The worlds largest manufacturer of constant velocity jointed sideshafts said last week that it has opened a Detroit area tribology laboratory to study how greases and other lubricants perform on its products.
GKN Driveline built the lab by renovating space at its existing Research and Product Development Center in Auburn Hills, Mich. The company, a division of GKN Plc., said it spent $220,000 to outfit the lab, partly with equipment previously used at other facilities. Dr. Gareth Fish, head of global lubricant development, will be responsible for the facility.
GKN, which is based in Redditch, U.K., claims 42 percent of the global market for constant velocity jointed sideshafts, which are used in automobiles to transfer power from the engine to the wheels. Officials say the company is continually searching for combinations of driveshaft materials and lubricants that can better handle the high temperatures and levels of mechanical stress generated by those applications.