WARRENVILLE, Ill. — International Truck and Engine revealed its Brazilian subsidiary MWM International Motores, and Brazil-based supplier Tupy, will provide compacted-graphite iron (CG Iron) cylinder blocks for the new MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 big bore diesel engines.

Tupy will cast the advanced CG Iron cylinder blocks at its plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and MWM International will machine the blocks at its Santo Amaro plant, also in Sao Paulo. The machined blocks will be shipped from South America to International’s new engine plant in Huntsville, Ala., where the MaxxForce big bore engines will be assembled.

The MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13, which aim to provide operators with outstanding fuel economy, excellent power characteristics, low noise vibration and harshness, and high strength without added weight, will be offered in International ProStar line-haul tractors, TranStar regional-haul tractors, and WorkStar severe-service vehicles in the US and Canada beginning later this year.

“The MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 will be the first heavy-duty diesel engines in North America to leverage advances in manufacturing technology to offer an engine block cast from CG Iron,” said Jacob Thomas, vice-president, big bore business unit. “The use of this material allows us to provide a high-strength block without added weight — a valuable attribute for our truck customers.”

Created by a very precise procedure, which involves adding magnesium to molten gray iron at a specific point in the casting process, compacted-graphite iron offers significant advantages over traditional gray iron, noted the engine maker. CG Iron is 70% stronger and 40% stiffer, and provides double the fatigue limit of gray iron. In addition, CG Iron’s unique molecular structure resists fractures.

“Our ability to source globally and utilize MWM International for the machining of this new innovative block design demonstrates our commitment to integration and growth as a global company,” said Persio Lisboa, vice-president, purchasing and logistics, International. “This also allows us the opportunity to leverage our assets to serve the North American market, while creating a competitive advantage for our MaxxForce big bore engines.”

In late 2006, Huntsville was selected as the site for the assembly of the new engines. To accommodate the work, a new state-of-the-art plant is being built near International’s current manufacturing facility in Huntsville. Production in Huntsville will begin in spring 2008. Initial engines will be partially assembled in Germany and finished and trimmed in Huntsville.