Trelleborg Automotive announces the launch of two innovative thermoplastic components. Both the Light Weight Engine Mount and Hytrel Jounce Bumper have been engineered to reduce vibration and improve acoustic performance, while delivering improved cost-saving, weight-saving and reliability benefits to car manufacturers. As a result, the new products not only ensure a smoother ride, but contribute significantly to increased vehicle fuel efficiency, thereby offering additional environmental advantages.
Hytrel Jounce Bumper Light Weight Engine Mount
As a result of their thermoplastic construction, Trelleborg‚’s new Light Weight Engine Mount and Hytrel Jounce Bumper represent market firsts and offer specific advantages to automotive manufacturers, including:
Cost saving without compromising performance
Rising steel prices continue to impact negatively on car manufacturers‚’ profits and with standard engine mounts comprising a large amount of metal, Trelleborg Automotive‚’s new thermoplastic variant offers a lighter and more cost effective alternative. Importantly, while providing significant material and production cost savings, the new engine mount delivers the same performance benefits as steel. Similar cost savings are afforded by the jounce bumper, when compared to polyurethane and rubber manufactured offerings.
Reduced engine mount mass while maintaining durability
In comparison to traditional, rubber to metal bonded engine mounts, Trelleborg‚’s new thermoplastic mount is half the mass. This mass reduction is achieved while maintaining durability, as well as an unparalleled resistance to corrosion.
Additional benefits of Hytrel Jounce Bumper
As well as considerable cost savings and a weight saving of around 40%, thanks to a reduced packaging volume in the Jounce Bumper, a key Trelleborg OEM partner has succeeded in decreasing the MacPherson strut diameter by 15mm. This cuts out further weight, improves the rebound and enhances the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle.
Environmental benefit through improved fuel efficiency
Thanks to the innovative features in the design of Trelleborg‚’s new thermoplastic products, the accumulative result represents a positive effect towards the environment. In particular, the significant reduction in weight contributes to all-round greater fuel efficiency and hence a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, enabling car manufacturers to meet the increasingly stringent emissions targets set by Euronorms. Furthermore, thermoplastics have lower recycling costs than metals and avoid the need for paint coatings and corrosion resistant treatments such as phosphating ‚– two processes which have cost implications, both environmentally and financially.
Trelleborg Automotive‚’s components are produced using OEM approved materials and both the new Light Weight Engine Mount and Hytrel Jounce Bumper satisfy the requirements of customer design validation plans.
::Design World::
Filed Under: Automotive, AUTOMATION, Green engineering • renewable energy • sustainability, Materials • advanced