The path to manufacturer release

On average, the development of a new glow plug, all the way to release by the automobile manufacturer and series production, lasts from twelve to 18 months.

Many processing steps go hand in hand. First, the benchmark data of the development project has to be reconciled. Afterwards, the Technical Service team begins developing the prototype in close coordination with the development department in Japan.

The prototype is further improved in numerous test series, in which the NGK Technical Center plays an important part. The Technical Service team visits the automobile manufacturers on a regular basis in order to discuss further action based on the latest test results.

The production release is not granted until all results comply with the specifications of the automobile manufacturer. At the same time, the scope of production is defined, so that the requirement for replacement parts for the series production automobiles can be calculated in advance.