From steel to BASF Hybrid suspension arm made of Ultramid® polyamide plastic
15% lighter weight than conventional stamping components
Better steering and vibration reduction, resulting in a more comfortable ride experience
April 9, 2018 — Korea's leading wheel bearing manufacturer, Rijin, introduced the world's first steel-plastic hybrid suspension arm for a new generation of electric vehicles. The cantilever uses BASF's high-performance polymer Ultramid® polyamide plastic (PA6, Made with 50% glass fiber reinforcement, it weighs 15% less than traditional stamped steel construction.
Control arms and ball joints are important components in automotive suspension systems. Ball joints are ball bearings that connect the control arm to the steering knuckle. Ball joints made of Ultramid engineering plastic can greatly reduce friction and achieve better steering performance. The cantilever's vibration damping performance is also superior to the traditional metal boom, which can improve driving comfort.
"This cooperation reflects BASF's support for sustainable mobility. Through cooperation with partners such as Nikko, we hope to bring new lightweight solutions to the market, improve fuel efficiency while improving product quality, and create Excellent application experience. 'Bao Leiwei, senior vice president of BASF Performance Materials Asia Pacific, said.
The development of this hybrid suspension arm is inseparable from BASF's special CAE tool Ultrasim®. This tool helps to optimize the components and thus enhance the high stress tolerance of the suspension arm.
'BASF's lightweight solutions not only improve the energy efficiency of cars, but also its disposable injection molding process helps streamline the production process.' said Y.C. Lee, Executive Director of R & D Center R & D.