Advances drivetrain and metal-forming technologies for electrified mobility

Amsted Automotive has steadily built its reputation as a global leader in drivetrain innovation and advanced metal-forming. By uniting engineering breakthroughs with high-precision manufacturing, the company continues to enable automakers to meet the critical demands of electrification, hybridisation, and efficiency. Its latest technologies illustrate how drivetrain systems and metal-forming processes are not separate domains, but deeply interconnected disciplines that together determine the performance, reliability, and sustainability of modern vehicles.

Drivetrain Innovation for an Electrified Era

At the heart of Amsted’s recent advancements are disconnect systems designed to optimise energy use in electrified and hybrid powertrains. These modules address a long-standing challenge: how to provide the traction and torque of four-wheel drive without the constant efficiency penalties of parasitic drag.

• eAxle Disconnect Solution: This technology enables seamless switching between two-wheel drive (2WD) and four-wheel drive (4WD). By disengaging when AWD is not required, the system reduces drag losses and increases electric driving range by 5–8 percent. That gain, modest at first glance, is highly significant in the competitive EV and HEV landscape, where every percentage point translates into fewer batteries, lower costs, and extended consumer confidence.
• Electro-Mechanical Wheel-End Disconnect System: Developed in partnership with Amsted’s sister company ConMet, this heavy-duty application extends the disconnect principle to trucks and commercial vehicles. Its immediate torque release improves towing capacity, enhances safety during vehicle decking and transport, and contributes to greater fuel efficiency and all-electric driving range.

Both systems are engineered for fast, repeatable engagement, made possible by components that demand extreme precision. The value proposition is clear: atrain technology that delivers efficiency without compromising performance.

Metal-Forming as the Backbone of Precision

What distinguishes Amsted is not only the conceptual design of these systems, but also its mastery of the metal-forming technologies that make them possible. Disconnect systems, gears, and carriers can only perform as intended if manufactured to exacting tolerances.

Amsted leverages two complementary strengths:

1. Precision Stamping
   • Applied to motor housings, hubs, carriers, brackets, and welded assemblies.
   • Ensures high-volume production of lightweight yet rigid components, essential for EV packaging and thermal performance.
   • Delivers structural integrity while minimising material use, aligning with OEM sustainability goals.
2. Powder Metallurgy
   • Used for complex drivetrain parts such as planetary carriers, sprockets, and gears.
   • Produces intricate geometries with reduced machining, enabling lighter, more efficient designs.
   • Offers consistent tolerances for parts that must withstand high torque transfer and rapid mechanical engagement.

Together, these processes enable the integration of form and function. Precision stamping contributes structural strength, while powder metallurgy provides complexity and tight tolerances. Both are indispensable in creating drivetrain systems that engage smoothly, resist fatigue, and extend efficiency gains over a vehicle’s lifetime.

Global Expertise with Local Responsiveness

Amsted also differentiates itself by pairing technological leadership with a glocalised production strategy. Its drivetrain and metal-forming solutions are fully manufacturable in China, allowing regional OEMs to adopt advanced technologies without long lead times or supply chain vulnerabilities.

At the same time, Amsted maintains a global footprint of 21 facilities spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. This network produces over 100 million components annually, ensuring consistency in quality and scalability across different propulsion architectures—whether ICE, HEV, or EV.

This dual model of global scale and local execution allows Amsted to serve as a strategic partner for OEMs that must balance innovation with manufacturing efficiency and resilience.

Built on Integration: A Unified Platform

Amsted Automotive was formed in 2021 through the integration of Means Industries, Transform Automotive, SMW Manufacturing, and Burgess-Norton Mfg. Co. The merger created a unified company capable of delivering both advanced drivetrain solutions and industry-leading precision components.

The consolidation brought together decades of expertise in automatic transmissions, powertrain modules, and metal-forming, creating a vertically integrated innovation engine. This synergy allows Amsted to design, engineer, and produce complex systems under one roof—reducing development cycles and ensuring seamless compatibility between components and systems.

Technical Synergies Between Drivetrain and Metal-Forming

Amsted’s success lies in recognising that drivetrain innovations are inseparable from the processes that build them. Several key technical synergies illustrate this principle:

• Stamped housings and carriers provide rigid yet lightweight enclosures that improve thermal management and reduce NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) in electric systems.
• Powder-metal planetary carriers and gears deliver smooth torque transfer, reducing energy losses within multi-speed transmissions and disconnect systems.
• High-tolerance forming methods ensure that disconnect modules engage precisely, enabling the rapid shift between 2WD and 4WD modes without wear or lag.

By advancing both the system design and the manufacturing technology, Amsted ensures that its solutions meet the dual demands of performance and efficiency.

Industry Value and Customer Benefits

For automakers, the advantages of Amsted’s integrated approach are tangible:

• Extended EV Range: Gains of 5–8 percent from eAxle disconnects help OEMs meet consumer expectations without costly battery over-engineering.
• Fleet Efficiency: Electro-mechanical wheel-end disconnects reduce fuel consumption for heavy-duty applications while improving operational safety.
• Sustainable Production: Powder metallurgy and stamping minimise waste and material usage, supporting decarbonisation initiatives.
• Versatile Applications: Compatibility across ICE, HEV, and EV platforms streamlines sourcing and ensures flexibility as propulsion strategies evolve.

These benefits highlight Amsted not just as a component supplier, but as a solutions provider that addresses both OEM and end-user needs.

Looking Beyond 2025

The technologies presented recently at TMC 2025 in China were more than product launches—they signaled Amsted Automotive’s trajectory in shaping the future of mobility. Looking forward, the company is expected to focus on:

• Higher-power density components to support increasingly compact electric motors.
• Smarter disconnect systems capable of integrating real-time control algorithms.
• Hybrid manufacturing techniques, combining stamping, powder metallurgy, and emerging additive processes to optimise both performance and sustainability.

As electrification accelerates, Amsted’s combination of drivetrain innovation and manufacturing mastery will remain a cornerstone in enabling OEMs to meet the challenges of efficiency, performance, and cost.

Conclusion

Amsted Automotive exemplifies how the future of mobility depends on the marriage of drivetrain innovation and metal-forming precision. Its eAxle and wheel-end disconnect systems redefine efficiency for electrified platforms, while its stamping and powder-metal processes provide the manufacturing foundation to realise those designs.

By uniting system-level engineering with process-level expertise, Amsted has positioned itself as a leader in delivering the components and technologies that will power the next generation of vehicles. TMC 2025 was simply one venue where these capabilities were on display—the real impact will be felt on the road, in vehicles that are lighter, more efficient, and more capable thanks to the company’s integrated vision.

Source: Amsted Automotive