High-impact ZytelŪ SST Protects Stability Control Sensor

TROY, Mich., Feb. 13, 2006; To meet the main requirements of ruggedness and torsion resistance for the housing of Continental Automotive Systems Division's recently introduced electronic stability control (ESC) system, the part's developers chose high-impact DuPont(tm) ZytelŪ SST (Stiff-Super-Tough) nylon.

"In the past we used aluminum for such housings," said Kai Allissat, manager, Program Planning & Control ESC Sensors at Continental's Automotive Systems Division, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, "but to save costs we looked for alternatives. Our new design is made of two halves injection-molded from heat-stabilized ZytelŪ SST nylon reinforced with 25 percent glass fiber. With this material we were able to cut the housing's manufacturing costs by 40 percent compared to metal."

Mounted centrally in a vehicle, the new plastic housing holds the yaw rate sensor, the lateral acceleration sensors and a CPU for internal pre-processing, and a controller area network (CAN) interface, which transmits the collected data to the electronic braking and safety system. The cluster design and the housing material isolate the sensor module from mechanical shock and vibration and shield it from electromagnetic influences.

The DuPont Engineering Polymers Technical Center in Bad Homburg, Germany, carried out computer simulations on CAE models to determine how the parts behave when they are subjected to vibrations at frequencies up to 500 Hz at temperatures between -40 °C and +85 °C. "The housing of ZytelŪ withstood these virtual tests brilliantly," Allissat commented.

The precise detection of a vehicle's movements through measurement of the inertia values of yaw rate and lateral acceleration is the basis of modern electronic vehicle stabilization systems and for roll-over protection, active steering and airbag systems. That is why Continental chose a modular design for the cluster, which allows for incorporation of other sensor functions that may be needed in the future. "Based on the successful use of ZytelŪ SST for the current sensor cluster, there is every reason to believe that the next generation will have a housing of the same high-impact DuPont nylon," Allissat said.

For more information about DuPont(tm) ZytelŪ nylon resins, please visit plastics.dupont.com on the Web or call DuPont at 800-441-0575.

Continental AG's Automotive Systems Division is a leading technology partner in the global automotive industry, delivering outstanding systems, components and engineering services for vehicle safety, comfort and powertrain performance. With more than 22,500 employees, it had a worldwide turnover of about $6 billion in 2004. Automotive Systems include two major operations: Continental Teves, one of the world's leading manufacturers of electronic and hydraulic brake, stability and chassis control systems, electronic air suspension systems and sensors; and Continental Temic, which specializes in vehicle electronics, motor management and gear systems, electric drives and comfort electronics.

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