Aftermarket April 2022

APRIL 2022 AFTERMARKET 51 www.aftermarketonline.net Right: Alternator from Autoelectro the emergence of new technology: “There are some alternators, on the Mercedes Vito, for example, where one is ECU-controlled and the other is not. To the naked eye, because they appear identical, as well as fitting the vehicle on a year break overlap, it is nigh-on impossible to tell the difference between them without knowing the OE numbers. This is just one example of how technicians are facing tricky times in rotating electrics, and one of the reasons for working with a supplier that understands these technicalities.” Developed Nick continued: “Diagnosis is not as simple as it once was. The designs in rotating electrics have changed to accommodate an increase in electronic luxuries on modern vehicles, leading to higher output requirements for both the starter motor and alternator to support this. What’s more, they’re now designed to support requirements for emissions control, such as Stop/Start technology, smart charge and combination units, resulting in types like iStARS and 48v. “Years ago, a technician could attach a voltmeter onto the back of an alternator, and if it was charging between 12.8 to 13.4v, a technician would assume the component was working correctly. Now, if they repeat the procedure and get an output of 9v or 18v, they might think the unit is undercharging or overcharging respectively and there’s something wrong with it. In truth, subject to what else is going on in the vehicle, battery condition or electrical demand, either of those readings could be recorded and the alternator would be working within its parameters.” Operation On specific changes, Nick observed: “The way the unit operates is different too, while the power requirements are much greater despite the vehicle manufacturer looking for a smaller, lighter product. “For an alternator, the combination of smaller, lighter and higher output results in greater heat generation, so some manufacturers have introduced water-cooled units, for example. In terms of starter motors, the product has become geared to allow for a smaller, lighter motor. One of the consequences of this is that the product is designed to start the vehicle immediately and not be cranked over for extended periods of time, not to mention the consequences of emissions control, which have implications for both starting and charging the vehicle. “The units are much more vehicle-specific than they were 20 or 30 years ago. From a sourcing components and core point of view, it is more challenging too. From an understanding of how these units operate, work and being able to integrate them, to make sure we’re producing something to OE standard or above, there's a lot more investment in test equipment and knowledge required.” He added: “Autoelectro has always invested in the latest test equipment, to strengthen its knowledge and provide customers with trustworthy and consistent support, and in 2020, the rotating electrics remanufacturer revealed a sizeable outlay with the arrival of a new test bench.” For more information, visit: www.autoelectro.co.uk Different angle, same direction Commenting on the growth in the deployment of axial flux motors, Dean Bartram from ACtronics UK said: “For a long time, electric motors have kept the same standard design, for good reason, because they’re very easy to manufacture and therefore relatively cheap. However, the newest electric motors are using a concept scientist Michael Faraday discovered a centuries ago: Axial flux. Because this tech also has its drawbacks, car manufacturers keep on innovating. Let’s look at one of those new clever ideas, in the form of raxial flux.” On why they are looking for alternatives, Dean said: “The conventional radial flux motor is a great concept, but while it produces good power, it has less torque. There’s also some magnetic flux leakage, which isn’t helping its efficiency either. And there’s also a weight issue. “As a result, a number of manufacturers, including AMG, BMW, Koenigsegg and Renault started looking at axial flux motors some years ago. AMG even confirmed to be using axial flux motors in future models. An axial flux motor offers a great torque-to-weight ratio, but it has a little less peak power. That’s why radial motors are still more common in high-performance electric cars such as the Rimac C Two and the Pininfarina Battista. New solutions have made axial flux usable for high-power purposes. For example, Koenigsegg used an axial flux motor from YASA and increased its rotor diameter against the bulk of the stator and optimised the outer diameter of the stator to accept the extra flux that’s generated. Koenigsegg calls this concept raxial flux. We expect to see more of these kind of innovations in the next couple of years: EVdevelopment is really gaining momentum. Remanufacturing On how ACtronics will remanufacture this new tech, Dean commented: “Axial flux motors are brushless and therefore very reliable. There’s wear in the main bearing, but that’s about it. The electronic parts could fail eventually, but it will take some time before that happens. This means we don’t expect to remanufacture these new types of motors anytime soon at ACtronics. However, because the modern permanent magnets are based on rare earth materials like neodymium, there will certainly be some kind of remanufacturing in the near future. That’s why at ACtronics we are keeping a close eye on developments. Meanwhile we keep on remanufacturing conventional radial flux motors like those shift motors on automated manual gearboxes.” Poor quality starters and alternators can result in serious consequences for a vehicle’s engine ”