BASF has expanded its proficiency in top mounts to enable car manufacturers an optimum combination of weight savings, pleasant acoustics and vibration damping.
The noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) solution has been made possible by combining the micro-cellular polyurethane elastomer Cellasto and the glass-fibre reinforced polyamide Ultramid A3WG10 CR.BASF has expanded its proficiency in top mounts to enable car manufacturers an optimum combination of weight savings, pleasant acoustics and vibration#
According to a BASF press release, the top mount with the Cellasto element and the Ultramid housing is around 25 per cent lighter than conventional aluminum die-cast versions with rubber.
“It was developed and optimised for serial production using BASF's simulation tool Ultrasim,” the Germany chemicals major informed.
Like other automotive components made of Cellasto, BASF offers the top mount as a complete solution to car manufacturers.
The top mount links the shock absorber to the chassis and thus has a decisive influence on driving comfort and dynamics and so the interplay between the materials of the individual components is of crucial importance.
BASF further added that Cellasto shows very good static and dynamic behaviour, has a long life usage and takes up only a small amount of installation space.
“The PA66 grade Ultramid A3WG10 CR is reinforced with 50 per cent glass fibres and is therefore exceptionally rigid and solid, even at high temperatures,” the company observed.
“Combined to form the top mount, the actual bearing, the jounce bumper and the dust tube for the shock absorber can be functionally integrated and achieve good damping and acoustics,” it explained.
With a manufacturing technique especially developed by BASF, housing and bearing are joined to each other permanently.
The CAE tool Ultrasim was used to calculate the load situations relevant for top mounts, the lifespan and the injection-moulding process, taking into account the reaction forces of the Cellasto core.
"By joining Cellasto with an Ultramid housing in a top mount, we are combining our Verbund expertise in the best materials, customised design and meticulous quality,” Wolfgang Micklitz, head of global business management of Cellasto said.
“This will provide our customers with rapid component development and implementation, shorter process chains and global use," he added.
"This new and complex component offers a sustainable innovation that contributes to further CO2 savings along with high safety and maximum comfort," Micklitz informed.
ALCHEMPro News Desk – India
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