Meet Nye - Brian Kinkade
Meet Brian Kinkade, Nye’s Market Development Manager. Brian works closely with the Sales and R&D teams to identify our customers most pressing needs and communicate the solutions that will effectively solve their problem. Prior to Nye, Brian worked for many years marketing and selling engineered products to original equipment manufacturers. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters in Business Administration from Clark University.
How have new and emerging emission regulations affected the design of engine controls?
In addition to controlling engine performance, engine control systems have been responsible for controlling emissions. In the beginning, regulations did not require the emissions controls to have high resolution or a fast reaction time. Today, emissions regulations from around the world, typically focused on reducing NOx and particulate emissions, require engine control systems to react quickly to changes in engine operation with more precision. As before, these engine control systems must work well at cold-start conditions when combustion emissions may be the trickiest to control, or at high temperatures caused by combustion exhaust gases. Today the design demands for reliable and consistent operation are even greater. This is where lubricants help the most, by extending component life and protecting against corrosion that can cause component failure
Why are PFPE lubricants typically recommended for underhood applications?
Perfluoropolyether's (PFPEs) are by nature inert, which means they do not affect other materials nor are affected by other materials. This means they are compatible with virtually every plastic and elastomer used in today’s automotive sensors and actuators. Furthermore, PFPE lubricants are not degraded from exposure to fuels, chemicals, or exhaust gases. This is very important for underhood applications that control emissions. PFPE lubricants also have the wide operating temperature range needed to assure both cold-start actuator performance and high-temperature operation.
Why should underhood connectors be lubricated?
The connection between the engine sensors, the actuators and the electronic control unit are extremely important for safety, vehicle performance, and emission control. Unfortunately, these connections experience micro-vibration from the engine operation and road conditions. They also experience heating and cooling cycles much greater than other connectors on the vehicle. These micro-movements cause the electrical contacts to wear away via fretting; exposing the copper substrate that can become oxidized or corroded from contact with the air. Corroded contacts have a higher resistance and can create signal or power loss in the connection. So, while all connectors in a vehicle should be lubricated, the underhood connectors are the most vulnerable due to their location.
What is your favorite part about working at Nye?
First my colleagues are great people who are always looking to find the best solution for the customer. Beyond that, I enjoy learning about all the applications where Nye Lubricants is able to solve a customer’s problem usually from our comprehensive portfolio of lubricant formulations, but always from working side-by-side with the customer.
