The GKN Aftermarket organisation is making a return to Automechanika Frankfurt this year and will be supported by GKN Sinter Metals and Motorsport. The primary theme is the “One Brand” strategy within the international aftermarket, which now unites the established brands globally under the umbrella of GKN Driveline.

Frank Hürter, Commercial Director GKN Automotive Aftermarket commented, “Powertrain technology is changing at a rapid pace right now. And with so many innovations in its OEM business, GKN is a major contributor to that change. On our stand, retail operations and workshops will have the opportunity to gain an insight into those technologies that they will soon be dealing with in their day-to-day business.”

A Formula E racing car will be one of the highlights on the stand as GKN is working closely with Panasonic Jaguar Racing to make the I-TYPE 2 faster. This is especially true in the area of lightweight engineering where GKN Powder Metallurgy is pioneering the development and manufacture of complex components with virtually no restrictions in shape. GKN is also a leader in the field of providing metal powders for 3D printing.

On the stand the company will also focus on recent GKN OE innovations that are already available in the aftermarket range. These include;

GKN ballspline sideshaft pairs, which offer SUVs excellent off-road characteristics, together with safe handling on the road. The new ballspline design also solves the problem of wide installation angles caused by high ground clearance, as wide installation angles can now be combined with long suspension travel.

GKN SX countertrack joints which transmit the same power through a significantly reduced diameter. This new design delivers a reduction in internal friction, temperature and package size paired with an increase in transmitted torque and maximum articulation angle.

GKN’s face spline design forms positive engagement between the wheel hub and the fixed sideshaft joint via a spline on the joint’s face. The design is referred to as “face spline” because the torque is transferred to the hub via the joint’s face. The design is considerably less complex compared with existing shaft connections, which saves weight. Combining this with GKN ST technology (twin ball sideshaft with s-shaped ball track) improves efficiency even further while reducing internal friction in the joint.