The history of the HONDA Company began with the vision of one man SOICHIRO HONDA. His dream was individual mobility for everybody.
Soichiro Honda was born on November 17, 1906, in Komyo Village (now Tenryu City), Iwata County, Shizuoka Prefecture, as the eldest son of Gihei Honda and his wife Mika.
Soichiro Honda left elementary school in April 1922 at the age of fifteen and joined Art Shokai as a novice in the Yushima area of Hongo, Tokyo.
In April 1928, he completed his apprenticeship and opened a branch of Art Shokai in Hamamatsu, the only one of Sakakibara's trainees who was approved this degree of independence.
In 1936, Mr. Honda became discontented with repair work and began to plan a move into manufacturing.
Mr. Honda did not give up repair work but sought the help of an associate by the name of Shichiro Kato, and set up the Tokai Seiki Heavy Industry or Tokai Seiki for short, with Kato as President.
He started this new project and started the Art Piston Ring Research Center, working by day at the old Art Shokai and developing piston rings at night.
In 1942, Toyota took over 40% of the company's equity and Honda was "downgraded" from president to senior managing director.
In October 1946, Soichiro Honda established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, Japan, to develop and manufacture small 2-cycle motorbike engines.
Two years later, the HONDA Motor Company was founded in 1948; today HONDA celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Honda is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Their shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris and Switzerland.
The company has assembly plants around the world. These plants are situated at China, USA, Pakistan, Canada, England, Japan, Belgium, Brazil, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Turkey.
Honda's Net Sales and Other Operating Revenue by Geographical Regions in 2007:
Geographic Region
Total revenue (in millions)
Japan
¥1,681,190
North America
¥5,980,876
Europe
¥1,236,757
Asia
¥1,283,154
Others
¥905,163
American Honda Motor Co. is based in Torrance, California. Honda Canada Inc. is headquartered in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, and is building new corporate headquarters in Markham, Ontario, scheduled to relocate in 2008; their manufacturing division, Honda of Canada Manufacturing, is based in Alliston, Ontario. Honda has also created joint ventures around the world, such as Honda Siel Cars and Hero Honda Motorcycles in India,[13] Guangzhou Honda and Dongfeng Honda in China, and Honda Atlasin Pakistan.
Honda headquarters (Tokyo, Japan)
In 1963, he built his first car, a sporty two seater. It was a small, highly ordinary passenger car.
Honda's introduction of the 1975 Civic CVCC, CVCC being a variation on the stratified charge engine, allowed the Civic to pass emissions tests without a catalytic converter.
In 1989 Honda launched their VTEC variable valve timing system in its production car engines, which gave improved efficiency and performance across a broader range of engine speeds
By 1991, Honda was America's third largest car manufacturer, and Honda Accord its bestselling car.
The latest statistics about the firm worldwide:
Revenue:
US$ 119.801 Billion(2008)
Operating Income:
US$ 9.513 Billion(2008)
Net Income:
US$ 5.989 Billion (2008)
Total Assets:
US$ 125.916 Billion(2008)
Total Equity:
US$ 45.356 Billion(2008)
Employees:
167,231 (Sep 2008)
In India, it is through HSCI {HONDA SIEL CARS INDIA LTD.} that customer can enjoy the benefits of Honda's expertise incorporated in December 1995. It is a joint venture of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (JAPAN) & Siel Ltd. (INDIA). Commercial production of Honda automobiles from this facility commenced in December 1997.
Today Honda is the 6th largest automobile manufacturer in the world as well as the largest engine-maker in the world, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. As of August 2008, Honda surpassed Chrysler as the 4th largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Currently, Honda is the second largest manufacturer in Japan behind Toyota and ahead of Nissan.
The company is ISO 9002 & ISO 14001. The Company has plans to further raise the capacity to almost 100,000 cars per annum by the end of year 2010.
The high quality pollution-free production plant & the Administration block is situated in Greater Noida Industrial Development Area. The initial capacity of this plant is 60000 cars per annum.
Worldwide HONDA is divided into 5 operating regions:
JAPAN
NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
SOUTH AMERICA
EUROPE / THE MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA
ASIA & OCEANIA
HONDA PHILOSOPHY AND CORPORATE VISION
Honda formulated its vision statement, "Striving to be a company society wants to exist," based on the Honda philosophy.
In order to realize this vision, we have established three directions: creating new value, expanding value and commitment to the future. All of Honda's environmental activities are an expression of the Honda philosophy of respect for the individual and the Three Joys (buying, selling, and creating).
Creating new value means applying innovative ideas to create new value that anticipates changing needs and gives shape to dreams. Expanding value means helping people realize their dreams by contributing to local communities wherever we are active around the globe. Commitment to the future means working to improve safety for everyone while also minimizing our burden on the environment and consumption of the earth's resources.
Honda is accelerating its efforts to preserve the global environment by applying these principles, enhancing the Three Joys, and working globally to create a better world for future generations. By proactively engaging with our customers and other citizens around the globe, we hope to share joy and become a company whose existence is valued by more people than ever before.
Honda Management Policies:
Proceed always with ambition and youthfulness.
Respect sound theory, develop fresh ideas and make effective use of time.
Enjoy work, and encourage open communications.
Strive constantly for a harmonious flow of work.
Be ever mindful of the value of research and endeavour.
Corporate Culture:
Free thinking and open mindedness
Challenging spirit
Sincerity
Basic Principles:
As a company with global viewpoint, we are dedicated to contributing to the well-being of local communities around the world through our products and technologies.
As a good corporate citizen. We will deepen our commitment to all local communities where we do business.
We will contribute to the nurturing of a society where caring and energetic individuals actively participate in socially responsible activities.
Honda Environment Statement
.
Honda's Environmental Vision
Honda has long viewed the preservation of the environment as a core management responsibility. Our efforts are guided by the Honda Environmental Statement and extend to all aspects of our business operations and involve associates at all levels of our organization.
Honda Environmental Statement
In June 1992, Honda established and announced the Honda Environmental Statement to define its commitment and to guide its efforts to address environmental issues.
"As a responsible member of society whose task lies in the preservation of the global environment, the company will make every effort to contribute to human health and the preservation of the global environment in each phase of its corporate activity. Only in this way will we be able to promote a successful future not only for our company, but for the entire world."
We should pursue our daily business interests under the following principles:
We will strive to recycle materials and conserve natural resources and energy at every stage of our products' life cycle - from research, design, production and sales, to service and disposal
We will strive to minimize and find appropriate methods to dispose of waste and contaminants that are produced through the use of our products, and in every stage of the life cycle of these products.
As both a member of the company and society, each associate will focus on the importance of making efforts to preserve human health and the global environment, and will do his or her part to ensure that the company as a whole acts responsibly.
We will consider the influence that our corporate activities have on the regional environment and society, and endeavour to improve the social standing of the company.
CORPORATE AWARDS
"Indian Car of the Year 2009"
"BS Motoring Car of the year" (Honda City)
"Zigwheels Car of the year" (Honda City)
"Zigwheels Sedan of the year" (Honda City)
UTVi - Autocar Viewers Choice Award (Honda City)
UTVi - Autocar Best Design and Styling Award (Honda City)
UTVi-Autocar Best Luxury Car ( Honda Accord)
UTVi-Autocar 2009 Green Award (Honda Civic Hybrid)
CNBC TV18 Overdrive Awards 2009
Viewer's Choice Car of the Year (Honda City)
CNBC TV18 Overdrive Green Award (Honda Civic Hybrid)
NDTV Profit - Car India & Bike India Awards 2009 Car of the Year (Honda City)
NDTV Profit - Car India & Bike India Awards 2009, Mid-Size Car of the Year (Honda City)
NDTV Profit - Car India & Bike India Awards 2009 Viewers' Choice Car of the Year(Honda City)
Top Gear "Bang for your Buck award" (Honda Accord)
"Safety award" (Honda)
HONDA PRODUCTS
MOTORCYCLES
From creating engines to power bicycles just over 50 years ago. HONDA has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles having sold approximately 100 million units till date. The portfolio includes scooters & motorcycles, off-road & sport bikes and large touring motorcycles.
AUTOMOBILES
HONDA is amongst the world's foremost automobile manufacturers, producing more than 2 million vehicles annually. HONDA ensured its success by making innovative cars that captured the imagination of people around the world. The HONDA International line-up includes cars, luxury sedans and recreational vehicles. Following the green revolution the company has gone up to produce hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle(FCX Clarity), first commercial hybrid electric car sold in the US market(1999) , the Honda Insight), The Honda Civic GX, the natural gas vehicle, ecofriendly scooters like Honda Cub and lastly in INDIA the CIVIC HYBRID. .
POWER PRODUCTS
After a humble beginning in 1953, when it started manufacturing engines for agricultural use, HONDA grew rapidly to become a global player in power products such as electric generators, power tillers and outboard marine engines help in improving the quality of people's lives across 150 countries.
ASIMO
ASIMO is a humanoid robot created by Honda. Standing at 130 centimeters (4 feet 3 inches) and weighing 54 kilograms (114 pounds), the robot resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack and can walk or run on two feet at speeds up to 6 km/h (4.3 mph), matching EMIEW. ASIMO was created at Honda's Research & Development Wako Fundamental Technical Research Center in Japan. It is the current model in a line of twelve that began in 1986 with E0.
The name is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility". Honda states that the robot's name is not a reference to science fiction writer and inventor of the Three Laws of Robotics, Isaac Asimov
HONDA CITY
The Honda City is a subcompact car manufactured by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981. Originally made for the Japanese, European and Australasian markets, the City was retired without replacement in 1994. The nameplate was then revived for use on a series of compact four door sedans particularly aimed at developing markets, mainly sold in Asia outside of Japan but lately also in Latin America and Australia.
Honda city (fit sedan)Since 2002, the City is also known as the Honda Fit Aria. It is a subcompact sedan built on Honda's Global Small Car platform, which it shares by the Fit/Jazz (a five-door hatchback), the Airwave/Partner (a wagon/panel van version of the Fit Aria/City), the Mobilio, and the Mobilio Spike. One of the characteristics shared by the Fit/Jazz, City/Fit Aria, and Airwave, is the location of the fuel tank. Rather than placing it under the rear seats, it is located under the front seats, thereby freeing up valuable room in the back.
Also called
Honda Fit Aria / Guangzhou-Honda City
Body style
4-Door Sedan
Engine
1.5 L i-VTEC
Transmission
5-Speed Manual
5-Speed Automatic
Curb Weight
1,150 KgHONDA JAZZ
The Honda jazz is a five-door hatchback compact car, manufactured by the Honda Motor Company of Japan, introduced in June 2001 and now in its second generation. The jazz shares Honda's Global Small Car Platform with the City/Fit Aria, Airwave/Partner, Mobilio, and the Mobilio Spike.The nameplate Jazz is used in Europe, some parts of Asia, Australia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa - while the name "Fit" is used in Japan, China, and the Americas. By June 2007, more than 2 million Fit/Jazz had been sold.
"We are very aware that the predecessor was a little firm, so we spent a lot of time fixing that. But we believe we've got it just right now."
-Hitomi
The Fit now features improved ride and handling.
HONDA CIVIC
The Honda Civic is a line of compact cars developed and manufactured by Honda. In North America, the Civic is the second-longest continuously-running nameplate from a Japanese manufacturer; only the Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1968, has been in production longer. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.
It was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door coupe, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With the transverse engine mounting of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Early models of the Civic were typically outfitted with a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. As the years went by, it has become much more upscale with options such as air conditioning, power locks, and power windows, leather upholstery, satellite-linked navigation, and a six-speed manual transmission. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become well-known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type-R and Civic Si.
The Civic has been rebadged for international markets with such models as the Honda Ballade and Honda Domani/Acura EL. The Civic platform also served as the basis for the CR-X sport compact, the CR-X del Sol targa convertible, and the CR-V compact SUV.
As of 2008, the Civic has been the top-selling car in Canada for eleven straight years. With high gas prices and a weak economy in June 2008, the Civic supplanted the Ford F-Series to become the top-selling vehicle in the United States for that month.
HONDA ACCORD
The Honda Accord is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world.
In 1982, the Accord - which has always been manufactured in Sayama, Japan - became the first Japanese car to be produced in the United States when production commenced in Marysville, Ohio at Honda's Marysville Auto Plant. In addition, the Accord is, or has been, produced in Nelson in New Zealand, Swindon in England, Guangzhou in China and Ayutthaya in Thailand. The Accord has achieved considerable success, especially in the United States, where it was the best-selling Japanese car for fifteen years (1982-97), topping its class in sales in 1991 and 2001, with around ten million vehicles sold. Numerous tests, past and present, rate the Accord as one of the world's most reliable vehicles.
Since initiation, Honda has offered several different car body styles and versions of the Accord, and often vehicles marketed under the Accord nameplate concurrently in different regions differ quite substantially. It debuted in 1976 as a compact hatchback, though this style only lasted through the 1980s, as the line-up was expanded to include a sedan, coupé, and wagon. By the Accord's sixth generation in the 1990s, it evolved into an intermediate vehicle, with one basic platform but with different bodies and proportions to increase its competitiveness against its rivals in different international markets. For the current generation of the Accord released for the North American market in 2008, Honda has again chosen to move the model further up-scale and increase its size. This pushed the Accord sedan from the upper limit of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines as a mid-size car to just above the lower limit of a full-size car, with the coupe still rated as a mid-size car.
HSCI COMPANY PROFILE
Honda Siel Cars India Limited (HSCI) is a joint venture between the Honda Motor Company of Japan and Siel Limited, a Siddharth Shriram Group company. It currently is the 6th largest car maker in India after Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Chevrolet. It was begun in December 1995. The venture was begun with the aim of delivering Honda's passenger car models and technologies to the Indian market. The total investment made by the company in India till date is over Rs. 800 crores.
Mr. Takashi Nagai is the President & CEO, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. and Honda Motor India Private Ltd. from April 2010.
He is also the head of Honda's overall operations in the entire South West Asia region.
He has been associated with the Honda Motor Co. for more than 27 years. Nagai joined Honda in 1982 and began his career in Production Control at company's Hamamatsu Plant in Japan.
Takashi Nagai has vast experience in the automobile industry, having worked with Honda ventures in different markets, across the globe including America and Europe. From February 2003 to January 2006, Nagai was stationed in Mexico as Director of Honda de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. In February 2006, Nagai was appointed as General Manager, Overseas Operations Office No. 1 of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. looking after North America, South America and European market. In April 2007, Nagai became Executive Vice President, Asian Honda Motor Company Ltd. and a Director of Honda Motor Co. Ltd from June of the same year
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of the Company
HONDA SIEL CARS INDIA LTD.
Established
5th DECEMBER, 1995
Total Area
150 ACRES
Covered Area
1, 31,794 sq. m.
Capital (initially)
INR 4500 Million
Equity Share capital
HONDA MOTORS (JAPAN)- 99.9%
SIEL Ltd. (INDIA)- 0.1%
Investment till date
$ 16200 MILLION
Installed Capacity
1,00,000 Units/ Annum
(2-shift basis)
Production Commencement
(Start Up)- DECEMBER 1997-57%
JULY 2005 - 82%
Exports:
HSCI started exporting cars from Dec 2000
Exports were made to SRI LANKA in Dec. 2000 & . to BANGLADESH in 2001
Items Manufactured:
Latest world class fuel efficient cars - CIVIC, CITY,JAZZ &
ACCORD though HONDA CRV is imported from Thailand.
HISTORY & EVENTS:
1997: Commencement of production at HSCI, India on 15th December. Honda City launched.
2001: Honda Accord launched in India.
2002: Celebrated 25th anniversary of listing of NYSE.
2005: Honda City Gxi- CVT and City ZX launched.
2006: Honda Civic 2006 in manual and automatic transmission.launched in India.
2007: HSCI unveils new Accord in India
…… .HSCI launches new version of Honda CR-V and 10th edition City ZX
2008: HSCI inaugurates Phase I of 2nd plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan
2009: HSCI launches its Super Performance Car- Honda Accord V6
……… .HSCI launches its latest global car Jazz in India
LAYOUT AND INTRODUCTION TO DEPARTMENTS
Situated in the Industrial area of Greater Noida, HSCI is sprawled over 6,03,406 sq. meter of which 52744 sq. meter is covered which houses HITEC (Training Center) & the Main block which comprises of the Administrative department, Quality control department, Material division & Accounting department, Assembly line. Utilities are situated outside the main block along with the Water treatment plant, Wastewater treatment plant, Sewage water treatment plant & the generator room.
(1) ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
Human resources
Industrial affairs
Corporate Affairs
Secretariat & Legal
Security
Information Technology
(2) FINANCE & ACCOUNTS
DIVISION
Finance
Accounts
Costing
Excise & Tax
(3) MARKETING DIVISION
Marketing
Sales
Training
Commercials
Service
Parts
(4) UTILITY
Air Conditioning System
Water System
Power system
Compressed Air and Steam System
Internal Communication System
Fuel System
Incinerator
(5) WORKS DIVISION
Weld Shop
Paint Shop
Engine Assembly
Final Assembly
Vehicle Quality
Materials
MANUFACTURING DIVISION
My training was in manufacturing department. It is that department which basically deals with manufacturing of complete vehicle. The various departments under manufacturing division are:
WELD SHOP
In weld shop complete body of vehicle is welded. The body is welded into different parts like hood, trunk, fuel lid, middle floor, front floor, doors etc. & then these parts are welded to form a complete body. The various types of welding used are spot, MAG, nut & stud welding. There are four welding zones in weld shop named as A, B, C&D zone.
A-zone is also known as floor line. In this zone front & rear floor is welded. Then after this B-zone starts also known as general welding in this side panels left & right are welded. Then next to it C-zone starts is also known as metal finish line .In it door & trunk are welded. After it there is D-zone. In this zone door, hood, trunk are welded to body that has been previously welded.
PAINT SHOP
After welding welded body is send to paint shop. Paint used must possess high quality & must long elastic & must have good outer appearance. Because we know that first impression is the last impression. Customer just attracted firstly because of good appearance.
As the body enters in paint shop firstly it is checked completely for weld defect & repaired immediately. After this various processes are done on body. For example there is ED, sealer zone .In ED zone ie electrical discharge zone. In which body is dropped inside the electrolyte solution & body is made as cathode. In sealer zone seal is applied to various joints. After it coat is provided. Firstly mid coat & then top coat.
Then after it is checked before sending painted body to AF & minor repairs are done.
ASSEMBLY FRAME
Manufacture of complete car units with KD, local parts, and other assemblies/subassemblies after receiving painted body sheet and Engine Assemblies.
These all are done in assembly frame.
First of all painted body from paint is received is called AF on. After this trim -1 & trim-2 lines are there .All the trim parts are attached air with painted body. In between there is dashboard assembly. In which complete dashboard is assembled. Then there is chassis line & after that there is final line. There is also engine sub assembly. In it some KD & local parts are assembled to it. Then this sub assy is send to chassis line.
VEHICLE QUALITY
The main objective of this department is to ensure the quality of vehicle in all respect.
Or we can say to ensure the finished products quality. There are near about ten stations inside the shop. Different testes are carried out at these stations to check quality. For example at station no. 1 & 2 exterior & interior is checked. After it paint is checked visually. After this vehicle is moved to next station named function 1 where glass, center locking, fuel lid are checked
The department issued to me for three month training was Assembly Engine.
DEPARTMENT PROFILE
Engine Assembly as the name suggests is involved with fulfilling the daily requirement of the car production with regards to the supply of engine of the various models. The engines in production here in the HONDA manufacturing unit of Greater Noida consists of those of the JAZZ, CITY CIVIC and the
ACCORD 2.4 L.
The daily production target of the Assembly Engine is a total of 200 engines per day comprising of manual and automatic transmission engines of engines of the three models assembled namely JAZZ, CITY, CIVIC and ACCORD 2.4 L.
The Engine Assembly has been divided into one main assembly line and 3 sub assemblies
The main assembly line consists of 41 stations which include the 33 stations on the main assembly line and the remaining on the over head conveyer (OHC). In addition to this there is a head sub assembly and a mission sub assembly.
The assembly engine gets its requirements of the various parts fulfilled by the M.S. which buy them from local vendors or the parts are directly imported from Thailand and Japan.
There are a total of 12 work stations on the MISSION LINE and one sub assembly for main shaft and counter shaft and mission case.
Automobile Engines
Internal combustion gasoline engines run on a mixture of gasoline and air. The ideal mixture is 14.7 parts of air to one part of gasoline (by weight.) Since gas weighs much more than air, we are talking about a whole lot of air and a tiny bit of gas. One part of gas that is completely vaporized into 14.7 parts of air can produce tremendous power when ignited inside an engine.
Working of an engine:
Air enters the engine through the air cleaner and proceeds to the throttle plate. You control the amount of air that passes through the throttle plate and into the engine with the gas pedal. It is then distributed through a series of passages called the intake manifold, to each cylinder. At some point after the air cleaner, depending on the engine, fuel is added to the air-stream by either a fuel injection system or, in older vehicles, by the carburetor.
Once the fuel is vaporized into the air stream, the mixture is drawn into each cylinder as that cylinder begins its intake stroke. When the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder, the intake valve closes and the piston begins moving up in the cylinder compressing the charge. When the piston reaches the top, the spark plug ignites the fuel-air mixture causing a powerful expansion of the gas, which pushes the piston back down with great force against the crankshaft, just like a bicycle rider pushing against the pedals to make the bike go.
Let's take a closer look at this process.
Engine(Petrol) Types
The majority of engines in motor vehicles today are four-stroke, spark-ignition internal combustion engines. The exceptions like the diesel and rotary engines will not be covered in this article.
There are several engine types which are identified by the number of cylinders and the way the cylinders are laid out. Motor vehicles will have from 3 to 12 cylinders which are arranged in the engine block in several configurations. The most popular of them are shown on the left. In-line engines have their cylinders arranged in a row. 3, 4, 5 and 6 cylinder engines commonly use this arrangement. The "V" arrangement uses two banks of cylinders side-by-side and is commonly used in V-6, V-8, V-10 and V-12 configurations. Flat engines use two opposing banks of cylinders and are less common than the other two designs. They are used in engines from Subaru and Porsche in 4 and 6 cylinder arrangements as well as in the old VW beetles with 4 cylinders. Flat engines are also used in some Ferraris with 12 cylinders
Most engine blocks are made of cast iron or cast aluminum. Each cylinder contains a piston that travels up and down inside the cylinder bore. All the pistons in the engine are connected through individual connecting rods to a common crankshaft.
The crankshaft is located below the cylinders on an in-line engine, at the base of the V on a V-type engine and between the cylinder banks on a flat engine. As the pistons move up and down, they turn the crankshaft just like your legs pump up and down to turn the crank that is connected to the pedals of a bicycle.
A cylinder head is bolted to the top of each bank of cylinders to seal the individual cylinders and contain the combustion process that takes place inside the cylinder. Most cylinder heads are made of cast aluminum or cast iron. The cylinder head contains at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve for each cylinder. This allows the air-fuel mixture to enter the cylinder and the burned exhaust gas to exit the cylinder. Engines have at least two valves per cylinder, one intake valve and one exhaust valve. Many newer engines are using multiple intake and exhaust valves per cylinder for increased engine power and efficiency. These engines are sometimes named for the number of valves that they have such as "24 Valve V6" which indicates a V-6 engine with four valves per cylinder. Modern engine designs can use anywhere from 2 to 5 valves per cylinder.
The valves are opened and closed by means of a camshaft. A camshaft is a rotating shaft that has individual lobes for each valve. The lobe is a "bump" on one side of the shaft that pushes against a valve lifter moving it up and down. When the lobe pushes against the lifter, the lifter in turn pushes the valve open. When the lobe rotates away from the lifter, the valve is closed by a spring that is attached to the valve. A common configuration is to have one camshaft located in the engine block with the lifters connecting to the valves through a series of linkages.
The camshaft must be synchronized with the crankshaft so that the camshaft makes one revolution for every two revolutions of the crankshaft. In most engines, this is done by a "Timing Chain" (similar to a bicycle chain) that connects the camshaft with the crankshaft. Newer engines have the camshaft located in the cylinder head directly over the valves. This design is more efficient but it is more costly to manufacture and requires multiple camshafts on Flat and V-type engines. It also requires much longer timing chains or timing belts which are prone to wear.
How a Four Stroke Engine Works
Since the same process occurs in each cylinder, we will take a look at one cylinder to see how the four stroke process works. The four strokes are Intake, Compression, Power and Exhaust. The piston travels down on the Intake stroke, up on the Compression stroke, down on the Power stroke and up on the Exhaust stroke.
Intake Stroke:
As the piston starts down on the Intake stroke, the intake valve opens and the fuel-air mixture is drawn into the cylinder (similar to drawing back the plunger on a hypodermic needle to allow fluid to be drawn into the chamber).
When the piston reaches the bottom of the intake stroke, the intake valve closes, trapping the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder.
Compression:
The piston moves up and compresses the trapped air fuel mixture that was brought in by the intake stroke. The amount that the mixture is compressed is determined by the compression ratio of the engine. The compression ratio on the average engine is in the range of 8:1 to 10:1.
This means that when the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the air-fuel mixture is squeezed to about one tenth of its original volume.
Power:
The spark plug fires, igniting the compressed air-fuel mixture which produces a powerful expansion of the vapor. The combustion process pushes the piston down the cylinder with great force turning the crankshaft to provide the power to propel the vehicle. Each piston fires at a different time, determined by the engine firing order. By the time the crankshaft completes two revolutions, each cylinder in the engine will have gone through one power stroke.
Exhaust:
With the piston at the bottom of the cylinder, the exhaust valve opens to allow the burned exhaust gas to be expelled to the exhaust system. Since the cylinder contains so much pressure, when the valve opens, the gas is expelled with a violent force (that is why a vehicle without a muffler sounds so loud). The piston travels up to the top of the cylinder pushing all the exhaust out before closing the exhaust valve in preparation for starting the four stroke process over again.
Engine Balance:
Flywheel: A 4 cylinder engine produces a power stroke every half crankshaft revolution, an 8 cylinder, every quarter revolution. This means that a V8 will be smoother running than a 4. To keep the combustion pulses from generating a vibration, a flywheel is attached to the back of the crankshaft. The flywheel is a disk that is about 12 to 15 inches in diameter. On a standard transmission car, the flywheel is a heavy iron disk that doubles as part of the clutch system. On automatic equipped vehicles, the flywheel is a stamped steel plate that mounts the heavy torque converter. The flywheel uses inertia to smooth out the normal engine pulses.
Technology used in HONDA engines:
VTEC & i-VTEC
(Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control)
VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is a valvetrain system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine. This system uses two camshaft profiles and electronically selects between the profiles. This was the first system of its kind. Different types of variable valve timing and lift control systems have also been produced by other manufacturers (MIVEC from Mitsubishi, VVTL-i from Toyota, VarioCam Plus from Porsche, VVL from Nissan, etc). It was invented by Honda R&D engineer Ikuo Kajitani. It can be said that VTEC, the original Honda variable valve control system, originated from REV (Revolution-modulated valve control) introduced on the CBR400 in 1983 known as HYPER VTEC. In the regular four-stroke automobile engine, the intake and exhaust valves are actuated by lobes on a camshaft. The shape of the lobes determines the timing, lift and duration of each valve. Timing refers to an angle measurement of when a valve is opened or closed with respect to the piston position (TDC or BDC). Lift refers to how much the valve is opened. Duration refers to how long the valve is kept open. Due to the behavior of the working fluid (air and fuel mixture) before and after combustion, which have physical limitations on their flow, as well as their interaction with the ignition spark, the optimal valve timing, lift and duration settings under low RPM engine operations are very different from those under high RPM. Optimal low RPM valve timing, lift and duration settings would result in insufficient filling of the cylinder with fuel and air at high RPM, thus greatly limiting engine power output. Conversely, optimal high RPM valve timing, lift and duration settings would result in very rough low RPM operation and difficult idling. The ideal engine would have fully variable valve timing, lift and duration, in which the valves would always open at exactly the right point, lift high enough and stay open just the right amount of time for the engine speed in use.
DOHC VTEC
The VTEC system is a simple method of endowing the engine with multiple camshaft profiles optimized for low and high RPM operations. Instead of one cam lobe actuating each valve, there are two: one optimized for low-RPM stability & fuel efficiency; the other designed to maximize high-RPM power output. Switching between the two cam lobes is controlled by the ECU which takes account of engine oil pressure, engine temperature, vehicle speed, engine speed and throttle position. Using these inputs, the ECU is programmed to switch from the low lift to the high lift cam lobes when the conditions mean that engine output will be improved. At the switch point a solenoid is actuated which allows oil pressure from a spool valve to operate a locking pin which binds the high RPM cam follower to the low rpm ones. From this point on, the poppet valve opens and closes according to the high-lift profile, which opens the valve further and for a longer time. The switch-over point is variable, between a minimum and maximum point, and is determined by engine load. The switch back from high to low rpm cams is set to occur at a lower engine speed than the up-switch to avoid a situation in which the engine is asked to operate continuously at or around the switch-over point.
Introduced as a DOHC system in the 1989 Honda Integra and Civic CRX SiR models sold in Japan and Europe, which used a 160 bhp (120 kW) variant of the B16A engine. The US market saw the first VTEC system with the introduction of the 1991 Acura NSX, which used a DOHC VTEC V6 with 280 bhp (210 kW). DOHC VTEC engines soon appeared in other vehicles, such as the 1992 Acura Integra GS-R (B17A 1.7 liter engine). And later in the 1992 Honda Prelude VTEC (H22 2.2 liter engine with 195 hp) and Honda Del Sol VTEC (B16A 1.6 liter engine). The Integra Type R (1996-2000) available in the Japanese market produces 200 bhp using a B18C 1.8 engine. Honda has also continued to develop other varieties and today offers several varieties of VTEC, such as i-VTEC and i-VTEC Hybrid.
SOHC VTEC
As popularity and marketing value of the VTEC system grew, Honda applied the system to SOHC (Single Over Head Cam) engines, which share a common camshaft for both intake and exhaust valves. The trade-off was that Honda's SOHC engines only benefitted from the VTEC mechanism on the intake valves. This is because VTEC requires a third center rocker arm and cam lobe (for each intake and exhaust side), and in the SOHC engine, the spark plugs are situated between the two exhaust rocker arms, leaving no room for the VTEC rocker arm. Additionally, the center lobe on the camshaft can only be utilized by either the intake or the exhaust, limiting the VTEC feature to one side.
However, beginning with the J37A4 3.7L SOHC V6 engine introduced on all 2009 Acura TL SH-AWD models, SOHC VTEC was incorporated for use with intake and exhaust valves. The intake and exhaust rocker shafts contain primary and secondary intake and exhaust rocker arms, respectively. The primary rocker arm contains the VTEC switching piston, while the secondary rocker arm contains the return spring. The term "primary" does not refer to which rocker arm forces the valve down during low-RPM engine operation. Rather, it refers to the rocker arm which contains the VTEC switching piston and receives oil from the rocker shaft.
The primary exhaust rocker arm contacts a low-profile camshaft lobe during low-RPM engine operation. Once VTEC engagement occurs, the oil pressure flowing from the exhaust rocker shaft into the primary exhaust rocker arm forces the VTEC switching piston into the secondary exhaust rocker arm, thus locking both exhaust rocker arms together. The high-profile camshaft lobe which normally contacts the secondary exhaust rocker arm alone during low-RPM engine operation is able to move both exhaust rocker arms together which are locked as a unit.
The secondary intake rocker arm contacts a low-profile camshaft lobe during low-RPM engine operation. Once VTEC engagement occurs, the oil pressure flowing from the intake rocker shaft into the primary intake rocker arm forces the VTEC switching piston into the secondary intake rocker arm, thus locking both intake rocker arms together. The high-profile camshaft lobe which normally contacts the primary intake rocker alone during low-RPM engine operation is able to move both intake rocker arms together which are locked as a unit.
The difficulty of incorporating VTEC for both the intake and exhaust valves in a SOHC engine has been removed on the J37A4 by a novel design of the intake rocker arm. Each exhaust valve on the J37A4 corresponds to one primary and one secondary exhaust rocker arm. Therefore, there are a total of twelve primary exhaust rocker arms and twelve secondary exhaust rocker arms.
However, each secondary intake rocker arm is shaped similar to a "Y" which allows it to contact two intake valves at once. One primary intake rocker arm corresponds to each secondary intake rocker arm. As a result of this design, there are only six primary intake rocker arms and six secondary intake rocker arms.
