Technical research and development of Cummins company in the United States

Clercy Lyle Cummins, the founder of Cummins Company, is a self-taught automobile technician and mechanical inventor, and one of the first American entrepreneurs to foresee the huge commercial potential of diesel engines. He has always had a strong interest and enthusiasm for new products and technologies, which also shaped Cummins' long-term business strategy and corporate culture focusing on technology research and development.

Cummins' large-scale R&D and construction can be traced back to 1930s. At that time, Cummins made many breakthroughs in truck diesel engine technology, which laid the core competitiveness of Cummins in the field of diesel engine.

1968, Cummins led all diesel engine manufacturers and invested $23 million to formally set up its first large-scale technology research and development center in Columbus, Indiana, USA, which laid a solid foundation for the company to meet the increasingly stringent environmental protection emission regulations since the early 1970s and laid a leading position for Cummins in the field of diesel engine technology research and development.

As a global engine technology leader, an important concept of Cummins is to continuously strengthen international cooperation and build transnational business capabilities. In the United States, Britain, France, India, Japan, Brazil and China, 65,438+07 R&D institutions have been established, and a strong global R&D network has been established, with more than 340 test laboratories and more than 65,438+0,000 R&D personnel, which provides conditions for the development of new products and technologies of Cummins.

In addition to the traditional product development methods, Cummins also has rich computer modeling and analysis methods ahead of the industry, which can simulate and analyze the combustion model in the engine cylinder before the formal design, and all data can be shared in real time around the world through the computer network, thus greatly improving the research and development efficiency, shortening the development cycle and reducing the development cost.

After decades of development, Cummins has become a multinational enterprise with strong technical strength and R&D resources, and can choose the most suitable technical solutions and develop related products for various market applications.

The core strategy of global technology research and development "Cummins global technology research and development always revolves around two themes: first, vigorously innovate and develop new technologies and new products; Second, continuously improve research and development efficiency and reduce research and development cycle and development cost. " Dr. john wall, Vice President/Chief Technology Officer of Cummins, stressed at the opening ceremony of East Asia Engine R&D Center.

Cummins technical engineers have a deep understanding of the application environment of products and the needs of customers, and find, analyze and develop technologies and products that can meet the actual requirements of users, close to the market, partners and end users.

Cummins has also established an efficient and globally unified R&D process, which enables global engineering and technical departments to share technology platforms, give play to their complementary business advantages, and effectively reduce R&D costs. Cummins technical experts use advanced computer-aided analysis tools to design and develop new products, thus achieving the strategic goal of "improving R&D efficiency and reducing R&D cycle and development cost".

In 2006, Cummins R&D investment was USD 365,438+02 million, accounting for 2.8% of sales. In the past seventeen years (1990-2006), Cummins invested nearly $4 billion to develop a brand-new engine platform to meet the increasingly stringent global exhaust emission standards.

Three business areas of technology research and development: engine field

The main direction of Cummins research and development is to meet the increasingly stringent engine exhaust emission standards, focusing on five key systems of the engine: intake air treatment system, filtration and aftertreatment system, fuel system, electronic control system and in-cylinder combustion optimization. In 2002, Cummins was ahead of all its competitors and took the lead in reaching the EPA2004 emission standard for heavy trucks implemented by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in June 5438+that year 10.

From June, 5438 to February, 2003, Cummins announced the launch of an engine solution for the US Federal Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 heavy truck emission standard (EPA 2007), which adopted the technical route of combining cooling exhaust gas recirculation with particulate trap.

In April, 2005, Cummins introduced Euro 4 engine series products with selective catalytic purification technology (SCR) at Birmingham Commercial Auto Show.

In the field of off-highway electrical equipment emission, Cummins is the first diesel engine manufacturer to adopt in-cylinder combustion optimization technology, which can meet the third-stage emission standard (Tier 3) for off-highway use without using exhaust gas recirculation or aftertreatment system. Relying on strong technical strength and R&D resources, Cummins can choose the most suitable technical scheme according to different emission standards.

On May 16, 2005, US President Bush visited the biodiesel application demonstration project of American automobile enterprises in Virginia biodiesel refinery, including a Dodge Ram pickup truck with 325 HP Cummins turbocharged diesel engine and combustible B5 biodiesel. Developing biodiesel is of far-reaching significance for building a sustainable energy supply system.

Cummins is the only multinational enterprise in the world that can independently research and develop five key systems of diesel engine, namely intake air treatment system, filtration and aftertreatment system, fuel system, electronic control system and in-cylinder combustion optimization design, and can provide customers with all-round "one-stop" emission solutions, thus ensuring Cummins' international leading position in the new round of "emission" war and attracting many multinational OEMs to cooperate with Cummins strategically.

Power generation system field

The focus of Cummins engineering research and development is to improve the cost performance of products. The electronic system of Cummins Electric Power aims to achieve high integration and unified control of multiple generator sets by adopting advanced digital electronic technology. With Cummins first-class engine design and advanced exhaust aftertreatment technology, Cummins power generation equipment can meet the most stringent emission standards in the world. Cummins is cooperating with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a solid-state oxidation fuel cell power generation system. This new technology can be used in vehicle auxiliary power supply and small fixed power generation equipment.

Cummins generator sets and control systems provide power solutions for airports, buildings, bridges and tunnels and many other facilities that need power supply.

In the field of filtration system, Cummins is developing a modular filtration system, which can integrate multiple filtration functions and make it an independent subsystem of the engine. Cummins' R&D direction also includes developing new filter media and technologies for a new generation of low-emission engines, including exhaust aftertreatment, closed crankcase ventilation system and particle emission centrifugal separator.

China engineers have contributed to diversification, which is an important part of Cummins core values. Cummins has more than 65,438+0,000 R&D personnel from all over the world, which not only brings rich intellectual and human resources to Cummins, but also becomes a link for Cummins to develop cooperative relations around the world and a bridge to communicate with customers.

China engineers in Cummins Technology Center in the United States account for more than 65,438+00%.

As early as 1968, when Cummins established the world's first most advanced diesel engine R&D center, R&D experts from China formed an indissoluble bond with Cummins. At that time, Dr. Lin, a famous combustion engineering expert in China, led the work of Cummins Technology Center.

Dr. Lin was born in China on 19 17 and graduated from department of mechanical engineering, Tsinghua University on 1939. 65438-0943 was awarded a joint scholarship by the British Cultural and Education Office and the Ministry of Education of China, and went to King's College, University of London, England for further study, and successively obtained master's degree, doctor's degree and doctor's degree in engineering. From 1965 to 1968, I worked in several research institutions and began to work as a technical consultant for Cummins. From 65438 to 0968, Dr. Lin formally joined Cummins as a senior technical consultant in engineering. 1973, he was appointed as the vice president of R&D for Cummins. Dr. Lin retired from Cummins on 1982, but still worked as a part-time consultant of the company until 1990. Dr. Lin has published more than 30 technical papers and made important speeches in many technical research institutions in America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Dr. Lin's outstanding performance in the field of diesel engines has been highly praised by domestic colleagues and enjoys a high reputation in the industry. In China, many of his engineering colleagues and university classmates held important positions in government departments and academic fields. This unique connection strengthens mutual understanding and trust in business contacts.

As an international leader in internal combustion engine technology, Dr. Lin not only has foresight and unique views on the future development of diesel engines, but also has made unique contributions to Cummins' business development in China. During 1988 and later 1992, China Society of Automotive Engineers and China No.1 Ministry of Machinery Industry invited Dr. Lin to give a six-week lecture tour in China, covering almost all the major automobile bases in China: FAW, Erqi, Chongqing Heavy Duty Truck, Shanghai Diesel Engine Factory and Shaanxi Automobile Research Center. At the suggestion of Dr. Lin, Mr. phil jones, Vice President of Design and Technology of Cummins, also attended the visit. Mr. Jones is one of the main designers of Cummins K, L 10, B and C series engines. These activities make Cummins diesel engine technology win the respect and trust of the main force of China automobile industry.

Dr. Huaqiang, Vice President/Chief Technology Officer of Cummins, felt a lot at the launching ceremony of East Asia R&D Center: "I have always regarded Dr. Lin as my mentor and friend for so many years. Even now, we often keep in touch and discuss related technical issues together. I believe that Dr. Lin himself must be very eager to visit the opening site, witness with us the diesel engine research and development concept he brought from China to the United States, and return to his hometown again! "

East Asia Engine R&D Center On August 8, 2006, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of strategic cooperation between Cummins and Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the East Asia Engine R&D Center jointly built by both parties was officially completed and put into use in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone. It marks that the cooperation between the two parties has been upgraded from the level of product introduction and manufacturing to a new stage of technical cooperation. It is the17th technical center established by Cummins in the world, and the first engine R&D center established by foreign engine enterprises in China.

The strategic goal of R&D Center is to provide all-round technical R&D and engineering services including product development, emission testing and application engineering, make full use of the huge capacity of China market, and develop a new generation engine platform that can meet the domestic market demand and have first-class international competitiveness. 13L fully electronically controlled heavy-duty diesel engine was born under this background. This will be an environmentally friendly high-power engine, which can meet the next generation emission standards in Europe and America (US Federal Environmental Protection Agency 20 10 and European No.5 standards).

At present, the East Asia R&D Center has invested160,000 US dollars, with a construction area of 1 1000 square meters. In the first stage, it has four engine test beds, a test center and some related laboratories. Although the scale is not very large now, it is very capable, and its daily work is the same as that of the technical center of the US headquarters, and it will increase with the expansion of the China market. It is estimated that after the completion of the fourth phase of the project, Cummins will become the second largest R&D institution in the world after the technical center of the US headquarters.

The talent echelon construction of East Asia Engine R&D Center adopts a three-pronged approach: introducing foreign key technologies and management experts; Attract R&D professionals from China to join; Actively carry out campus recruitment, recruit fresh graduates from top domestic engineering colleges such as Tsinghua University and Wuhan University, and strive to build a strong R&D team in the shortest time.

R&D center is a knowledge-intensive and talent-intensive institution, which is composed of technical experts with rich experience in product development. Cummins is recruiting technical professionals on a large scale in China and sending them to Europe and America for intensive training in batches. So far, three groups of technical backbones have returned and invested in a number of R&D projects. Their theoretical accomplishment and practical ability have been well received by foreign experts.

The market applications of R&D center include automobiles, construction machinery, mines, ships, power generation equipment, railway locomotives and key parts. In addition to the traditional diesel power, it will also develop alternative fuel engines including hybrid power, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and emerging biodiesel.

The R&D Center will also make full use of Cummins R&D network all over the world, share advanced R&D resources and product series platforms, develop by leaps and bounds, and develop engine products and technologies simultaneously with European and American markets; At the same time, it is also an open R&D platform. Like other Cummins technical centers, it will not only do all kinds of R&D work for Cummins, but also provide corresponding experimental support for other domestic engine enterprises and relevant government functional departments, and provide technical advice for the formulation and implementation of emission regulations.

The completion of the East Asia R&D Center once again confirms Cummins long-term commitment to take root in China, demonstrates Cummins determination to spare no effort to build a global R&D network, and reflects Cummins support to its partners as always. At the same time, it will further enhance the ability of Cummins and its partners in China to "tailor-made" customers through local research and development. It will also become a beacon to lead Cummins global engineering R&D system to develop product platforms and technologies suitable for China market demand. Moreover, it will enable Cummins to base itself on China, give full play to China's talent and market capacity advantages, and conduct product research and development in the international market.

Cummins and Dongfeng Motor Corporation jointly developed a new generation of 13L fully electronically controlled heavy-duty diesel engine. In June, 2005, Cummins and Dongfeng announced that they would jointly develop a new generation 13L fully electronically controlled heavy-duty diesel engine, aiming at the high-end market of heavy trucks in China and meeting the international market demand. This is the first engine research and development project in China with completely independent intellectual property rights owned by a Sino-foreign joint venture.

The engine will be developed through East Asia Technology Center and supported by Cummins global R&D network.

This is another example of the long-term strategic partnership between Cummins and Dongfeng Motor Corporation, which will further broaden the product range of both parties in the China market, and at the same time face a broader overseas market, laying a solid foundation for both parties to jointly create new success in the fast-growing heavy truck market.

13 liter engine covers 400-545 horsepower, which is the ideal power for a new generation of heavy trucks and buses with a vehicle weight of over 40 tons. It is expected to be put into production in 2009.

A new chapter in hybrid power Cummins is committed to product innovation and began to study hybrid power technology as early as the mid-1990s. At present, Cummins hybrid diesel engine has been successfully applied to bus fleets in the United States, Canada, Britain and China. Cummins has been making unremitting efforts to create a cleaner, healthier and safer environment.