Industry/Government Partnership Leads to New Manufacturing Process

Dayton, OH, 10/15/98 

IAP Research, Inc. of Dayton, OH and Delphi Energy & Engine Management Systems of Anderson, IN, announced that their joint venture has produced an important new manufacturing process for making powder metal automotive parts. "This represents a great success for the team," said John Barber, President of IAP Research. "This manufacturing technology definitely would not have advanced this far without the efforts of both companies."

IAP Research and Delphi, with the help of a three-year Advanced Technology Program (ATP) grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, developed IAP's Dynamic Magnetic Compaction (DMC) process for compacting metal powders in an industrial environment. Delphi will use DMC to manufacture an innovative new component for its engine management systems. Delphi selected DMC because the process produces parts that perform better than parts made with conventional powder compaction processes. "Three years ago, DMC was not a viable manufacturing process for Delphi to consider," said Tom Grady, Manager of Advanced Manufacturing at Delphi. "But during the project, DMC technology was integrated into our product and process requirements." IAP developed the DMC process for industrial use while Delphi supplied the powder materials for DMC-made parts and tested part performance. "Now DMC is a process to which Delphi is committed," said Grady. With the ATP grant coming to an end, IAP and Delphi are making plans to continue the commercialization of the DMC process. The firms plan to complete development and have DMC on the factory floor in 1999.

The ATP grant provided the capital that IAP Research, a small business, needed to continue its part of the development work. "IAP was awarded a patent on DMC in 1995, but no one was willing to sponsor further development of the technology because it seemed too high-risk," said Barber. Then William Jandeska, Manager, Powder Metal Technology, of General Motors Powertrain suggested IAP team with GM Powertrain and Zenith Sintered Products to apply for an ATP award. The team won an award later that year, and Delphi was soon invited to join the team. Delphi, a parts supplier to General Motors and other auto makers, funded its part of the work internally. "The ATP investment was critical to IAP's ability to develop the DMC process," said Barber. "Now that DMC is more mature and a less risky investment, private industry can fund the next stage of development."

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP), which sponsors high-risk/high-reward technology development efforts that improve the competitiveness of U.S. industry, is administered by NIST and funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

John Barber
President, IAP Research, Inc.
Phone: (937) 296-1806
Fax: (937) 296-1114
Email: johnb@iap.com