The Hirschaid site produces three millionth electromechanical camshaft adjusters from Schaeffler

A small team led by plant manager Michael Reinig (3rd from right) celebrated the three millionth electromechanical camshaft adjuster on behalf of those colleagues who were unable to be on site due to the corona requirements.

Production of the electromechanical camshaft adjuster (ECP) at the Hirschaid site is a success story for Schaeffler

ECP make combustion engines fit for EU7 and are ideally suited for use in modern hybrid drives

Mechatronic system is currently offered in various configurations for customers all over the world

The three millionth electromechanical camshaft adjuster (ECP) recently rolled off the assembly line at Schaeffler's Hirschaid site. The product is used in modern engine systems and helps to make them fit for EU7. Under strict Corona conditions, the plant management celebrated the production anniversary in a small group with the employees. “The ECP is a success story for Schaeffler and especially for the Hirschaid site,” says Michael Reinig, plant manager at the Hirschaid site. “The product, consisting of an electric motor, gearbox and controller, was first used in series production in 2015 at a Japanese manufacturer. Due to the high demand, also from many premium manufacturers all over the world, we have been able to continuously increase production volumes and are today pleased with the three millionth system. I would like to thank everyone involved for this great achievement. ”While around 700,000 units were recently manufactured per year, Schaeffler expects production to increase to three million units per year by 2025, not least due to the importance of the product for hybrid drives. In order to meet this demand, additional flexible assembly lines are being put into operation at the Hirschaid site.

ECP: More efficiency for internal combustion engine and hybrid drives

The use of electromechanical camshaft adjusters instead of hydraulic systems makes it possible to adjust the camshaft faster and more precisely to the respective operating conditions of the engine. This lowers both consumption and CO2 pollutant emissions, while at the same time increasing convenience in start-stop operation. The combustion engine is switched on without any noticeable jerking. This is possible by appropriately positioning the camshaft before the internal combustion engine starts. In terms of design, Schaeffler relies on a very compact solution that consists of a brushless DC motor and a high-reduction gear unit. This is based on a flexible gear and an oval roller bearing and translates the engine speed with about 70 to 1. The electric motor used serves not only as an actuator, but also as a sensor. In addition to the position detection used in hydraulic systems, the rotor position in the electrical system is continuously recorded by integrated sensors and evaluated by an electronic control system. This means that the exact position of the camshaft is always known. Schaeffler developed the DC motor in-house. Thanks to its compact design, the electromechanical camshaft adjuster from Schaeffler needs the same installation space as a hydraulic system. The mechatronic system is currently offered in various configurations, but consists of at least an electric motor, a gearbox and a controller.