Dana begins multi-layer steel gasket production in China to support APAC growth

Dana Holding Corporation has announced the launch of production for its Victor Reinz multi-layer steel (MLS) cylinder head gaskets, exhaust gaskets, and transmission valve body separator plates at its facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province,China.

The12,000 square-metre technical centre is a comprehensive engineering and manufacturing facility that enables the company to develop and produce Victor Reinz sealing solutions within its Wuxi campus. The expanded manufacturing footprint will immediately support Dana's key customers with local operations in China, as well as offer further support for customer growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The Asia-Pacific region remains a strong focus for Dana and we regularly evaluate the product needs of our customers to ensure our manufacturing strategy aligns with their needs," said Dwayne Matthews, president of the Dana Power Technologies Group. "Launching production of the MLS gasket and transmission plate technologies enables Dana to meet the growing product demand and also support current and future customers with an extensive technology portfolio in this region."

Dana's MLS cylinder head gasket designs consist of multiple layers of stainless steel, coated with a proprietary elastomeric material to provide a robust seal against cylinder head and block surfaces. Mechanical embossments around the combustion chambers and oil and coolant openings provide custom designed load distribution for optimised sealing of gases and liquids. The coated and embossed layers are then assembled to form the finished gasket.  The facility's flexible production capabilities allow for the manufacturing of any of Dana's global MLS gasket designs, including Dana's patented Wave-Stopper technology.

In addition, Dana will produce MLS exhaust gaskets, which are designed to fit a wide variety of advanced hardware conditions, and enable emission reduction and high-temperature performance. This capability also includes the use of ThermoGlide 1000, a proprietary high-temperature coating with low friction performance at temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. 

The Wuxi facility also will produce Dana's MLS transmission valve body separator plates, which allow for optimised channel paths and smaller valve bodies through the reduction of fasteners that can interfere with desired flow paths. Through this technology, Dana can substantially increase valve body sealing for high-performance transmissions with operating pressures of up to 80 bar. This capability helps automakers eliminate leak paths thus increasing efficiency of advanced multi-speed, dual clutch, and continuously variable transmissions.  

Photograph: Victor Reinz multi-layered steel head gaskets are available for most late-model engines. Embossed and tempered stainless steel layers with blue Intellicoat coating allow for excellent sealing characteristics in the service and repair part of the business with OE quality, form fit and function.