Continental has adopted the extreme temperature-resistant air springs it has developed as standard equipment for commercial vehicles in Sweden. This marks an important step for Continental Technology’s HiTemp air springs towards industry standards.
Material optimization to cope with high heat transportation environment
Continental's air springs are equipped with two types of rubber materials to deal with different use environments, namely standard natural rubber base material and high-grade neoprene base material. better. With the advancement of technology, the upgrading of emission standards and the need for air spring products with better heat resistance in high-heat areas, Continental has further optimized the compound formula of the neoprene base material and introduced a further improved fatigue life at high temperatures. HighTempLevell air spring, the new rubber material manufactured airbag can be tested in +80°C temperature environment, the fatigue life can be doubled, and it has entered the production stage. More than that, the company has developed air springs that can withstand extreme temperatures (+100°C) and has adopted them as standard equipment for commercial vehicles in Sweden.
A well-known Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer is equipping all its truck drivers with standard sleeve air springs, which can easily withstand temperatures from -40 to +100 degrees Celsius. The project is being implemented in close cooperation with market-leading shock absorber manufacturers.
Truck drivers usually travel long distances-not to mention vehicles that have experienced different regions and climate zones during their service life. In order to ensure that the cab remains safe and comfortable in the cold winters of Scandinavia or Russia and the scorching summer heat of Spain, North Africa and even South Asia, Continental has developed the HiTemp solution, which is reliable even in extreme temperatures .
Air springs meet the ever-increasing requirements for truck components: stricter exhaust gas standards greatly heat the engine compartment, thus ensuring extremely high temperature working conditions.
The advantage of telescopic air springs is that they can simplify heat management and provide manufacturers with greater flexibility when determining the installation space for the cab mounting frame. No heat shield is required to protect the air spring from strong heat radiation. This makes the spring function much cheaper than previous solutions-reduced idle time and lower maintenance costs are further advantages.
Globally, temperature resistance is becoming more and more important
"From now on, our customers will install our high-temperature-resistant telescopic air spring models throughout their truck fleets. This fact not only confirms our strategy of focusing on this product as a partner and customer. It is also An important step in establishing HiTemp telescopic air springs as a commercial vehicle industry standard," said Holger Brüning, Head of Air Spring Systems for Continental Commercial Vehicles. "Sleeve-type air springs for extreme temperatures can not only ensure a significant improvement in use at high temperatures, but also increase the allowable range of negative temperatures. In addition, the sleeve can withstand extreme long-term pressure."
In addition to the innovative rubber compound (high-temperature elastomer based on high-performance elastomers based on dynamic elasticity and heat resistance) that forms the basis of sleeve air springs, the production process at the Hannover-Wallenwald plant has been improved. Improving performance is essential. "In the future, we will see a huge demand for our HiTemp air springs, and the demand will continue to grow. This is why we are also systematically investing in production processes and continuously expanding production capacity." Bruning said.