Business, Cummins Inc, about trends in diesel downsizing.
Q&A with Delphi Powertrain Systems
5 January 2012
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Steve Kiefer, vice president Delphi and president Delphi Powertrain Systems and Prasad Kadle, director of advanced engineering, Delphi Thermal Systems about the clever ways in which Delphi designs its systems to ensure that CO2 is affordable.
Q&A with Productiv
3 January 2012
Productiv is a new company setting out to industrialise new and emerging green technologies and speed their introduction into the global automotive supply chain. It is supported by some heavyweight players, including the Carbon Trust, Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) and Welsh Automotive Forum. Productiv has three locations including a head office at the new SMMT building near Westminster in London; an engineering centre at the MIRA Technology Park near Coventry; and a production office at Bridgend, South Wales. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Productiv’s CEO about the company’s business model and aims for 2012.
Q&A with Federal-Mogul’s Powertrain Division
15 December 2011
Continuing its series of interviews with leading automotive powertrain suppliers, Matthew Beecham talked with Gian Maria Olivetti, vice president for Technology and Innovation, Powertrain Division, Federal-Mogul about its Advanced Corona Ignition System.
RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Transmission trends
13 December 2011
As part of just-auto’s ongoing monitoring of trends in the transmission sector, Matthew Beecham talked with executives from BorgWarner, Getrag and Prodrive about how they see the future for electronically-actuated automated manual transmissions (AMTs), whether integrated into hybrid or electric powertrains or combined with a conventional internal combustion engine.
RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Key developments in tyres
21 November 2011
The UK tyre market is changing, with demand for high-performance tyres, 4x4 tyres, and innovative products such as run-flat tyres growing rapidly. Matthew Beecham talked with Goodyear Dunlop about winter tyres and run-flats.
RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Transmission trends
16 November 2011
As part of just-auto’s ongoing monitoring of trends in the transmission sector, Matthew Beecham talked with executives from Torotrak, BorgWarner, Prodrive and Getrag about how the global transmission market could evolve in terms of the split between manual and automatic transmissions.
Q&A with SABIC: Review of polycarbonate glazing
2 November 2011
Continuing just-auto’s series of interviews with those operating in the automotive glazing sector, Matthew Beecham talked with V Umamaheswaran, director of automotive products and marketing, SABIC Innovative Plastics about how polycarbonate (PC) glazing market is shaping up.
Q&A with Inteva’s Closure Systems
31 October 2011
Inteva’s Closing Systems has a strong tradition in the design and manufacture of latching systems and door systems. Continuing just-auto interviews with leading door system manufacturers, Matthew Beecham talked with William Hanna, vice president and executive director of Inteva Products’ Closure Systems business about trends in car door design and build.
RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Spark plugs
24 October 2011
There are three things a gasoline engine needs: air, fuel and spark. The spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture, producing the combustion that powers the engine. Despite the fact that spark plugs have featured in vehicles for more than a century, Matthew Beecham finds that manufacturers are still pushing back the technical boundaries.
Q&A with Torotrak: technical trends in transmissions
18 October 2011
Continuing just-auto’s series of interviews with leading transmission developers, Matthew Beecham talked with Dick Elsy, chief executive officer of UK-based Torotrak. The company develops gearless traction drive technology which increases efficiency and reduces CO2 emissions in vehicles. Its variable-drive technology is also being developed for superchargers, engine auxiliary applications.
Q&A with Inteva Products
11 October 2011
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Thierry Pebre, Inteva’s chief engineer of motors and electronics, Inteva Products LLC about the company’s electric motors. In January 2011, Inteva Products acquired ArvinMeritor’s body systems business. The move enables Inteva to strengthen its position as a global supplier of door systems and access control systems while expanding its product expertise to include roof systems, motors and electronics.
Q&A with Zircotec
5 October 2011
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Terry Graham, managing director of Zircotec. Based in Oxfordshire, England, Zircotec is a coatings company that offers a range of plasma-sprayed metal and ceramic coatings that protect against the effects of wear, heat and abrasion in automotive, motor sport and industrial applications. Just over two years ago the firm underwent a management buyout with an ensuing factory change. We spoke to Zircotec to understand how the business was changing.
Q&A with Inteva Products (roof systems)
27 September 2011
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Everardo Hernandez, engineering manager for Inteva Products LLC about the company’s innovative roof systems. Earlier this year, Inteva Products acquired ArvinMeritor’s body systems business.
Q&A with Magna Steyr: Review of fuel systems
7 September 2011
For some time, fuel tank manufacturers have come under increasing pressure from legislation, particularly in the US, to design and build tanks that can withstand higher impacts without leaking In this Interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Gerhard Stiegler, vice president operations, Magna Steyr, about fuel systems.
Q&A with Goodyear: review of tyre market trends
26 August 2011
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with James Bailey, director, brand public relations, Goodyear Dunlop Europe about tyre market trends, tyre pressure monitoring systems as well as some significant technical advances the company has made with runflat tyres.
Q&A with SABIC: Material developments in front-end modules
10 August 2011
In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Robin Coppenrath, global business manager, SABIC Innovative Plastics about the use of the company’s resin, STAMAX, in front-end modules. The Innovative Plastics strategic business unit of SABIC is a major supplier of engineering thermoplastics. In addition to automotive, SABIC serves the electronics, building and construction, and healthcare markets. Its product portfolio includes thermoplastic resins, coatings, specialty compounds, film and sheet.
Q&A with Prodrive: transmission trends
21 July 2011
While Prodrive is best known for its motorsport achievements, about half the company's turnover comes from engineering activity in the mainstream automotive sector. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Simon Leleu, Prodrive team leader for transmission and driveline systems, about trends in the take-up of AMTs, CVTs and DCTs.
Q&A with TRW: Review of occupant restraint systems
13 July 2011
Continuing just-auto’s series of interviews with major suppliers of occupant restraint systems, Matthew Beecham talked with Dirk Schultz, global engineering director, Inflatable Restraint Systems, TRW Inc and Alfonso Bustos, product lead engineer, passenger airbag technologies, TRW Inc.
