Size and Weight Reductions in Charging and Starting System Components

Since 1970, Toyota Motor Corporation has achieved a total weight reduction of 34% in its overall charging and starting systems. This has been done in a variety of ways: the alternator, starter and battery, the major components of the systems, have been designed for optimal efficiency according to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) principles; new machining technology has been developed for these components, and new lightweight raw materials have been used in their construction. In addition to these measures, the charging and starting units have been conceived as families so that their sizes could be reduced and significant reductions in weight achieved.