Freudenberg Sealing Technologies
Everything on the Move
The shift in emphasis seems unstoppable. Primarily development in Asia will drive the global growth that experts expect in the truck and bus market. The share for Asian countries is already nearly 50 percent and China has been the global market leader since 2009. But the requirements for customers in “emerging markets” are different from those in the classic industrial countries. Emissions legislation has become a driving factor in most countries and drives strategies that vary from region to region.
Truck and bus customers agree on one thing throughout the world: tough competition in the transportation sector is increasingly shifting TCO (total cost of ownership) to center stage. The issue involves more than just purchase price. Efficiency and uncompromising reliability are the keys to low TCO. To a sealing manufacturer such as Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, this means a number of things: reductions in friction and weight, support for innovative technologies and, at the same time, unfailing durability and robustness – because there is nothing more costly than downtime.
A reliable partner with unmatched global materials expertise, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is your best guarantee for success around the world.
Sustainability as a Global Trend – with a Variety of Solutions
Technological demands are increasing everywhere. The reduction of fine soot particulates and nitrogen oxide emissions is becoming a global challenge that no truck or bus manufacturer can ignore. The pollutant level of modern trucks has actually fallen dramatically in recent years, but there is still a great deal to do. Increasingly short cycles for new limits, even in the “emerging markets”, require new solutions that vary from region to region.
Diversification remains a distinctive characteristic of the global commercial vehicle business. While the requirements of premium and low-cost markets may differ sharply from one another, reliability and efficiency are becoming increasingly important in purchasing decisions around the globe. In this respect, customers in developing countries differ very little from those in established markets. Diversity also characterizes the development of powertrain concepts. Distinctive regional considerations determine whether the focus is on exhaust gas aftertreatment, electrification, hybridization or increased use of alternative fuels such as LNG or CNG. So it’s good to be able to rely on a global player that, with more than 1,600 specific mixtures, has the right answer to all sealing questions.
Low Friction – Maximum Durability Solutions
It might seem like squaring the circle, but it’s all in a day’s work for Freudenberg Sealing Technologies: achieving reliable sealing with minimum friction. Both are equally important when it comes to keeping the maintenance costs for heavy commercial vehicles as low as possible.
Less friction leads to lower operating costs. And absolute reliability and durability extends operating cycles. This does not just cut inspection and maintenance costs, it prevents breakdowns as well.
CASCO
The CASCO is a perfect example of the combination of outstanding sealing characteristics, friction optimization and maximum durability. At the crankshaft output on the casing, the axially positioned seal lip provides reliable protection not only from oil leakage, but also from contaminants and extreme environmental factors. A test covering 1.6 million kilometers demonstrated that the 60-percent decrease in friction delivered a reduction in fuel consumption. In a heavy truck driven 200,000 kilometers a year, CASCO saves up to 225 liters of diesel fuel.
MileMaker
MileMaker also combines long service life with excellent friction characteristics and significant savings potential. Wheel and axle hubs in light and heavy trucks are typical applications for cassette sealing rings. With friction reduced by more than 50 percent, a semi truck equipped with MileMaker can save more than 1,000 liters of fuel. At the same time, MileMaker still seals reliably at high temperatures and protects the hubs from the penetration of dirt and moisture.
Safe and Comfortable – for Life
The highest quality standards, an excellent command of processes and a zero-defect philosophy are a matter of life and death in brake development. Functional reliability is an absolute must – so that even heavyweights come to a stop without fail. With its state-of-the-art analysis and calculation methods, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is a valued development partner for seals in pneumatic brake systems. Diaphragm accumulators for chassis applications are another core competence. The necessary hydraulic energy is stored in a diaphragm accumulator and made available very quickly when needed, thus enabling the use of hydraulic pumps with a relatively low volumetric flow. Energy consumption is reduced thanks to a more compact overall design.
Plugs & Seal Solutions
Ingeniously simple solutions do not merely save time and money during installation. Where previously a separate O-ring was used to seal water or oil circuits in metal pipes, patented Plug & Seals now solve several problems at once. The self-sealing plug connectors can be installed mechanically without distortion. This reduces production costs, while easing maintenance and repair work. Plug & Seals from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies are also significantly more resistant to high pressures, contribute to acoustic and mechanical decoupling and are substantially better at compensating axial tolerances. But the main thing is that Plug & Seals last much longer and thus make a key contribution to lower maintenance costs. Furthermore, with integrated pressure and temperature sensors, they offer further potential for optimized engine and transmission control.
Less Weight – More Freedom
Substituting plastic for metal, a feature of many products from Schneegans-Freudenberg, not only offers weight savings of up to 50 percent, 3D formed all-plastic pipes – e.g. for oil dipsticks or oil filler necks – also allow free-form geometries that could not be achieved with metal tubes. As a result, optimum use is made of packaging space around the engine. Plastic components also offer greater potential for the integration of additional functions or parts, such as local reinforcement or retaining brackets.
A Match for All Pressures
Increasingly stringent emissions limits require a broad range of measures – from fuel injection to exhaust aftertreatment.
The piston rods in today’s high-pressure injection pumps move at a frequency of more than 200 Hertz. This calls for an extremely wear and heat-resistant seal. The Duo Forseal can take these stresses – even after more than a billion strokes. As a result, high-pressure pumps can function efficiently and remain trouble-free during the long service life of a commercial vehicle. The BlueSeal is also suited to use in high-pressure pumps. This patented radial shaft seal technology offers weight savings of 25 percent compared to a conventional seal, and it requires only half as much installation space. The additional metal carrier has been shown to be mechanically resistant to high pressures, while the PTFE material of the seal lip stands up to aggressive substances.
