MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Mack Trucks and Volvo have launched a large scale program to remanufacture diesel particulate filters (DPF) for the trucking industry.

The program will operate out of the Middletown Remanufacturing Center (MRC) in Middletown, Pa.

Diesel particulate filters use ceramic filter elements to trap and contain particulate matter in engine exhaust. The particulates are reduced to a fine ash which must be periodically cleaned from the filter element, usually every few hundred thousand miles in normal operation.

This remanufacturing program enables Volvo and Mack customers to exchange the used ceramic filter element from their DPF for a clean one when service is required, reducing service time and simplifying emissions control systems maintenance.

At left, a dirty DPF looks considerably different from
the remanufactured version on the right.

“DPFs are tremendously effective at capturing particulates and keeping them from the air we breathe,” said Bob MacPherson, MRC’s manager of lean systems and new engine projects. “Once the truck’s sensor shows the filter is filling with ash and is no longer performing optimally, the customer will come to a dealership and exchange the filter element for a remanufactured one. The other element will be sent to us and we will remanufacture it and return it to useful service.”

The DPFs are remanufactured to more than 90 percent of their original capacity.

The remanufacturing process begins by blowing air across the filter element and removing ash and contaminants via a powerful vacuum. Filters with a high level of oil or particulate buildup are baked in state-of-the-art industrial ovens to further reduce ash and contaminants.

According to MacPherson, the power of the program is in the ability to remanufacture in bulk, instead of servicing one filter at a time.

The Middletown Remanufacturing Center has provided customers with remanufactured parts for more than 30 years.

“Our decades of remanufacturing experience means customers will receive a DPF that has been serviced to the highest standards, that has been rigorously inspected and offers a cost-effective and reliable way to meet their maintenance needs,” MacPherson added.