FER Annual Conference hailed a success

The Federation of Engine Re-manufacturers (FER) successfully hosted its 2016 Conference, Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Dinner with the federation addressing the major threats and opportunities affecting the industry.

Held at Jury’s Inn, Birmingham on Saturday 8 October, the event welcomed a selection of speakers from Delphi, MS Motorservice International GmbH and BTN Turbo, offering a valuable insight into the pros and cons of developing technology and how it directly affects member businesses.

The presentations generated great engagement from the audience with members keen to raise queries and discuss key industry topics with other remanufacturing specialists.

John Gray, FER president, welcomed the members as they networked among like-minded professionals before Reiner Holwein from Motorservice got the conference underway, focusing on the past, present and future of cylinder sliding surfaces.

Holwein looked in-depth at the changing processes and requirements of a number of cylinder sliding surfaces, including grey cast iron, ALUSIL®, plasma-coated and alternative coatings, exploring how the simple model has developed over time to meet stricter emission controls and adapt to modern engines, while assessing the benefits and downfalls of each newer model.

Then Philip Mitchell from Delphi stepped up to discuss the future of common rail injectors and how the company has utilised developing technology to alter the component’s design to meet its ultimate goal of reducing emissions.

With Mitchell claiming that the combustion engine is here to stay, he explained Delphi’s intricate process of engine refinement by looking to add more pressure, faster injections and tighter control such as introducing a new lift sensor into its range of common rail injectors in the future.

After a short break for lunch, Peter Hesham, BTN Turbo sales manager, explained how emissions regulations continue to drive technology and went through with members some of the key reasons why turbochargers fail, such as oil contamination.

Attendees were then invited to FER’s AGM before the evening dinner where members enjoyed a luxury meal while networking with guests.

Gray said: “It was great to welcome existing members in an exciting environment of thought-provoking discussion and excellent engagement. Events like these are a crucial way to ensure members are kept up to date with the latest information available, allowing them to prepare effectively for the future and the possible affect it may have on the entire industry.”