The M 43 C Engine - Marine Engines Caterpillar

Latest Product Developments -
The M 43 C Engine Series
Dr. Frank Starke
Manager Medium-Speed Development
Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
Highest priority in all new product development activities at Caterpillar Motoren
GmbH & Co. KG is reliability. To maintain our leadership in reliability we build
new products on the basis of well performing products. New content is carefully
selected and extensively tested prior to series approval. Prototypes are
typically tested in cooperation with technology leaders among our customer
base.
To cope with increasingly stringent emission regulations and to prepare our
product for future requirements we develop emission reduction systems with
as low complexity as possible.
MaK engines always provide the maximum customer value while meeting
market requirements.
This approach leads to a step-by-step introduction of an emission reduction
concept for medium-speed engines developed as part of the ACERT ® program
within Caterpillar.
The MaK product is known for its best in class fuel efficiency accomplished
through the long-stroke engine concept combined with advanced air systems
and flexible injection systems.
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The M 43 C engine
The new MaK long-stroke engine family was introduced in 1992. The M 43
series is the fourth member of this family with a very successful market introduction.
More than 300 M 43 engines were sold and delivered since 1999. In
2003, more than 40 % of all ships delivered worldwide with medium-speed
propulsion engines in the range of 5 to 9 MW, were equipped with M 43 engines.
The M 43 has proven to be the number one propulsion engine of its
class for container vessels and is extremely successful as propulsion power
for RoRo, RoPax and standard freight vessels. It also propels fishing vessels
and some special application vessels.
As with all MaK engines, the M 43 was designed for higher power output than
the initial release with 900 kW/cylinder. Supported by a strong market demand
for increased power output and based on 4 years operating experience in
2004, Caterpillar Motoren released the M 43 C. This re-design introduced
changes to further enhance engine reliability and performance. The new
power output is 1000 kW/cylinder. Listening to the voice of our customers enabled
us to significantly improve the serviceability and ease of maintenance.
The power range extension by the new 16 cylinder M 43 C V-type engine is
based on the 12 cylinder experience in the field. The new M 43 C is prepared
to cover customer power demands from 6000 to 16000 kW.
Integration
Accomplishing the high level of reliability in our former product line, we found
out that issues in operation were mainly found in joints and sealings. Based on
this experience we created a new product line and drastically reduced the
number of individual parts needed to build an engine. This was realized by
integrating as many functions as practical into individual parts. Namely each
pipe was questioned and a lot were integrated into casting parts i.e. cylinder
head or engine block. The number of parts needed to build an engine was
reduced by 35 % when designing the new engine family. Another 8 % reduction
was achieved through the re-design of the M 43 to the M 43 C-version.
One example for this concept is the integrated pump support plate. Now
casted as part of the block it stiffens the block, reduced noise emission and
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eliminated the sealing needed in the previous design. The connections for the
water and oil pumps can now be machined together with the block, assuring
high accuracy alignment with the crankshaft. The previously needed individual
adjustment of each pump to the gear drive is now obsolete.
In the previous version, the lower valve drive was assembled on the engine.
For the new version, these components are pre-assembled as a group. This
feature improved the assembly process as much as the service friendliness.
For overhaul purposes, this unit is removed in one piece per cylinder, overhauled
and re-assembled in one piece. The opportunities for misalignments
are reduced to almost zero.
Proven Technology
Based on the good performance experience of our previous engine family, in
the new design we kept all solutions, which were capable of meeting our increasing
expectations in terms of reliability, power density, customer friendliness
and cost effectiveness. New solutions were chosen carefully to maintain
our reliability reputation.
From various alternatives for flexible injection timing and valve actuation, we
chose the Flex Cam Technology as our first step to implementing ACERT ®
into our engines. This technology enables us to offer invisible smoke engines
by using a simple mechanical actuator to influence the lower valve train and
the injection timing. Not only is the reliability of such a system very high it also
offers a fail-safe function. Implementing the next step of ACERT ® , we will introduce
an electronically controlled engine. This introduction will be based on
several years of development work and utilizing the experience of Caterpillar
operating electronically controlled diesel engines since the mid nineties.
Inside the Engine Technology
Consequently we have chosen the strategy to reduce emissions by means of
inside the engine technology. In alignment with our integration concept and
our approach to utilize proven technology, our MaK engines offer low emissions
and low fuel consumption without any additional external systems.
These results are achieved by system optimization processes. Our C-version
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engines are prepared for future upgrades to further reduce emissions when
the regulations become more stringent, representing a sustainable investment
for our customers.
Long-Stroke Concept
The Long-Stroke Concept was chosen mainly to utilize its low fuel consumption
potential. The increased flexibility in combustion chamber design that
comes with it enables us to implement the beforementioned emission reduction
measures.
Continuous Product Improvement
The race for quality has no finish line. Based on customer feedback, field experience
and in-house development programs, we continuously are working
on product improvements. Utilizing the 6 Sigma Methodology, we identify
room for improvement and develop and implement quality improvement programs.
The introduction of a C-version allows the implementation of cumulated
improvements, which need significant hardware changes. Smaller
changes are introduced into production on a continuous basis.
Conclusion
Following a proven path the launch of the new M 43 C adds the next chapter
to a success story. Engineered to lead by the MaK engineering team, supported
by Caterpillar research and development resources, it represents the
latest design of high performance medium-speed engines in heavy fuel operation.
The new M 43 C engine is built on a strong basis and prepared for future
requirements. With the power output increased by more than 10 %, enhanced
serviceability and customer friendliness, it is ready for even more demanding
customers of the future.
The new M 43 C - providing more power and more.
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Technology Leadership in:
Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
Product Strategy
� Reliability
� Power Density
� Low Emissions w/o Complexity
� Fuel Efficiency
Key Concepts:
� Integration & Family Concept
� Latest Proven Technology
� Inside the Engine Technology
� Long-Stroke Concept
� Continuous Product Improvement – CPI
Built on a solid base

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The M 43 C Engine

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M 43 Success Story
Engines Sold 280 / 2.000 MW
Engines in Service 203 / 1.350 MW
M 43 inline engine serves
70 % of Container Feeder
ships in its power range
M 43 launched in 2000
VM 43 launched in 2003
M 43 C launched in 2004
Highest Single Engine Total ~ 25.000 Operating Hours
Fleet Running Hour Total > 1.400.000 Operating Hours
Engines in EPG application w/o de-rating
100 % load around the clock, 110 % capability

Engine Type
Cylinder numbers
Power per cylinder [kW]
Speed [min -1 ]
Power range [kW]
BMEP [bar]
Firing pressure [bar]
SFOC [g/kWh)
MCR 100 %
SLOC [g/kWh]
Tol. + 0,3 g/kWh
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Technical Data M 43 In-line
IM 43 IM 43 C
6, 7, 8, 9
900
500 - 514
5400 - 8100
23,7 - 24,4
190
176
0,6
6, 7, 8, 9
1000
500 - 514
6000 - 9000
26,4 - 27,1
208
177 - 178
0,6

Engine Type
Cylinder numbers
Power per cylinder [kW]
Speed [min -1 ]
Power range [kW]
BMEP [bar]
Firing pressure [bar]
SFOC [g/kWh)
MCR 100 %
SLOC [g/kWh]
Tol. + 0,3 g/kWh
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Technical Data VM 43
VM 43 VM 43 C
12
900
500 - 514
10800
23,7 - 24,4
190
176
0,6
12, 16
1000
500 - 514
12000 - 16000
26,4 - 27,1
208
177 - 178
0,6

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M 43 C • Engine Block
• Integration of the pump
mounting plate
• Minimization of the sealing
surfaces due to the reducing
of attached components
• Increasing of the stiffness
• Lateral removal of the
crankshaft vibration damper
• Material: nodular cast iron

M 43 C • Lower Valve Train and Injection Pump Drive
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• Pre-assembled modules
• Can be exchanged as
complete module
• No adjustment necessary

- Reliable
- Service friendly
- Proven technology
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The new M 43 C
- Built on a successful base
- Prepared for future requirements