American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) secured the next-generation axle and driveshaft program for Ram’s heavy-duty pickup trucks. As Ram’s strategic driveline supplier through 2030, AAM expects current and future sales related to this program to exceed several billion dollars over its lifetime.

Norton Winter AEON electroplated grinding wheels are designed for high-precision applications in the automotive, medical and aerospace markets.

Airforge OH 40028 is a non-graphitic die lube formulated for aluminum forging.

Schuler installed two forging lines, including the dies and furnaces, in China. The screw press and the crank press forge aluminum chassis parts fully automatically. Screw presses from Schuler feature a press force of 250-28,000 tons. The water-cooled servo direct drive transmits the torque of the motor without losses and offers a high level of precision, operational reliability and economy. The 750- to 16,000-ton crank press is suited for mass production. Depending on the specific requirements, the press frame and drive system are designed for high manufacturing precision and high production rates.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) will supply its EcoTrac Disconnecting All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) for Chrysler’s new 2021 Pacifica minivan. AAM’s system seamlessly provides AWD safety and performance only when the vehicle senses it is needed, including during cold temperatures, windshield wiper use, front-wheel slip, heavy accelerations, electronic stability control activation, abrupt steering and rough road conditions. AAM’s Pacifica’s power transfer unit (PTU), rear drive module (RDM) and the drive train control module (DTCM) are the heart of its AWD system and use vehicle sensor data to constantly evaluate traction and assist the driver through difficult weather and challenging road conditions.

Viking Analytics, a Swedish provider of advanced analytics solutions for predictive operations, and Bharat Forge Kilsta, a Sweden-based supplier of forged components, began collaborating in a data-driven production quality project. In the coming months, Viking Analytics will prepare an assessment of the data collected by sensors installed in the oven that heats steel rods used in the production of crankshafts and front axle beams for heavy-duty vehicles. In Bharat Forge Kilsta’s Karlskoga plant, the forged steel is first heated in an induction oven, whose temperature varies according to different steel grades and products. If a disruption occurs, the oven must be adjusted to keep the metal at a constant temperature. This process is currently performed manually, which sometimes causes human-related deviations in the proper temperature-level records.

ArcelorMittal announced its intention to build an electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking facility at AM/NS Calvert in Alabama. Once completed, the planned facility will be capable of producing 1.5 million tons of steel slabs annually for the hot-strip mill. It will also produce a broad spectrum of steel grades required for Calvert’s end-user markets. Construction is expected to take 24 months, and the new facility is anticipated to create 300 new jobs.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) has developed a new independent rear drive axle (IRDA) for GM’s full-size SUVs, including the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade. AAM and GM worked together to replace the prior-generation axle with a newly designed three-mount independent rear drive axle module. The design features a lightweight aluminum carrier housing and a low-offset hypoid gear set to provide improved efficiency and better noise, vibration and harshness performance.

American Axle & Manufacturing’s (AAM) Electric Drive Technology will power Jaguar’s first pure-electric model, the I-PACE. AAM supplies both front and rear e-Drive units, which together deliver a total of 294 kW of AWD power and 700 Nm of torque. The system leverages AAM’s experience in the design, analysis and processing of geared mechanical systems to engineer compact, quiet and efficient drive units.

Dana Incorporated started production of its Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle for Class 4 and 5 commercial fleet applications. The e-Axle will be available for ordering in the third quarter of 2020. Dana is the first to market with this e-Axle classification in North America and has the in-house capability to manufacture all components of the system, including the gears, axle, motor and inverter. Designed for medium-duty truck and bus applications, the e-S9000r is based on the proven and widely specified Spicer S110, S111 and S130 rear-drive axle platforms and is engineered as a fully integrated e-Axle, including a gearbox and motor.