SinterCast: Ford Launches New F-Series Super Duty® Trucks With Compacted Graphite Iron Cylinder Blocks

[Dallas, Texas, 24 September 2009] - Following the unveiling of Ford's all-new 6.7 litre V8 diesel engine on 31 August, Ford Motor Company has today launched its 2011 F-Series Super Duty® trucks at the Texas State Fair.  Available from early next year, the new vehicles represent the first use of a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) engine in the high volume North American Super Duty® pick-up sector.  The state-of-the-art 6.7 litre V8 diesel engine is based on a SinterCast-CGI cylinder block produced at the Tupy foundry in Brazil.  Production of the cylinder block has already begun.  The engine will be available in Ford's F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty® trucks, North America's best selling trucks for more than 30 years.
 
The use of a Compacted Graphite Iron cylinder block provides the basis for significant improvements in power and torque relative to the 6.4 litre F-Series diesel predecessor, establishing the new F-Series trucks as the class leader for payload and towing.  Most significantly, the use of a SinterCast-CGI cylinder block, based on novel design concepts developed by Ford and Tupy engineers, enabled a 70 kg (160 pounds) reduction in the total engine weight, despite the displacement increase from 6.4 to 6.7 litres.  The strength and stiffness of the cylinder block also allowed Ford to mount the turbocharger directly in the V-valley of the block, providing further improvements in engine packaging and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness).  The robustness of the engine design provides 250,000 mile (400,000 km) durability, while satisfying 2010 US federal emissions regulations - the most stringent NOx emissions requirements in the world.
 
 "We are pleased that Ford's positive production experience with the 2.7, 3.0 and 3.6 litre CGI cylinder blocks at Tupy has secured our role as the engineering development partner and production source for the new 6.7 litre V8" said Mr Luiz Tarquínio, President and C.E.O. of Tupy.  "We look forward to expanding our collaboration with Ford and SinterCast as we continue to support the development, launch and series production of environmentally friendly CGI diesel engines."
 
"Ford Motor Company was the first OEM in the world to introduce a high volume CGI engine, with the launch of the 2.7 litre turbodiesel in Europe in 2002.  Ford is currently the CGI industry leader with six CGI engines - all based on SinterCast-CGI cylinder blocks" said Dr. Steve Dawson, President & CEO of SinterCast.  "As a replacement programme for an existing engine, we look forward to supporting Ford's transition to the new 6.7 Litre V8, providing the potential for more than 400,000 Engine Equivalents per year at full volume, effectively doubling our current series production volume."
 
 
 
Located in Joinville in southern Brazil, Tupy has more than 7,500 employees and a production capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year of cast iron components in its two manufacturing facilities located in Joinville, State of Santa Catarina and Mauá, State of São Paulo.  With sales and engineering offices located in Brazil, United States, Germany, Mexico and Japan, Tupy's main customers include Chrysler, Cummins, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, Audi, Perkins, MWM, International Truck and Engine, Mack Trucks, MAN, Wuxi Diesel, DAF Iveco, Komatsu, Kubota, John Deere, Bosch, Akebono, Renault, Peugeot and many other premier automotive and diesel engine manufacturers.  Tupy is listed in the São Paulo, Brazil stock exchange (Bovespa).
 
SinterCast is the world's leading supplier of process control technology for the reliable high volume production of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI). With at least 75% higher tensile strength, 45% higher stiffness and approximately double the fatigue strength of conventional grey cast iron and aluminium, CGI allows engine designers to improve performance, fuel economy and durability while reducing engine weight, noise and emissions. SinterCast produces a variety of CGI components ranging from 2 kg to 17 tonnes, all using the same proven process control technology.  The end-users of SinterCast-CGI components include Aston Martin, Audi, Caterpillar, Chrysler, DAF Trucks, Ford, Ford-Otosan, General Electric Transportation Systems, General Motors, Hyundai, Navistar, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, MAN, MAN Diesel, Porsche, PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Renault, Rolls-Royce Power Engineering, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and Waukesha Engine. The SinterCast share is quoted on the Small Cap segment of the Nordic Exchange, Stockholm (Stockholmsbörsen: SINT).
 
 
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The press release (including pictures) can be downloaded from the following link.

Press Release (PDF)