NASA Extends Funding to Develop Delphi Welding Technology

January 23, 2006, TROY, Mich. -- After a year of successful collaboration between Delphi, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Michigan Research Institute (MRI) in the field of advanced welding, Delphi Corp. will receive $870,000 to help fund the continuing development of Deformation Resistance Welding (DRW) through June.

This is the second grant for DRW from NASA. The first was a year-long grant for $1.3 million.

DRW is a process that joins metal tubes to solids, sheet metal and other tubes. Its uniqueness comes in its ability to join dissimilar materials and shapes.

The development work among engineers at Delphi, NASA and MRI involves perfecting existing techniques and creating new innovative ways to use this welding process on suspension sub-frames and other unique manufacturing techniques.

“NASA continues to see the possibilities in learning more about DRW and with the help of MRI, we’ve extended our funding through the first-half of the year,” said Tim Forbes, director, new markets, commercialization and licensing for Delphi Corp. “Our plans involve developing specific shipping containers, advancing our study of joining dissimilar material joints and creating more automotive applications -- all with the unique DRW technology.”

The DRW process, developed by Delphi, can reduce the cycle time and cost it takes to make a variety of structures using hollow members in transportation, stationary and fluid handling applications. The process automatically bonds metals and creates solid-state joints through the heating and deformation of mating surfaces.

“The continuing interest and financing from NASA for DRW research and development is not only helpful to the technology itself, but it will also help Delphi Technologies, Inc. (DTI) in its commercialization strategy for DRW in multiple industries and various businesses around the world,” said Jayson Pankin, Delphi new venture creation specialist.

The DRW technology was used in 2005 when Delphi joined with two other organizations in forming a spin-out company called SpaceForm, Inc., which will develop applications for DRW in the mobile space frame market.

For more information on DRW, visit http://www.delphi.com/dti .
At Delphi, we help make cars safer, cleaner, more efficient and fun to drive. For more information on Delphi Corp. (Pink Sheets: DPHIQ) and its subsidiaries, visit http://www.delphi.com .

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Bodkin Dave

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Delphi Corporation

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