Experimenting with innovative ways to reduce emissions, Scania has announced the successful reuse of components on its main assembly line. Earlier this year, Scania produced a ‘remanufactured’ gearbox. This project was part of the iReGear joint research initiative with KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Scandinavian Transmission Service AB with funding from Vinnova.
The remanufactured unit was tested to the same standards as a gearbox made from new parts and met Scania’s requirements. Testing involved assessing more than 100 quality and function parameters to determine the gearbox was as good as new.
Depending on the wear and tear experienced on the used parts, replacement components can vary between 10 to 100%. The gearbox used in this experiment used around 50% less material than a new unit, resulting in an estimated 45% reduction in carbon emissions compared to a brand new gearbox.
“What an achievement by the project and everyone involved. This remanufactured gearbox is a compelling example of how the manufacturing of heavy vehicles can become more sustainable, circular and efficient, while still retaining the highest quality standards,” says Fredrik Nilzén, Head of Sustainability at Scania.
“This research provides the first evidence to support the argument that it is feasible to envision future manufacturing organizations seamlessly integrating manufacturing and remanufacturing operations to develop circular manufacturing systems that consume fewer resources, produce fewer emissions, and cost less without compromising quality and performance”, says Farazee Asif, Assistant Professor at KTH.
“STS has been remanufacturing gearboxes for more than 50 years. It’s amazing to be able to challenge the old perception that remanufactured parts only can be used for aftermarket purposes. Today, we can proudly reflect on a period of successful collaboration, where we have achieved breakthroughs in sustainable technology. This project truly shows that it might not need to stop at just one idea, but it could become a reality in the near future,” says Ola Stålebo, CEO, Scandinavian Transmission Service AB.
