Advanced Engineering: Weight Saving Potential in the Chassis - Wheel Hub with Integrated Brake Disk Connection
Dear Sir or Madam, We would appreciate it if you could publish this press release. Best regards, Katharina Haberling Hirschvogel Holding GmbH Corporate Marketing & Communication Dr.-Manfred-Hirschvogel-Strasse 6 86920 Denklingen, Germany Tel./Phone: +49 8243 291-2120 katharina.haberling@hirschvogel.com www.hirschvogel.com The wheel hub and brake disk are two important parts in the chassis. The typical interaction of both parts is shown in the the upper left of the image: The pot -shaped brake disk is fastened together with the wheel by wheel bolts onto the wheel hub (which in turn is fixed onto the load-carrying chassis part by means of a roller bearing). This demands a high amount of material between the functional surface of the brake disk and the central connection. Current developments in this area, which are already in serial production, replace the heavy, cast-iron pot area with an aluminum or steel sheet metal pot with significantly lower mass. In order to obtain this weight reduction, additional parts need to be produced and machined. To ensure the radial flexibility necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the brake disk, there are a number of very different solutions on the market. Hirschvogel is now bringing a proposal to the table which integrates functions and may fulfil both lightweighting as well as cost advantages alike. The core idea is to connect the brake disk (now as a pure friction ring) directly to arms which are forged onto the wheel hub. Simulations show that these arms are very stiff in brake direction. Even the overall stiffness of the system in terms of wheel forces is similar to the conventional design. Thanks to the geometry, however, the arms could generate a certain flexibility in the radial direction to compensate for thermal expansion. If this is not sufficient, floating connections between the wheel hub and brake disk are also conceivable. In the example shown in the image, the integrated brake-disk connection can lead to a weight saving of 620 g per wheel, i.e. almost 2.5 kg per vehicle. This solution is lower in cost compared to other already implemented lightweighting solutions and may also improve the air flow through the brake disk and around the bearing. Finally, the open design leads to a filigree, lightweight look which, together with an open wheel design, makes an extremely sporty impression. The forgeability of such a wheel hub design has already been verified in a prototype (see image, right). As a next step, we can now begin to work with OEMs and Tier 1 in the area of corner modules, brake systems and bearings on advanced engineering projects. Image: Conventional wheel hub and brake disk, new design: CAD, forged wheel hub prototype with arms, real hardware assembly (from left, counterclockwise) Press Contact: Michaela Heinle, Corporate Marketing & Communication, Hirschvogel Holding GmbH, Dr.-Manfred-Hirschvogel-Straße 6, 86920 Denklingen, phone: 08243 291-2500, michaela.heinle@hirschvogel.com (claudia.bieberstein@hirschvogel.com) www.hirschvogel.com The Hirschvogel Automotive Group The Hirschvogel Automotive Group is among the most successful manufacturers of forged steel and aluminum parts. About 5,000 employees worldwide produce forged parts and components for the automotive industry and its system suppliers. The consolidated turnover of the Group for 2016 amounts to EUR 1,011 billion at a yield of 345,000 tons of forged parts. Hirschvogel Holding GmbH is the parent company of the nine automotive supply companies of the Hirschvogel Automotive Group. The home plant, Hirschvogel Umformtechnik GmbH in Denklingen, Bavaria, has around 2,000 employees and produces approximately 243,900 tons of hot, warm and cold forged steel parts a year. The company has three subsidiaries in Germany. Hirschvogel Aluminium GmbH in Marksuhl near to Eisenach, Thuringia, produces sophisticated chassis components made of high-quality aluminum materials. Also located in Marksuhl is the steel forge Hirschvogel Eisenach GmbH. At Hirschvogel Komponenten GmbH in Schongau, Bavaria, around 800 employees process the steel and aluminum forged parts into ready-for-assembly components. Besides this, the Group is also active in the US. In Columbus, Ohio, Hirschvogel Incorporated produces warm and cold forged parts as well as ready-for-assembly components for the US market. At Hirschvogel Automotive Components, located in Pinghu near to Shanghai, forged parts and finished components are produced for the automotive industry located in China. At the plant in Gliwice Hirschvogel Components Poland produces warm forgings. Hirschvogel Components India, located in Sanaswadi, close to Pune, produces forged and machined parts for the Indian automotive market. At the moment Hirschvogel is expanding its global presences by building a new plant in Mexico which will start with production this year. If you would rather not receive future communications from Hirschvogel Holding GmbH, please go to https://optout.cision.com/en/22UCCp6N6cvBSJVhFpdL9bVucdV3TZtNtqtvPFkNG4VcdWWPwW1EUg3D8yHs3cabeEoki87TUXYSjJ6RBjb6g7SXNSN42TsSwkKiMucX6mkQr9bvrcL6Yq9pXG2iSUMiUqVo. Hirschvogel Holding GmbH, Dr.-Manfred-Hirschvogel-Straße 6, Denklingen, Bayern 86920 Deutschland ------------------------------------------------------------ The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Public/15523/2408454/afb8721cdd7ffb5f_org.jpg Advanced Engineering If you would rather not receive future communications from Hirschvogel Holding GmbH, please go to https://optout.cision.com/en/22UCCp6N6cvBSJVhFpdL9bVucdV3TZtNtqtvPFkNG4VcdWWPwW1EUg3D8yHs3cabeEoki87TUXYSjJ6RBjb6g7SXNSN42TsSwkKiMucX6mkQr9bvrcL6Yq9pXG2iSUMiUqVo. Hirschvogel Holding GmbH, Dr.-Manfred-Hirschvogel-Straße 6, Denklingen, Bayern 86920 Deutschland
