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From The Detroit News:
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][size=-1]The Z06 frame exemplifies Dana's engineering expertise, and the Corvette was one of nearly two dozen vehicles equipped with Dana components at the Detroit auto show.[/size][/font]
Dana pins hopes on frame
Corvette Zo6's underpinning is expected to lead to new contracts.
By Tim Moran / Special to The Detroit News
Like automakers that have long relied on halo cars to draw shoppers into showrooms -- think Chevy's Corvette -- auto parts maker Dana Corp. hopes the frame it developed to underpin the souped-up Corvette Z06 will help the company win new business on mass-market models.
Dana's Z06 frame was the Toledo-based supplier's point of pride at the 2005 North American International Auto Show this month at Cobo Center.
Chuck Heine, Dana's president of technology development, said the frame needed high- tech manufacturing to handle the 500 horsepower loads the Z06 engine can generate on a structure that's 137 pounds lighter than a conventional Corvette.
Assembly includes more than 14 meters of laser welding as well as more than 230 self-piercing rivets to hold a mix of hydroformed aluminum rails, extruded frame ends, castings that hold suspension parts and stampings that form the cockpit support.
"For about four years we weren't allowed to talk about it," J. Michael Laisure, president of Dana's automotive systems group, said at a media briefing during the show.
Dana executives admit that the frame likely won't produce direct profits for the company, which had $5.9 billion in 2003 automotive sales. The frame's expensive materials and limited production run make it "a niche within a niche," Laisure said.
But the powertrain and underbody components maker expects that the stubby Z06 frame will lead to new contracts supporting high-volume cars and trucks.
"We're in business to make money," Laisure said, "not just to demonstrate our technical capabilities."
The Z06 not only exemplifies Dana's engineering expertise, it was also one of nearly two dozen vehicles equipped with Dana components at the show that symbolize a growing trend among suppliers to pool resources to secure new work.
Nineteen of 23 vehicles slated for production that made worldwide debuts at the show featured incorporated technology developed by Dana with its German joint-venture partner Getrag.
Getrag also supplied the rear axle on the Z06. While Dana and Getrag won the Corvette business independently, rather than through their joint venture, the vehicle nonetheless represents a "double win for the companies," said Dana spokesman Jeff Cole.
Dana owns 30 percent of Getrag Group, but holds 49 percent of Getrag North America. So business that Getrag brings in -- like the Z06 axle -- is business that Dana is not losing.
Dana's joint venture with Getrag essentially took two suppliers who might have been competitors and instead combined their research and development and manufacturing resources to tackle vehicle programs.
Linking up with Getrag brought Dana both European market placement and extensive expertise in aluminum drivetrain technology.
Such arrangements make increasing business sense, said Erich Merkle, senior automotive analyst at IRN, a consulting firm in Grand Rapids.
"In terms of the amount of money that has to be spent in terms of research and development, (joint ventures are) making more and more sense all the time," Merkle said. "Since Getrag is based out of Germany and Dana being more North American focused, it allows them to branch out and diversify their customer portfolios as well."
Tim Moran is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][size=-2]Charles V. Tines / The Detroit News[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][size=-1]The Z06 frame exemplifies Dana's engineering expertise, and the Corvette was one of nearly two dozen vehicles equipped with Dana components at the Detroit auto show.[/size][/font]
Dana pins hopes on frame
Corvette Zo6's underpinning is expected to lead to new contracts.
By Tim Moran / Special to The Detroit News
Like automakers that have long relied on halo cars to draw shoppers into showrooms -- think Chevy's Corvette -- auto parts maker Dana Corp. hopes the frame it developed to underpin the souped-up Corvette Z06 will help the company win new business on mass-market models.
Dana's Z06 frame was the Toledo-based supplier's point of pride at the 2005 North American International Auto Show this month at Cobo Center.
Chuck Heine, Dana's president of technology development, said the frame needed high- tech manufacturing to handle the 500 horsepower loads the Z06 engine can generate on a structure that's 137 pounds lighter than a conventional Corvette.
Assembly includes more than 14 meters of laser welding as well as more than 230 self-piercing rivets to hold a mix of hydroformed aluminum rails, extruded frame ends, castings that hold suspension parts and stampings that form the cockpit support.
"For about four years we weren't allowed to talk about it," J. Michael Laisure, president of Dana's automotive systems group, said at a media briefing during the show.
Dana executives admit that the frame likely won't produce direct profits for the company, which had $5.9 billion in 2003 automotive sales. The frame's expensive materials and limited production run make it "a niche within a niche," Laisure said.
But the powertrain and underbody components maker expects that the stubby Z06 frame will lead to new contracts supporting high-volume cars and trucks.
"We're in business to make money," Laisure said, "not just to demonstrate our technical capabilities."
The Z06 not only exemplifies Dana's engineering expertise, it was also one of nearly two dozen vehicles equipped with Dana components at the show that symbolize a growing trend among suppliers to pool resources to secure new work.
Nineteen of 23 vehicles slated for production that made worldwide debuts at the show featured incorporated technology developed by Dana with its German joint-venture partner Getrag.
Getrag also supplied the rear axle on the Z06. While Dana and Getrag won the Corvette business independently, rather than through their joint venture, the vehicle nonetheless represents a "double win for the companies," said Dana spokesman Jeff Cole.
Dana owns 30 percent of Getrag Group, but holds 49 percent of Getrag North America. So business that Getrag brings in -- like the Z06 axle -- is business that Dana is not losing.
Dana's joint venture with Getrag essentially took two suppliers who might have been competitors and instead combined their research and development and manufacturing resources to tackle vehicle programs.
Linking up with Getrag brought Dana both European market placement and extensive expertise in aluminum drivetrain technology.
Such arrangements make increasing business sense, said Erich Merkle, senior automotive analyst at IRN, a consulting firm in Grand Rapids.
"In terms of the amount of money that has to be spent in terms of research and development, (joint ventures are) making more and more sense all the time," Merkle said. "Since Getrag is based out of Germany and Dana being more North American focused, it allows them to branch out and diversify their customer portfolios as well."
Tim Moran is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.
