Automotive Elastomers & Part

ArticlesAutomotive Elastomers & Part

SureMix S6 for process stability improvement in high silica tire tread compounds

Silica first found its way into elastomers as a filler in the 1950s, when it was used in shoe soles. By the 1970s, its use quickly expanded, as silica began being tested in heavy truck tires, passenger tires, engine mounts, gaskets and other rubber products. This expansion was due to growing information supporting its ability to increase adhesion, lower heat buildup and increase tear resistance. It was not until the early 1990s that Michelin proved in a commercially viable manner that the combination of precipitated silica and silane in a tire tread composition resulted in lower rolling resistance and increased wet traction.

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ArticlesAutomotive Elastomers & Part

Sustainable Keltan EPDM

Suppliers to the automotive, as well as many other industries, can rise to the challenge and transform their products and processes for adoption of new requirements, specifications and regulations. This is a revolution, and it is progressing rapidly. Arlanxeo has recognized this opportunity and embarked on a path to address the challenges, as well as to provide products for its customers and end users to employ for their own product line revitalization toward sustainability. Keltan is a registered trademark of Arlanxeo. ACE technology is trademarked by Arlanxeo.

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Wacker receives IATF certification for silicone manufacturing 

– WACKER is forging ahead with the specialization of its silicone business in the field of electromobility. Parts of its silicone production have now been successfully certified to the automotive standard IATF 16949. As a result, WACKER can now supply automobile manufacturers and OEMs with silicone products that have been developed and manufactured according to IATF-certified processes. The certificates apply to selected company parts at the Burghausen site in Germany and Zhangjiagang in China. Corporate functions that support and control the manufacturing process were also certified.

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Yokohama Rubber significantly reduces weight of automotive air-conditioning hose by using a rubber–resin polymer

The new ultralight hose is made from a rubber–resin polymer alloy developed by applying Yokohama Rubber’s proprietary technologies. This new alloy combines the flexibility and heat resistance of rubber with the high gas barrier properties of resin, and its use enabled Yokohama Rubber to reduce the hoses’ weight by 50 percent. In addition, hoses made using this alloy do not need to be put through a vulcanization process that uses a large amount of heat. The new hoses will therefore contribute to the effort to achieve carbon neutrality. One of Yokohama Rubber’s strengths is its design and evaluation capabilities that enable it to integrate hoses and pipes in ways that respond to various customer requirements and piping layouts. The company plans to develop and promote all-resin piping to achieve a significant reduction in the weight of hose and pipe combinations. While continuing to develop a commercial version of this new lightweight hose, Yokohama Rubber also aims to enter the market for other types of automotive pipes.

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ArticlesAutomotive Elastomers & PartFeaturedOil, Gas & Energy

Seals prevent bearing damage in EVs

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies’ new generation electrically conductive seals prevent bearing damage caused by electrically induced corrosion, and also increase electromagnetic compatibility. Electric cars with drive systems that operate at 800 volts instead of the usual 400 can recharge in just 15 minutes, and produce enough power to drive several hundred kilometers. The power semiconductors in the inverter ensure that the direct current stored in the battery is converted into the alternating current required by the electric motor while driving. These power electronics are often positioned directly above the electric motor, and are also known as electric engine injection systems.

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