electrifying innovation Musashi

eleCtrifying innovaTion

Musashi Hungary is a major supplier of precision parts for European car manufacturers. The increasing demand for electric passenger vehicles has accelerated its plans for the development of innovative electrified mobility products. Spearheading this drive is its recent acquisition of Aquarius Electric Supply Solutions and the move to gain a major shareholding in the JM Energy Corporation, as Philip Yorke reports.

Musashi Hungary Manufacturing was established in March 2000 as a subsidiary of the Japanese MUSASHI Seimitsu Industry Co. It is the group’s second biggest European manufacturing unit in Europe. The reason for setting up the Hungarian plant was to supply automotive parts to European car manufacturers as a tier one and tier two supplier. By doing so, the company was able to enhance its reputation for high level precision products.

The factory was commissioned in the summer of 2001 in Ercsi, Hungary, with an initial productive area of 7,000 square metres. It began by producing ball joints for the advanced steering systems for Audi vehicles.

Further supplier contracts assured the company’s continuous growth and heralded the launch of two new production lines in 2004 (Audi control arms and Daimler camshafts). In addition, a major Fiat contract was won in 2005. As a result, the total production area of the plant was increased to 10,000 square metres. Following its recovery from the global recession in 2008, the company has been producing camshafts for Jaguar-Land Rover, and manufacturing ball joints for various new Volvo models. Forging global vision

The Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co. recently announced that it acquired all the shares of Germany’s Hay Holding GmbH. This move supported the company’s strategic plan: “Musashi Global Vision 2020” which emphasises the strengthening of its existing high-precision forging technology, the expansion of its global production and sales network, and the optimisation of its global operations.

The Hay Group was founded in 1925 and is based in Germany. It is the largest forging and machining company in the European Union. The company owns state-of-the-art forging presses which enable high speed mass-production volumes. This, in addition to many very large forging presses of between 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes, has extended its capability to give the company a competitive edge through its unique production lines for large powertrains.

Through this transaction, the company expects to expand its business platform in Europe, thus increasing its presence in the global marketplace. Furthermore, it will help the company to achieve additional synergies in the key areas of production, R&D and sales.

Pioneering high-energy-density solutions

Since its establishment in 1938, Musashi has been exploring creative manufacturing techniques based on its founding spirit to contribute to the development of global society through the provision of trusted and attractive precision products.

The acquisition of JM Energy this year is a milestone on its journey to support the global society. The JM Energy Company is engaged in the development, manufacturing, and sale of lithium-ion capacitors (LiC’s). It owns one of the few mass-production infrastructures in the world for LiC energy storage devices, with unique product characteristics brought about by its combination of electrical double layer capacitors and lithiumion batteries. This combination offers high energy-density, a high chargedischarge rate, optimal safety, long life, and minimal maintenance.

LiC production has been globally adopted for energy regeneration in electric vehicles. For these automotive applications, LiC is fully compatible with fuel cells and forms part of the optimal battery system. This means that is environmentally friendly and offers high-power and efficiency. With the ongoing development of higher energy density products, Musashi expects its advanced LiC products to create new markets and become a key device in the ‘smart society’ of the future.

In the automotive industry, quantitative needs for power storage devices are increasing and are based on the continuing progress of electrification. Due to multiple factors, such as future technological innovation, resource issues, and strict environmental and safety regulations, the available forms of power-storage devices are expected to see greater diversification.

With these objectives in mind, Musashi decided to acquire energy storage devices that offer advanced R&D capabilities, new production technologies and infrastructures. These are expected to grow in the near future, and Musashi aims to develop new businesses as a result by providing unique energy solutions, in order to meet the various needs of today’s ‘smart society’.

New synergies

Earlier this year, Musashi entered into a strategic partnership with Aquarius Engines, an Israeli start-up that develops super-lightweight power generators. Aquarius Engines provides various new electric supply solutions for the increasing demands of electrification in the automotive industry.

Satisfying this new market will be achieved by the optimisation of small, lightweight, and low-cost linear-free piston engines. This new agreement enhances Musashi’s synergies in the area of electrified mobility products, including the production of reduction gear units. In addition, it expands its business domains by incorporating evolutional electrical supply systems to be jointly developed with Aquarius Engines.

Such advanced systems will also serve as a power backup in 5G stations or for improved access to electrical systems, thereby offering wide ranging solutions for broader social issues. n

For further details of Musashi Hungary’s latest products and services visit: www.musashi.hu

PRECISION GROUP

The Precision Group today is a global engineering company employing over 2500 people and supplying camshafts, injector components, brake parts, balancer shafts, prismatic components to all leading oems around the globe and also supplies complete electric drivelines to various customers around the world.

The company has consolidated revenues of over $100 million in FY19-20. Housed in a 45-acre green campus at Solapur, PCl (Precision Camshafts limited) has a capacity to cast ~9 million camshafts per year and machine about ~3 million camshafts per year.

PCl has several international experts at its engineering centers in Germany and the uS and has 300+ dedicated engineers that deliver product lines to meet the shifting automobile landscape and generate the most efficient solutions.