Schaeffler’s INA brand offers OE components for all four key engine systems – the timing drive, auxiliary drive, valve train and cooling system – all from a single source. PMF has gone behind the scenes to discover why INA is trusted by the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers.
Engine expertise
Today, motor factors are spoilt for choice when determining their component suppliers; tough competition means that companies need to demonstrate quality, initiative and a unique selling point to distributors, showing why they deserve the business.
Dr. Robert Felger, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket, believes that bringing all of the key engine systems under one brand “makes life easier” for customers.
Four key systems
The goal of the vehicle manufacturer is to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions whilst improving driver comfort. To meet these targets, more and more power units are being downsized or hybridised, leading to increasingly complex systems and repairs. Furthermore, because these smaller, lighter, slower-running engines generate higher loads and more vibration, extra strain is placed on system components, such as those found in the timing drive.
Motor factors should be looking to deliver products to workshops that not only make it easier for technicians to carry out these tougher repairs, but can also handle higher loads and increased vibration levels for the maximum possible service lifetime. This is where OE suppliers, such as INA, can help.
The first key system is the timing drive – available in a range of KITs for both belt and chain driven engines. These KITs contain all of the OE components needed for a professional system replacement: timing belt or chain, tensioners, pulleys, basically everything down to the last nut and bolt. Over 230 timing belt ‘KIT+’ variants are also available, which include a water pump, as well as a thermostat, if necessary.
It doesn’t stop with timing – the second key system is FEAD. As more engine and safety-critical components (such as air conditioning, power steering and start-stop) are added to the FEAD system and its technical complexity increases, the load placed on the components increases with them.
Replacing just a single worn component alone may help in the short-term, but it can create serious problems in the long-term. In most scenarios, the real cause of the failure may rest with another component that is more difficult to diagnose. FEAD should be treated in the same way as the timing system, which is now routinely replaced, which is why INA offers a comprehensive range of FEAD KITs.
Each FEAD KIT is engine and application specific, so every component needed for a full system replacement is included in the box. As well as the belt, tensioner and pulleys, an overrunning alternator pulley (OAP), torsional vibration damper (TVD), water pump and other ancillaries could also be included, depending on vehicle requirements.
The third key system is the valve train, which includes millions of components produced for original fitment every year at INA’s factory in Llanelli. Products comprise both hydraulic and electric variable camshaft timers, valves, bucket tappets, finger followers, swing arms, rocker arms and bridges. Motor factors also now have access to a new INA range of camshaft KITs, including kits with variable camshaft timers.
As explained, reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are the key targets of engine system designers. An efficient way of helping to meet these targets is through advances to the fourth key system – cooling. The latest innovation is ‘cooling on demand’, or in other words, controlling engine heat flow using a Thermal Management Module (TMM), which is the current benchmark in integrated cooling systems. A TMM is capable of controlling engine temperature right from start- up, resulting in a significantly quicker ‘warm-up phase’ and a reduction in CO2 emissions by as much as 4%.
Schaeffler designs and manufactures OE TMMs that are exclusively distributed to the aftermarket by INA. The system has so far been fitted to more than 1.5 million Volkswagen Audi Group vehicles.
INA has also introduced a new range of water pumps, which is no surprise given the fact that the company claims to have long been the world’s number one producer of water pump bearing shafts. Traditional, intelligent, electronically-controlled and fully-electronic water pumps are available, providing motor factors with access to a comprehensive range of OE quality water pumps.
All under one brand
Innovation, technical expertise and OE design and manufacture: that’s what motor factors and their customers will receive if they choose INA. Competition is tough, but considering that INA components and systems are fitted by VMs around the world, why wouldn’t distributors also put their trust in the engine experts?
