Technology
With the
intensifying demand for lighter autobody, wire harness invites considerable
attention because a vehicle carries wire harness that extends 2-3 km and weighs
30 kg on average. In the domestic wire harness market, Yazaki is the leader
with 40% share, followed by Sumitomo Electric with 35% share. The third largest
maker is Furukawa Electric with 12% share. To increase the presence in the
market, Furukawa Electric successfully developed new aluminum wire that is two
times stronger than the existing aluminum wire, that is, the same strength as
copper wire, in collaboration with Tohoku University and Nisshin Kogyo that is
one of the leading producers of brake parts.
Because the newly
developed aluminum wire has strength of 200 Mpa that is two times stronger the
existing aluminum wire, it can be used as a harness around an engine subject to
big vibrations and doors subject to impacts created by opening and closing in
place of cooper wire. If aluminum wire harness replaces copper wire harness
completely in a vehicle, the weight of the total wire harness of a vehicle will
be halved. Lighter wire harness contributes to fuel consumption greatly because
it is said that reducing the weight of a car by 100 kg improves fuel
consumption by 1 km per liter. Furukawa Electric plans to start to ship samples
in 2014 in time for the design of the models to be launched in 2017. The world
wire harness market is expected to increase 30% to 4,500 billion yen in 2030
over the level in 2010. Though aluminum wire harness is currently estimated to
account for less than 50%, the newly developed aluminum wire will accelerate
the replacement from copper wire harness to aluminum wire harness.
Introduction of high-pressure wire harness
for a hybrid vehicle by Sumitomo Electric
for a hybrid vehicle by Sumitomo Electric
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