State-of-the-art technology, uniformly quality standards worldwide

The RAAX™ turbine technology developed by Continental, which first went into production in the EA888 engine platform, improves engine response and also increases efficiency. While the most common type of gasoline turbocharger today, the radial turbocharger, features a radial exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel, the new Continental turbocharger features a radial-axial flow - hence the name RAAX™. This makes it possible to substantially reduce the size of the turbine wheels, and to reduce the mass moment of inertia by approximately 40 percent. The turbocharger therefore develops boost pressure more quickly in response to changing engine loads, and turbo lag is minimized. This greater efficiency also leads to reduced emissions. A new solution has also been implemented for the wastegate valve (which stops boost pressure rising too steeply at high engine output) based on an electronically controlled electric actuator developed by Continental.

"We are entering the Chinese market with cutting-edge turbocharger technology identical to that which we are already using in Europe, to meet the strict European emissions standards," says Udo Schwerdel, head of the Turbochargers product line at Engine Systems. The production processes too, he says, are identical to those used at the European plant in Trutnov, Czech Republic. "We use standardized production processes and manufacturing equipment across all our operations worldwide. All the core processes we developed for our highly automated production system in Trutnov will also be used in Jiading and San Luis Potosi. This will help to facilitate and speed communication, employee training and sharing of lessons learned between the plants, and will support us in our goal of ensuring benchmark quality at all our sites across the world."

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