AxleTech announced this week it is launching an electronics and mechatronics remanufacturing unit based on the expected exponential growth of electronics content in vehicles in the next five years.
“As autonomy, electrification, and sustainable manufacturing become increasingly more important in the mobility sector, the industry will require experienced and knowledgeable complex electronics and mechatronics remanufacturing specialists,” says Raji El-Kassouf, director of business development, Remanufacturing, AxleTech. “With this new program, AxleTech will be able to provide customers with a viable, cost-effective option for quality remanufactured electronics and mechatronics, as well as ensure the serviceability of these products and help manage lifecycle costs.”
AxleTech says it has remanufactured its axles and transfer cases for the off-highway and defense markets for 40 years and recently launched an air disc brake remanufacturing product line.
To establish its new remanufacturing group, AxleTech hired a team of highly trained engineers, including Chief Engineer PT Muldoon, who has spent more than three decades working in the space. The expert team, based in Troy, Mich., will be responsible for technology development.
One of the group’s first tasks was to create a new line of proprietary testers, which the company says will significantly reduce development time and improve the warranty feedback loop on emerging electronics and mechatronics technologies. These advanced machines evaluate cores to determine what repairs are needed and if the repairs are successful. The testers also confirm remanufactured products meet intended functional requirements, the company says.
In addition to the testers, AxleTech says it installed new software, hardware, and facilities to remanufacture a wide range of these products. As a result, the company has the capabilities to remanufacture any product with a circuit board and a plug, such as anti-lock braking modules and transmission control modules, hybrid electronic systems, electronic throttle valves, mass air sensors, and electronic braking systems, among many others.
This new remanufacturing capability will give AxleTech access to new OEM and Tier 1 customers and select independent channel distributors, the company states. Down the road, the company’s Electric Vehicle Systems (EVS) customers will be beneficiaries of this effort as AxleTech EVS products also are slated for remanufacturing.
“The establishment of complex electronics and mechatronics remanufacturing program aligns with AxleTech’s long-range business plan to invest in sustainable manufacturing and electric powertrain systems,” says Bill Gryzenia, CEO at AxleTech. “AxleTech is a proud member of MERA – the Association for Sustainable Manufacturing. We believe in balancing technology innovation and environmental stewardship with the goal of building a better experience for our customers and their consumers.”
