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S t e e r i n g h o u s i n g s m a d e f r o m p l a st i c
tedrive Steering Presents Lightw eight
Steering System w ith Plastic Housing
WÜLFRATH, 10 March 2016 – tedrive presents a new product in the
form of its innovative plastic housing for mechanical steering
systems. Working with market leaders from the polymers industry,
tedrive has succeeded in making plastic materials usable in the
highly demanding field of steering systems. The robust and
durable housing design was developed specifically to meet the
requirements of lightweight automotive concepts, achieving a
weight saving of up to 40 percent compared with solutions made
from aluminum. The plastic housing is particularly suitable for use
in the compact and city car segments as well as in electric vehicles
and, in certain circumstances, can even be adapted to the loads
exerted in the mid-size segment. Compared with steering housings
in aluminum – to-date the standard lightweight material used in
steering systems – the tedrive plastic housing can be realized on
an almost cost-neutral basis.
Customers of tedrive Steering were given the opportunity to view a
prototype of the steering system in September 2015 at the Frankfurt
International Motor Show. The system will also soon be displayed at this
year’s HANNOVER MESSE industrial trade fair. With its innovative
plastic housing for mechanical steering systems, tedrive has now taken
a further, major step forward in reducing the weight of its steering
systems.
“Intense research and development work has now enabled us to meet
the high technical demands set by steering systems using plastic, too,
and to offer a durable housing design,” explains Peter Heimbrock, Head
of Development for tedrive Steering Systems GmbH. The new steering
housing achieves a weight saving of up to 40 percent compared with an
aluminum design. Furthermore, the housing is cost neutral compared
with aluminum, partly because its injection-molded components require
no additional machining.
The high loads and temperatures exerted on individual components
presented the engineers with particularly tough challenges. tedrive
therefore cooperated closely with materials experts from a leading
polymer manufacturer as well as the experienced plastic injectionmolding technology team from Josef Mawick Kunstoff-Spritzgusstechnik
to achieve the best possible combination of material and design. The
result is a robust housing able to withstand endurance testing of around
ten years or 240,000 kilometers. The load tests also verified its
operation in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 80°C with a short-term
maximum temperature load of 105°C.
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Press Contact:
Britta Lange-Stolle
Press & Public Relations
Tel: +49 (0)176/63 30 05 24
media@td-steering.com
tedrive Steering Systems GmbH
Henry-Ford II-Straße 15
42489 Wülfrath
Germany
PRESS INFORM ATION
Image Captions:
Press Contact:
Britta Lange-Stolle
Press & Public Relations
Tel: +49 (0)176/63 30 05 24
media@td-steering.com
tedrive Steering Systems GmbH
Henry-Ford II-Straße 15
42489 Wülfrath
Germany
tedrive_Lightweight Steering System_Press Image:
Working with market leaders from the polymers industry, tedrive has
succeeded in making plastic materials usable in the highly demanding field
of steering systems. The plastic housing is particularly suitable for use in
the compact and city car segments as well as in electric vehicles.
[Source: tedrive Steering]
tedrive_ Lightweight Steering System_Rendering:
The robust and durable housing design was developed specifically to meet
the requirements of lightweight automotive concepts, achieving a weight
saving of up to 40 percent compared with solutions made from aluminum.
[Quelle: tedrive Steering]
Notes to editor:
All of the world’s major automotive markets are introducing stricter legislation for the reduction of
CO2. In the EU as of 2020, new cars will be permitted to emit a maximum of just 95 grams of the
climate-polluting gas per kilometer. The entire sector is called upon to implement a reduction in fuel
consumption and emissions through lightweight vehicle design. tedrive is helping vehicle
manufacturers achieve these demanding emissions targets with new and sustainable lightweight
steering systems.
About tedrive Steering
tedrive Steering is a specialised development partner and manufacturer of steering systems for the
global vehicle market. The company with headquarters in Germany operates three locations in
Germany, and further production, sales and technical facilities in Istanbul (Turkey), Nabereznyje
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PRESS INFORM ATION
Chelny (Tatarstan, Russia), Shanghai (China) and Wixom (Michigan, USA). tedrive Steering is a
full-service provider in the field of steering technologies. The product portfolio encompasses rackand-pinion as well as recirculating ball steering gear systems across all vehicle segments from small
passenger cars to large trucks and buses. tedrive Steering sets the course, developing competitive,
high-performance steering technology for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, with its award
winning iHSA® technology and lightweight steering solutions. For more information, visit www.tdsteering.com
Press Contact:
Britta Lange-Stolle
Press & Public Relations
Tel: +49 (0)176/63 30 05 24
media@td-steering.com
tedrive Steering Systems GmbH
Henry-Ford II-Straße 15
42489 Wülfrath
Germany
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