Dayco has been named a finalist for the 2017 Altair Enlighten Award in the Module Category for its ACTIVAC Vacuum Generation System.

With a focus on increasing fuel economy and reducing vehicle weight, Dayco’s ACTIVAC braking technology replaces costly, heavy, fuel-consuming mechanical and electrical vacuum pumps found on many of today’s engines. Automakers benefit from reduced weight and decreased system cost, and automakers and consumers enjoy increased fuel economy.

Deployed on the 2017 Ford F-150, the system includes an array of stand-alone components, such as aspirators, ejectors, flow control valves, check valves and noise attenuators, all built to amplify or create a vacuum while reducing vehicle weight and/or parasitic engine loss, according to the company.

When compared to a mechanical vacuum pump, Dayco says its ACTIVAC system reduces weight between 500 grams and 2.8 kilograms depending on whether the pump is cam-driven or belt- driven. The system also improves fuel economy by an estimated .3 percent over the mechanical vacuum pump. When compared to an electrical vacuum pump, Dayco’s ACTIVAC reduces weight by approximately 2.3 kilograms and results in a significant cost savings per vehicle depending on the type and size of vacuum pump currently being used.

Since 2011, Altair has been honoring accomplishments in vehicle lightweighting and reduced fuel emissions and offers nominees the chance to be recognized internationally as a leading figure in the effort to reduce vehicle weight and meet emissions targets. The 2017 awards will be presented on July 31 at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan.