Mazda Employs CNC Machines to Cut Engine Production Cost

Mazda Motor Corp. is saving time, money and complexity by using relatively simple computer numeric control machining to mill blocks for its new line of Skyactiv engines, WardsAuto.com reports.

Until now Mazda like most large automakers built engines using transfer lines that deliver components to a series of specialized machines, each devoted to a specific task. The high cost of tooling is eventually offset by economies of scale.

In such systems, members of an engine family may have different strokes and bores, but they all share the same bore centers. At Mazda, optimizing the power and fuel efficiency of each combination meant maintaining 177 different calibrations, according to the company.

With the new Skyactiv range, each engine has its own bore and stroke, but all engines maintain the same bore/stroke ratio. This produces a consistent combustion profile across the lineup.

The shift in design philosophy also enabled Mazda to replace conventional transfer lines with programmable CNC machining stations. The change in production technique slashed equipment and tooling costs as much as 70% and cut production time 75% to 1.5 hours, Mazda tells WardsAuto.com.

The CNC-based process also enables a wide range of engines, including gasoline and diesel variants, to be produced simultaneously.

Mazda is using CNC machines now at its plants in Hiroshima and Fuchu, Japan. The company plans to adopt the same system at other facilities, including its new assembly and engine plants under construction in Salamanca, Mexico.