Tenneco Makes Suspension, Exhaust Systems Lighter

Tenneco Automotive, one of the world’s largest automotive equipment supplier, manufactures ride control and clean air products in India, is taking concrete steps to reduce the weight of the products it manufactures. The US-based company is present in India since 1995, and in 2006 it became 100% subsidiary of Tenneco. In India, the company has grown in terms of manufacturing facilities and customers. Currently it supplies to more than 18 OEMs and is actively engaged in adding a few more.

- Bhargav TS

“There are many weight reduction activities going on in Tenneco. In the suspension system we have shaved off some weight by using mono brackets. Earlier we were using twin brackets to mount the suspension, but now by using mono brackets we have reduced the bracket weight by 10-15% directly. This year we provided an aluminium top mount to one of our customers. There are also polyurethane compression bumpers that replace natural rubber. We are also developing polymer rod guides as a replacement for sintered material and have replaced sheet metal parts with plastic bearings, which has significantly reduced the weight of the system,” Pankaj Kapoor, Deputy Managing Director, Tenneco Automotive India, told Auto Components India.

The company has already made many products at lower cost. It is planning to introduce hollow rods, plastic spring seats and a few other products which will significantly reduce the weight of the systems it manufactures.

Future technologies

Tenneco has been working on to reduce the weight of the exhaust systems. “On the hot end of the exhaust system, work on reducing wall thickness from 1.5mm to 1.0mm is being actively carried out. Also while we are working on using thin wall heat shields on the hot ends, the overall dimensions of pipes, tubes and the after treatment system is being reduced considerably. We see a huge opportunity to reduce weight further. Previously, manifolds were made out of cast iron. Now we are manufacturing fabricated manifolds. By doing all these changes we could save approximately 20-30% weight. There are also studies going on for using alternate materials, reinforced-plastic hangers, high temperature thermoplastics, gluing and power brazing and welding, but these are all future technologies,” Kapoor said.