NEW OUTBOARD MOTOR FIRING ON ALL PISTONS
TRANSPORTATION
ORIGINATING TECHNOLOGY/NASA CONTRIBUTION
Seven years ago, NASA was in the planning stages of
producing an aluminum alloy with higher strength and resistance at elevated temperatures
for aerospace applications. At that time, a major automobile manufacturer happened
to approach NASA for solutions to lowering engine emissions and the costs associated
with developing aluminum
engine pistons. The Space Agency realized the answers
to the manufacturer’s problems could lie within the
proposed alloy.
Jonathan Lee, a structural materials engineer at Marshall Space
Flight Center’s Materials, Processes, and Manufacturing Department, and PoShou
Chen, a scientist with Huntsville, Alabama-based Morgan Research Corporation,
partook in the development project as the inventors. The resulting NASA High-Strength
Aluminum Alloy, or “MSFC-398,” was capable of casting metal components at both
high volume and low cost, making it extremely attractive for commercial application,
not just in automotives, but in a variety of other industries, as well. NASA
patented the technology and introduced it for public
licensing in 2001.
PARTNERSHIP
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Marshall Space Flight Center’s Jonathan Lee prepares to test the strength of
the new aluminum alloy he co-invented.
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A worldwide leader in the design, development, and
distribution of outboard motors and a wide variety
of land and water
vehicles, Bombardier Recreational
Products Inc. (BRP), in 2002 came across a description
of the NASA alloy on the Internet and was immediately
intrigued. The Sturtevant, Wisconsin-based company
decided to meet with NASA in April of that year, wanting
to
learn
if and how the technology could strengthen its products.
BRP and NASA identified an application for high-performance
outboard engine pistons. Prototype production started
in July, and the licensing agreement was signed exactly
1 year later.
According to Lee, the company
worked hard with a casting vendor and NASA to perfect
the casting of the pistons. “The usual cycle for developing
this type of technology—from the research stage to
the development phase, and finally into a commercial
product phase—may take several
years and more than a $1 million investment,” said
Lee. “In this case, it had occurred in less than 4
years at a fraction of the cost.
” BRP also applauded
NASA for its prompt assistance. “The demands of the
outboard engine are more significant than any other
engine NASA had ever encountered,” claimed Bob Young,
the company’s vice president of engineering, outboard
engines. “The team from NASA was on the fast track,
learned all the intricacies, and delivered an outstanding
product.” BRP incorporated the alloy pistons into a
brand new mid-power outboard motor coined Evinrude®
E-TEC™ (E-TEC) that the company affirms is “years beyond
two-stroke, four-stroke, or even direct
injection” engines.
PRODUCT OUTCOME
By adopting the high-strength, wear-resistant aluminum
alloy from NASA for its latest product line, BRP has
created a boater’s dream: the first outboard motor
engine that will not require oil changes, winterization,
spring tune-ups, or scheduled maintenance for 3 years
of normal recreational use.
Not only is the E-TEC engine
maintenance-free from
such tedious upkeep responsibilities, its piston design
successfully reduces the so-called “slapping” sound that occurs when pistons
slide up and down in the engine’s cylinder (this “whisper
quiet” feature is particularly appealing for trollers
looking to avoid scaring off fish, especially in
shallow waters). The NASA alloy greatly improves piston durability because it
is 2.5 times stronger than conventional cast aluminum
pistons at high temperatures and can be produced with
a material cost of less than $1 per pound. Engineers
finalizing the product also saw environmental advantages
from the alloy, as it would help the new engine comply
with the California Air Resources Board’s emissions
standards—some of the most stringent in the United
States.
The E-TEC features a low-friction design completely
free from belts, powerhead gears, cams, and mechanical
oil pumps; a “sure-start” ignition system that prevents
spark plug fouling and does not require priming or
choking; and speed-adjusting failsafe electronics that
keep it running even if a boat’s battery dies. A central
computer controls the outboard engine’s single injector,
which is completely sealed to prevent air from entering
the fuel system. This minimizes evaporative emissions.
Furthermore, the E-TEC auto-lubing oil system eliminates
the process of having to mix oil with fuel, while complete
combustion precludes virtually any oil from escaping
into the environment. When programmed to operate on
specially designed Evinrude oil, the E-TEC uses approximately 50 percent less oil than a traditional direct injection system and 75 percent
less than a traditional two-stroke engine. Additionally,
when compared to a four-stroke engine, the E-TEC creates
80 percent less carbon monoxide while idle.
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Evinrude® E-TEC™ is the first outboard motor engine that will not require oil
changes, winterization, spring tune-ups, or
scheduled maintenance for 3 years of normal
recreational use.
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Ranging
from 40-horsepower (hp) models to 90-hp models, the
E-TEC engines won the prestigious 2003 Innovation Award
from the National Marine Manufacturers Association
at the annual Miami International Boat Show. In the
same year, E-TEC also received a vote of confidence
from an individual who put the engine to an incredible
test in the most unusual of conditions. While BRP often
hears from boaters who depend on its engines in tropical,
warm, or—at worst—temperate climates, the company had
heard about an individual from the small Alaskan village
of Koyokuk who runs the Yukon River in his boat just
about everyday, from break-up of the iced-over body
of water to freeze-up. The nearest “sizable” town is
400 miles upstream from Koyokuk, so the individual
uses the rugged river as his “highway” to deliver and transport goods such as tools, supplies, and groceries.
Upon learning about the E-TEC engine from a Fairbanks,
Alaska-based dealer, the individual felt the need to
challenge the motor’s performance against the unbearable,
uncompromising conditions that he had grown accustomed
to. As a result, the 90-hp E-TEC engine got his boat
up and running on step quicker and carried his loads
easier than his previous motor. Right up until the
river froze over for the year in October, the individual
was the only boater on the water. He was able to start
his E-TEC instantly at temperatures as low as 8 ºF
(-13 ºC).
Taking torque to the next level, BRP will
offer three new options to the E-TEC family in the
2005 model year: 200 hp, 225 hp, and 250 hp. Like their
smaller 40- to 90-hp relatives, the proposed higher-powered
engines are anticipated to present outstanding durability
and reliability in extreme environments, while offering
low emissions, quiet operation, and virtually no maintenance.
The introduction of the E-TEC engine has brought a
whole new meaning to two-stroke engines, which have
long been the focus of intense
environmental scrutiny for their high rate of pollution
emissions. Together, BRP and NASA have not only revived
this struggling breed of outboard motors, but have
reinvented it for generations to come.
Evinrude® is
a registered trademark of Bombardier Recreational Products
Inc.
E-TEC™ is a trademark of Bombardier Recreational
Products Inc.
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