75 Jahre Sonceboz 75 years Sonceboz

75 Jahre Sonceboz
Curbing fresh air
The intake of cooling air into internal combustion engines compartments requires an
appropriate flow control to generate significant fuel savings. The Sonceboz 6466 stepper
motor with integrated electronics, which is fitted on an air vent module, offers the ability
to control the air supply to the internal combustion engine as needed.
Aerodynamics challenge
New global legal requirements on CO 2
emissions (EUR6, CARB, etc.) are forcing
automakers to look at new innovations
and to develop technologies in
the following three areas:
––
drive hybridization
––
optimized fuel efficiency and
emissions
––
improved vehicle aerodynamics
An innovation in aerodynamics area is
the newly introduced additional air
grille shutter to improve vehicle air resistance.
Mounted directly in the front
end, this system consists of a plastic
frame with multiple rotating flaps ❶.
The flaps are driven by an actuator and
set in the desired positions to control
the intake of fresh air into the engine
compartment as needed. Depending on
the vehicle design and the front-end
shape, savings of up to 4 g CO 2
per km
and 0.2 liters of fuel per 100 km are
achievable in this way. The system is at
its most efficient in the closed position,
where the coefficient of friction or air
resistance is reduced by the low flow
rate. In the half open to fully open position
the system opens the air intake
in response to the engine cooling requirements
while taking into account
the need for low vehicle air resistance.
42
Lightweight and robust
The biggest challenge facing the air
grille shutter manufacturers is how to
build a lightweight yet rugged system
combined with an actuator which is
able to satisfy all requirements in terms
of performance, temperature range, diag
nostics and communication with the
control unit.
Sonceboz is achieving a clear market
advantage with its 6466 smart actuator
based on an innovative stepper motor, in
particular because of its light weight,
versatile positioning options and low energy
consumption. Working closely with
a well-known OEM, Sonceboz began developing
a new stepper motor for this application
and within the space of two
years had taken the concept to the series
production stage. Extremely high expectations
in terms of robustness and
quality were always the guiding principle
in achieving an optimum definition
of product and processes.
With the power of magnets
Actuators consist essentially of four
main components: motor, gear train,
electronics and housings.
The job of stepper motors is to convert
a supply of electrical energy into
mechanical energy, by transforming
electrical pulses directly into a rotary
movement.
During operation two magnetic fields
are generated and superimposed – a static
rotor field and a dynamic alternating
field, which is generated by the stator
coils. The rotor movement is brought
about by a north pole of the magnet being
attracted by a south pole of the stator,
generating a rotary movement. The
rotor continues to align itself until a
magnetic equilibrium is established, in
other words when the north and south
pole are opposite each other. On comple-
Julien Von Kaenel
Business Unit Manager
Smart Stepper MM41
Stéphane Cremer
Key Account Manager
Smart Stepper MM41
Jacques Wicht
R&D Manager Electronics
Tobias Taufer
Development Manager
Smart Stepper MM41