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Big Volume, Big Value: Mazda gets a whole lot for its money in revamping an old engine plant to build its critical new "global" 4-cylinder engine. Here's a look inside - 2003 Atenza - Brief Article

Automotive Industries, March, 2002

With the June launch of its all-new J56 program -- the 2003 Atenza -- Mazda Motor Co. brings on stream one of the world's most efficient engine plants. A blend of new technology, state-of-the-art equipment and common sense planning and design have created a production engineer's dream.

The cost to overhaul the 36-year-old facility, located two miles from Mazda's main vehicle assembly plant in Hiroshima, Japan. is estimated at $200 million ([yen]25 billion) -- a figure that's roughly half of a typical engine plant renewal This was made possible by careful review and analysis of existing processes then, based on that analysis, modifying and replacing equipment no longer judged to be top-class.

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$1,200 Per Engine

At the heart of the Hiroshima engine-plant renovation is an all-new casting line. It employs the "cold box" method of U.K-based Cosworth Technology Inc. to produce aluminum cylinder blocks as well as ferrous camshafts; a high-speed machining line that reduces processing time by more than 90 percent; and a "dressing" line that allows sequential final assembly of both gasoline and diesel engines, an industry first.

Its aluminum blocks are 10 percent less costly to produce compared with similar cast-iron blocks, claims Mazda, while significantly outperforming them in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). Informed Mazda sources tell J-Reports that the automaker's cost of a fully dressed engine has been cut to $1,200.

Mazda is one of the last Japanese carmakers to make the switch to aluminum blocks. The company achieved its cost targets through:

* Parts commonization. Mazda designed the engine so that key components such as blocks, cylinder heads and connecting rods could be used throughout the Ford Motor Go. family regardless of brand, thus in other cars and trucks built by Mazda, Ford, Volvo and Land Rover.

Other parts needed to define the engine "character" for each brand, such as the Montaplast reinforced intake manifold will be sourced locally. Also, the 2.3L variant planned for the tight-hand-drive Atenza and left-hand drive Mazda 6 sold in North America will feature sequential VVT and twin balance shafts mounted in the oil sump, whereas the 2.3L unit destined for the Ford Ranger pickup will not.

"By having interchangeable parts, we can reduce facility investment," explains Mazda senior managing director Hisakazu Imaki.

With the gradual introduction of the I-4 throughout their mid-sized model lines, Ford and Mazda plan to reduce their 4-cylinder engine lineups from eight types (currently ranging from 1.8L to 2.6L) to three.

* Volume production. By teaming with Ford, Mazda expects to realize scale merits from global output of 2 million units, rather than 425,000 if production were limited to western Japan. In addition to Hiroshima, where the I-4 is earmarked for the mid-sized Atenza, Mazda 6, MPV and Premacy, as well as for Ford models built elsewhere in Asia the engine is being produced by Ford (in Dearborn, Mich.; Valencia, Spain and Chihuahua, Mexico) for the Taurus, Mondeo, Focus and Ranger. Beginning in April it will go into vehicles assembled at AutoAlliance Inc., the Ford-Mazda joint venture in Flat Rock, Mich. The companies hope to reach their 2 million target in 2003.

Having a global production base will be especially beneficial for holding down investment in future market-specific derivatives, says Mutsumi Fujiwara, Mazda senior managing director in charge of purchasing. "And with each major market setting different standards for (tailpipe) emissions," Fujiwara warns, "these investments will be quite substantial"

Mazda eventually plans to add direct fuel injection and turbocharging to the I-4 lineup. And in the future, the company plans to expand the engine family to 15 variations, including new 1.3L, 1.4L, 1.5L, 1.6L, and 2.2L displacements. Industry analysts claim that l.3L and 1.5L units will be added this autumn with the remodeling of the Demio wagon. Though declining to confirm which engine is planned for the Demio, Mazda says it can produce a smaller 1-4 on the new line with minimum investment.

Meanwhile, Imaki says it may be possible to introduce a common cylinder block for gasoline and diesel engines within five years. Honda has similar plans for its new 2.0L turbocharged diesel from 2003 in Europe.

* Global sourcing. In developing the new engine family, Mazda cut its supply base from 24 major vendors to 12. By value, the 12 suppliers account for nearly 60 percent of the I4 family's components. The remaining 40 percent of content, including cylinder blocks and heads, is made in-house. Of the outsourced portion, 35 percent is produced outside of Japan.

* Improved metal-parts making. Before adopting the Cosworth casting process made famous in Formula 1 engine manufacture, Mazda engineers had to overcome technical hurdles in material-handling and metallurgy. As a result, cylinder block cycle time was shortened from 150 seconds to 55, while the block mold was trimmed to 341 pounds (155 kg), from nearly 957 pounds (4435 kg) in the original casting process.

Automotive Industry

Big Volume, Big Value: Mazda gets a whole lot for its money in revamping an old engine plant to build its critical new "global" 4-cylinder engine. Here's a look inside - 2003 Atenza - Brief Article

Automotive Industries, March, 2002

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