Author Archives: Carlos De Sordi

Cummins Acquires Electric Drive Train Company

Cummins has taken another step towards integrating electric power after it acquired Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), a California company known for its commercial hybrid and electric power technology.

Cummins had previously introduced a concept hybrid truck in 2017. They continued their commitment to electric power, acquiring Brammo, a producer of electric traction motors, and Matthey Battery Systems, a lithium ion battery designer and manufacturer. EDI represents yet another step toward that commitment.

According to the Commercial Carrier Journal, EDI’s system is capable of switching between hybrid and electric technology in real-time. It has predominately been used in transit busses to this point.

Volvo Penta to Begin Producing Electric Power Systems

Volvo Penta, the division of the Volvo group that produces marine and industrial engines, has announced it will introduce electric power systems in their products by the year 2021.

According to sources, the company has created the self-imposed deadline in an effort to offer customers new and appropriate technologies across all of their customer applications. Details are being kept confidential, but the company has said they will offer both hybrid and 100 percent electric options from the outset.

Volvo Penta is already field testing early prototypes and has established a test and development laboratory at their headquarters om Sweden.

Three Killed, 37 Injured in Construction Site Fire

A construction site fire in the central South Korean town of Sejong has left three dead and 37 injured according to several news sources.

The fire began at 1:16 p.m. local time after an explosion was heard at an underground parking lot beneath the site. Officials said the underground lot had been painted and coated with epoxy earlier in the day and that there was a large amount of flammable material on site. Authorities have said they believe “oil mist” left in the air led to the explosion.

Because the building is under construction, it has no working sprinkler system. This has made it difficult for firefighters combating the blaze. Sources estimate there were as many as 169 workers at the site at the time of the explosion and subsequent fire.

Meeting the Challenges of Commercial Fleet Management

From repairs to logistics and everything in between, maintaining a commercial fleet presents a huge range of challenges that can trip up even the most experienced professionals.

Fleets have many moving parts to maintain and new technology has made maintenance even more difficult. According to Greg Wyatt, Commercial Fleet Manager for PetroChoice, the most important aspect of fleet managing is keeping down time to a minimum. Having a vehicle out of service can lead to losses in production and extended down time can be a major drag on efficiency, customer satisfaction and profitability.

“There is a Service Technician shortage and getting trucks repaired in a timely fashion is always a challenge,” Wyatt said. “Modern trucks are very complex and troubleshooting sophisticated electronic systems, especially exhaust after-treatment systems, is challenging.”

Wyatt said having a thorough inspection protocol during the maintenance process is important, and it’s something that too few fleet managers focus on. He also called out record keeping, scheduling and not utilizing oil analysis as weak spots for many in the industry.

“In most cases, fleet directors have not been shown the many potential benefits of testing and do not realize that this analysis can prevent costly system failures,” he said.

As truck engines evolve with technological advances, fleet managers need to keep re-evaluating the lubricants they are using in their vehicles. Wyatt said he sees the industry continue to rely on conventional 15W-40 motor oils while most OEMs have moved on to other products.

“All major OEM’s are currently factory-filling with 10W-30 API CK specified oils,” Wyatt said. “These oils are designed for today’s modern engines. They are proven to reduce wear at start-up and can provide significant fuel savings especially on large fleets. In addition, use of synthetics for transmission and differentials provides significantly extended service life and component life lowering the fleet total cost of ownership.”

Newer technology can help streamline the maintenance process and provide valuable insight on all aspects of a vehicle.

“The trucks computers are very advanced and many have abilities to provide instant fuel economy readings and report back to the fleets on service warnings and error codes to provide advance troubleshooting before the truck arrives at a service center,” Wyatt said. “The electronics will continue to advance as well as technology tools for Fleet directors, drivers and technicians.”

Still, all that technology will do little to help if fleet managers aren’t using the correct lubricants. Wyatt advises that the best lubricants will meet OEM specifications, but also provide the right protection each unique fleet needs. Between heavy loads or light loads, local deliveries or cross-country hauling, heavy vocation or high idle, different fleets have vastly different requirements. Some would be well served using long draining lubricants, while others need to explore different options. Wyatt said balance is key to choosing the right product.

“It is about the correct balance, and this again has to take into account the specific component to be lubricated, how severe the application is, what type of fuel is being used, what the average fuel consumption is, what the load is or whether there is severe duty,” Wyatt said. “Once all of these details are determined the correct lubricant can be recommended to provide the service level necessary to achieve the goals of the user.”

PetroChoice Sponsors KCA Golf Tournament

PetroChoice was a tee box sponsor at the Kansas Contractor’s Association Education Foundation golf outing at Colbert Hills in Manhattan, Kansas. Proceeds from the event benefit VoTech schools offering construction machinery operator programs

From left to right are: Eric Huber, Sales Manager, Tanner Palmore, Territory Sales Manager and Justin Huber, Territory Sales Manager

Audi CEO arrested as Volkswagen Diesel Probe Continues

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler was taken into custody by German authorities Wednesday as fallout from the Volkswagen emissions scandal continues almost three years after the fact.

According to Bloomberg, authorities were concerned that Stadler would tamper with evidence. Prosecutors have been investigating Audi’s role in the diesel emissions scandal since 2015. Audi is one of many well known members of the Volkswagen Group, which also includes Bently, Porsche, Lamborghini and others.

The scandal began in 2015 when the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified the automaker it had discovered a violation of the Clean Air Act. It was discovered the Volkswagen had programmed turbocharged direct injection diesel engines to shut off their emission controls after lab testing, leading to emissions of 40 times more nitrogen oxides while on the road.

Volkswagen is currently under investigation in 55 countries and has earmarked about 27 billion euros (about $31 Billion) in buyback, fines and other related costs.

Autonomous Mine Trains OK’d in Australia

Will autonomous material transportation become part of the mining industry? One Australian mining company is already on the way to making it happen.

According to reports in “Smartrail World” and “Business Insider,” Australia’s National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) has officially approved the AutoHaul technology that mining company Rio Tinto used to complete a 62 mile train trip in October. The train was monitored by crews throughout the process. The company plans to use the trains to haul iron ore from the company’s 16 work sites to ports.

The autonomous trains will operate on the company’s 1,056 miles of track. They plan on having the technology completely rolled out by the end of 2018.

Mining Equipment Market Expected to Boom

Increased demand for resources and streamlined technology has led some experts to predict an uptick in the mining equipment market within the next 10 years.

According to a new report compiled by Grand View Research, the industry could be worth as much as 128 billion within the next 10 years, a 6.5 percent increase over that time period. The potential growth is the result of several factors, including exhausting resources and the development of new equipment and automated technologies.

As resources become more and more scarce and ore grades decrease, many mining companies have been forced to move their operations their operations to more remote locations. Operating in these locations requires better, smarter equipment.

Increase in demand from other industries is driving the prediction as well. Many coal companies need mining machinery more than ever, particularly in nations that have made major investments into their energy infrastructure.

Trade in your Clean Burn Unit and Save with The Great Exchange

“The Great Exchange” is here. Now through June 29, save up to $2,500 on a new Clean Burn Unit when you trade in your old one. AH, BH, C and D models are all eligible. This offer won’t be available for long, so act now! For more information, call 1-800-451-5823 or e-mail service@petrochoice.com. Learn more about Clean Burn here.

With ILSAC GF-6 Years Away, New API Oil Classification Aims to Curb LSPI

Products with the American Petroleum Institute (API)’s newest passenger car motor oil classification, API SN Plus, have begun to hit the market.

The new sub-classification was proposed in November 2017 at a meeting of the group’s lubricant division in Detroit. Licensing for the new classification began on May 1 and any marketer who wants to apply for licensing must do so through the API website. The new classification was created at the request of automakers, who were concerned about repeated delays to the ILSAC GF-6 classification upgrade. Originally slated to come to market in 2016, GF-6 will likely not be available for licensing until 2020.

The primary function of the upgrade is to reduce incidences of low speed pre-ignition (LSPI), a premature ignition of the main fuel charge that can occur in gasoline engines. These random events are most common in turbocharged direct-injection vehicles. Many researchers believe that engine oils can help prevent that from happening.

“The upgrade allows for better control over LSPI,” Mike Wyant, Director of Technical Services for PetroChoice, said. “The step change happened now because the next license category upgrade, ILSAC GF-6, wasn’t going to occur for another couple of years. OEMs felt they needed the LSPI remediation much sooner.”

Wyant said a change in the additive package is what separates SN Plus lubricants from their SN predecessors.

“There’s a chemical adjustment with the detergency that reduces the calcium content and requires the increase of another element, typically Magnesium, that allows for the reduction of the frequency of LSPI,” Wyant said. “There are also gains in turbo charger protection as well.”

While the change in additive package may have an impact on pricing, it is unlikely to be drastic. Wyant said lubricant manufacturers can begin creating products that fit within the guidelines for SN Plus by simply changing the additive package, although he did stress the need for updating the licensing for any already existing products.

“There will be few changes for manufacturers. Merely switching to an SN Plus compliant additive package will take care of the issue,” Wyant said. “There is also a need for updating the API Licensing for each effected product.”

The new sub-classification was pushed heavily by manufacturers, who were concerned that LSPI problems would continue to get worse before more comprehensive new standards could be adopted.

“OEMs are the driving force behind SN Plus,” Wyant said. “Their concern over LSPI is very real and very serious. The damage caused by LSPI can destroy an engine.”