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Innovative Technology for Bolted and Press Fitted Joints
Coated nonwoven enables significantly higher static friction coefficients
The demand for higher performances implies that screwed and press fitted connections are exposed to increased forces and torques. This applies especially for engine as well as powertrain applications in electric vehicles. With our Friction Inserts, we can provide a solution for those higher demands. “By using this innovative technology in between two joining components, you can achieve a static friction coefficient of up to µ=0.95. This enables you not only to transmit higher shear forces and torques, but also design lighter and more compact components without any sacrifice in performance” explains Tobias Speth, Application Engineer at Freudenberg Performance Materials.
This Technology received the Materialica Design and Technology Award in 2017 and the German Innovation Award in 2018 from the German Design Council.
Transmission of higher torques and shear forces
Product structure
The Friction inserts technology is based on a special nonwoven carrier material which is coated only on one side with hard particles and placed between the friction joint allowing the hard particles to penetrate into both surfaces and create a micro interlock.
Unlike existing hard particle technologies, Friction Inserts have a thin material profile that does not impact the tolerance of the parts and can be easily retrofitted to existing connections.
Product in the friction joint
With the significant increase of the static friction coefficients, a number of benefits can be obtained; such as the transmission of higher torques and shear forces due to the optimized friction joint, the reduction in the number and/or size of the bolts used, or minimized micro vibrations enabling connected reduced noise.
This innovative and powerful technology also promotes the same part strategy of the automotive industry. As an example, parts of the power train of a low motorized vehicle can be used without redesigning the part in performance cars enabling higher torques.
In addition to the automotive industry, the Friction Inserts can also provide a solution for the bolted flange connections within wind turbines. This is especially necessary with the rotor blades which have become longer with increased torque requirements that can cause a deformation of the bolts.
All benefits at a glance
- Static friction coefficients up to µ= 0.95 possible and significant increase in torque and shear forces.
- Unique low deviations of the achievable static friction coefficient which enables the use as a design element already during the pre-development phase
- No impact on tolerances of the parts, which enables same part strategy or retrofitting.
- Broadest particle portfolio from 10µm - 115µm guarantee significant friction enhancement even on corrosion protected parts.
- Color contrast between Friction Inserts and the part surface enables imaging-based quality assurance (e.g. camera system).
- Use of 100% inert materials and therefore, no impact on the corrosion behavior in the joint
Micro interlock with particle sizes of up to 115 µm
The Friction Inserts are produced by using one of our special nonwovens and a physical process to coat hard particles only on one side. The particle portfolio ranges from 10 µm to 115 µm to guarantee a sufficient friction increase on coated parts and components (e.g. e-coating). The desired performance can be achieved with the particle distribution which is specific for the material combination of the joint. By using only inert materials to produce our Friction Inserts, it will not have an impact on the corrosion behavior of the friction joint.
Friction Inserts
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