A COMPANY at the leading edge of motor manufacturing has created a new component they hope will help revolutionise the industry.

The nine-strong research and development team at Nifco, which makes parts for Ford, General Motors, Honda. Jaguar Landrover, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Vauxhall Opel, has spent the last 12-months working on a new engine bracket.

The Eaglescliffe based company has worked in collaboration with material supplier Celanese and prototyping company Graphite AM, to design, prototype and test a new engine bracket which could bring significant benefits to the running of the vehicle.

According to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the number of UK-registered electric vehicles has increased in recent years, rising from 500 per month in 2014 to approximately 5,000 a month in 2018.

Steve Garrett, Nifco's research and development manager, said: “This product – a bracket which supports the power-train and withstands all the loads from the engine during operation – is a significant piece of kit and is traditionally made using aluminium.

"We’ve tested various materials to be able to design and develop the same bracket using long glass fibre reinforced plastic, providing a weight saving of 0.7kg or 50 per cent – contributing to a reduction of CO2 emissions, or in an electric vehicle – extending range.

“Our new engine bracket can be fitted to both traditional combustion engines as well as an Electric Vehicle motor system and, in their positive feedback, we are hearing from customers that more sustainable, environmentally-friendly solutions are favourable.

"This product not only offers a weight reduction, but the actual production process is more energy and cost efficient than traditional methods, such as aluminium die-casting – for example the part is quicker to make, so it can be scaled up more easily for the mass market and the tool to mould the component would only need replacing every five years instead of six months. So, saving the customer both time and money, not to mention reducing the environmental impact from a ‘well to wheel’ measure."

Adam Hall, from Celanese added: “I am delighted by the high level of performance achieved by such a light weight thermoplastic component – replacing steel in aggressive, high-load automotive applications.”

Neil Furber, of Graphite Additive Manufacturing, added: “This is one of the most demanding applications for our in-house developed Carbon SLS material to date and demonstrates that it can be a fully-structural material rather than only semi-structural or very simple prototypes.”