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The flex-fuel engine technology evolution and bio fuels increasingly market presence brings new challenges on components development requirements. One of the affected products is the fuel filter, where downsizing, dust holding capacity and filtration efficiency are the improvement goals. In order to attend these market demands, MAHLE has developed a new flex-fuel filter generation. This new product is able to double the dust holding capacity while maintaining the filtration efficiency. In addition, new product dimensions, like body diameter and distance between inlet and outlet, are the same found in current solutions. In this way, it can be used in many vehicles with none or few modifications at interface components. First optimization was done through changes in filter housing design and fuel system line connectors. Second optimization was single layer cellulose media improvement to multilayer concept.

In the last 50 years, the evolution of many products was determined by innovation and technology, transforming the society itself. Notebook, cell phone, iPod and vehicles are good examples of this trend. At Brazil's 2005 SAE Congress, it was foreseen that in the next 10 years, the automotive industry will bring higher innovation than in the last 30 years. To survive, the auto parts industry has to invest in new product solutions. New concepts; design and solution for current auto parts should be implemented in order to follow the fast process in the automotive industries.