Volvo, Mack, and others share a membership position on The North American Affairs Committee (IDA) with AFT.
I have no current information that AFT is or will be working with the current Volvo Project.
Keep in mind, these private truck companies are slowly doing small demonstration projects..not a good customer for volume sale for a while..there are also (Ive counted 4) vendors for the "common" common rail.
The "front Burner" project for AFT, the SBIR/Army/Argonne National Labs/National Science Foundation high pressure common rail fuel system is much more advanced that the ones used by these over-the-road engines. It is designed to allow large engine to use JP-8 (jet) fuel without the past problems of too much wear caused by lubricity issues with the fuel in non-aircraft engines. It's a very important logistical problem for the Army...one-fuel would be a big advantage. And that would go world-wide.
AFT (this is from information i have read over the years and DD by diligent posters) was involved with the first two generations of Valvo pumps. Jim, however, chose not to patent it ...rather moved on to other more technically advanced projects.
This is where the word "robust" comes into play. Jim uses it to describe this SBIR project common rail, the Army uses it to describe what they need, and the Internastional DME Association website descibes it as what AFT currently brings to the table regarding common rail and "use" of DME..
NOTE: When the final robust common rail system goes to commercialization, the SBIR..due to the high monitary investment they have put in AFT for the development of this product over $1,000,000.00 plus techinal adjucts, will consider them a sole-source vendor, will help them to license the product, there will be no competition or comapnies popping up to make it after it is done, and they have a "Sponsorship"..this allows many vendors to puchase from AFT under one umbrella contract...this reflects the government knowing that the company does not have the staff to manage burdensome paperwork so they simplify it..they just want them to get the product commerialized. They add a lot of value in the work they do for compamies to get the new product out there. And the Army is waiting!
And this is only one of a few high profile projects, shrouded in confidentiality due to the usual nature of cutting edge R & D projects funded by other than the "company" doing the work.
Best info i have...
GLTA
