Schffler Develops Chais Innovations for Upcoming CAFE and Customer Differentiation Requirements

2015-01-12 | 000-005-522 DE-EN

SCHAEFFLER GROUP USA INC., DETROIT

The Chassis of the Future

Schaeffler Develops Chassis Innovations for Upcoming CAFE and Customer Differentiation Requirements

When it comes to developing chassis, today's challenges go far and above the traditional conflict of having a comfort-based or sporty set-up. Stringent requirements for CO2 reduction mean that chassis technology will have to utilize the potential advantages provided by lightweight construction, friction reduction and more efficient actuators. This is accompanied by the use of new materials or existing materials with optimized characteristics in terms of rigidity and strength. What's more, many chassis systems help to make their respective vehicles stand out from the crowd.

Schaeffler takes a multi-pronged approach when developing new products. First, as its customers are often in extremely cost-driven and competitive markets, the company is dedicated to developing value-added technologies for bearing applications. Second, Schaeffler references its mechanically oriented innovations as the basis for new mechatronic chassis systems, as they provide a sound and customer-accepted starting point for these new designs.

The objective of all these efforts is to generate added-value function, particularly in terms of power density, energy efficiency, weight and functional integration, as well as to create cost benefits compared to today s technology, said Mike Claassen, director, engineering chassis systems, Schaeffler. To do this, we use the broad knowledge and experience held within Schaeffler, as well as that experience of selected cooperation partnerships.

To showcase its current and future chassis developments, Schaeffler is displaying its portfolio of chassis technologies at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo Center in Detroit. Displayed technologies include:

Brake Electrification Ballscrews - used with electric park brakes and brake boosters, Schaeffler's brake electrification ballscrews offer best-in-class NVH and friction reduction. The flexible, customizable design accounts for the integration of the surrounding bearing and components for an optimized system.

Ride Height Actuator - in today's vehicles, air suspension is used to adjust the ride height to various driving and load conditions. However, widespread adoption is limited by reliability and complexity. Schaeffler's electromechanical actuation addresses these challenges. The most prominent use of ride height acuation in the future will be to lower the front suspension, thereby providing a three percent fuel economy improvement. Once installed, the technology can also be configured to provide customer friendly functions, such as load leveling, kneeling, off-road clearance and front fascia impact avoidance.

Low-Cost Roll Stabilizer - leveraging its know-how with active roll stabilizer actuators, Schaeffler has developed a new low cost roll stabilizing actuator. This system disconnects the roll stabilizer in straight ahead driving for best ride quality and engages the roll stabilizer during cornering for optimized handling. It allows the carmaker to use stabilizer bars with increased stiffness values of 20 percent or more. In addition to cost, this system offers a weight reduction of 50 percent over current active stabilizer series production designs.

Slim Tandem Bearings - Schaeffler introduced tandem bearings for differentials over 10 years ago to reduce bearing friction by 50 percent and improve fuel economy up to 1.5 percent. The company is now working on the next evolution of this design - slim tandem - which will further contribute to improving fuel economy by reducing weight by 20 percent and also improve cost.

Twin Tandem Wheel Bearings - offers a drop-in design to replace light truck front axle tapered roller hub units for a one percent fuel economy improvement and approximately half the friction. In addition to better or equivalent stiffness and life, Schaeffler's twin tandem bearings also conform to all of the tough durability and reliability demands placed on light trucks.

This is the 10th consecutive year Schaeffler is participating as a sponsor and exhibitor at NAIAS. This year the company will host media, customers and invited guests in its 10,000 square-foot Technology Suite in room 360. In addition to chassis technologies, the company will also show its transmission and engine systems, as well as its CAFE concept vehicle.

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