- High loads and temperatures as challenges
- Housing to withstand endurance testing of ten years or 240,000 kilometers
- Weight saving of up to 40% compared to aluminum system
Tedrive has developed an innovative plastic housing for mechanical steering systems. Working with market leaders from the polymers industry, the company has succeeded in making plastic materials usable in the highly demanding field of steering systems.
Weight saving of up to 40% compared to aluminum system
The robust and durable housing design was developed specifically to meet the requirements of lightweight automotive concepts, achieving a weight saving of up to 40 percent compared with systems made from aluminum. The plastic housing is particularly suitable for use in the compact and city car segments as well as in electric vehicles and, in certain circumstances, can even be adapted to the loads exerted in the mid-size segment. Compared with steering housings in aluminum, to-date the standard material used in lightweight steering systems, the new plastic housing can be realized on an almost cost-neutral basis, according to the company.
Housing to withstand endurance testing of ten years or 240,000 kilometers
The high loads and temperatures exerted on individual components presented the engineers with particularly tough challenges. Tedrive therefore cooperated closely with materials experts from a leading polymer manufacturer as well as plastic injection-molding technology company Josef Mawick Kunstoff-Spritzgusstechnik. The result is a robust housing able to withstand endurance testing of around ten years or 240,000 kilometers. The load tests also verified its operation in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 80°C with a short-term maximum temperature load of 105°C.
A prototype of the steering system was introduced in September 2015 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The system will also soon be displayed at this year’s Hannover Messe industrial trade fair.
Main picture:The robust and durable housing design was developed specifically to meet the requirements of lightweight automotive concepts, achieving a weight saving of up to 40 percent compared with solutions made from aluminum (Source: Tedrive Steering)
