Press Release
ContiTech
Air Spring Systems
Further Development through Expertise in Materials:
K Air Spring Defies Extreme Temperatures
 Novel air spring from ContiTech Railway Engineering stands up to temperatures as low
as -50°C
 New material combines the strengths of natural and chloroprene rubber
 First field tests started
Berlin, September 2014. Especially hot and cold temperatures place high demands on spring
systems in rail vehicles. For extremely cold areas of application, ContiTech has developed the new
K air spring. It can withstand temperatures as low as -50°C and is an excellent example of
ContiTech's comprehensive development expertise and its "Engineering Next Level" principle.
"Extensive expertise is required in the development of such temperature-resistant elastomer
products," says Friedrich Hoppmann, Head of the segment ContiTech Railway Engineering. With
its extensive expertise in materials and its many years of experience in extreme climatic regions,
ContiTech is a specialist in the area of temperature-resistant air springs.
Limits of current materials
Due to the extreme climatic conditions, the use of elastomer products in Kazakhstan are an
especially hard test of endurance. The state's long railway lines run through various climate zones
characterized by different seasonal extremes. An example is the 1,000 kilometer route between
Almaty and Astana that connects the north and the south. Rail vehicle air springs made from a
rubber compound based on natural and chloroprene rubber were used, but after a while they
exhibited signs of wear in the bellows wall. “As the traditional air spring materials are pushed to
their limits under extreme conditions, a new air spring had to be developed,” explains Jörg Frohn,
Head of Research and Development at ContiTech Railway Engineering.
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Your contact:
Mario Töpfer, +49 511 938-1304
-2ContiTech therefore combined the strengths of both materials for the new K air spring. The rubber
compounds and the rubber-coated fabric are the result of the research and development work on
truck air springs. The rubber compound used for the inner layer has a crystal transition
temperature of almost -60°C, while the compound for the external layer stands out with its
particularly high abrasion resistance and high resistance to the effects of ozone, UV rays, and
other media. Brittleness tests result in no crystallization at temperatures as low as -50°C. In the
wear behavior test, the material proved to have double the resistance of chloroprene, which is
currently used.
Successful compromise
“When developing the extremely cold-resistant air spring, a good compromise was achieved
between changes in properties and adapting to the environmental requirements,” says Hoppmann.
“This was confirmed by the laboratory tests.” In Hanover, Germany, ContiTech Railway
Engineering operates the world's only accredited laboratory for air-spring systems for rail vehicles,
thus underscoring its quality standards. Twelve testing procedures that are important for the rail
industry have been certified to DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025. The test laboratory has been fulfilling the
highest requirements for many years with certification in accordance with ISO 9001, TS 16949 and
IRIS. For measurements at low temperatures, the bellows were tested in a climatic chamber
integrated in the test rig. “ContiTech designed this climatic chamber at the in-house test laboratory
specifically for this type of measurement,” explains Frohn. The air spring is pressurized and cooled
for at least twelve hours.
The new bellows have been successfully used on the Almaty-Astana route since the beginning of
2014.
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-3Captions
CT_AS_K-Luftfederbalg.jpg
The new K air spring combines the positive properties of natural rubber and chloroprene. The
result: a high temperature resistance combined with abrasion resistance and high resistance to the
effects of ozone, UV rays, and other media.
Photo: ContiTech
CT_AS_CRE_Prueflabor_3005.jpg
Ultramodern equipment: ContiTech has at its disposal the world´s only certified test lab for rail
vehicle air spring systems and hence, sets new standards in safety and quality.
Photo: ContiTech
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-4With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide.
As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation,
infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to
enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked
automobile communication. Continental currently employs around 186,000 people in 49 countries.
The ContiTech division numbers among the leading suppliers of a host of technical rubber products and is a
specialist for plastics technology. The division develops and produces functional parts, components and
systems for the automotive industry and other important industries. ContiTech currently has a workforce of
approximately 31,400 employees. In 2013 it recorded sales of about €3.9 billion.
Contact for journalists
Mario Töpfer
Head of Technical Media Relations
ContiTech AG
Vahrenwalder Strasse 9
30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 511 938-1304
Fax: +49 511 938-1305
E-mail: mario.toepfer@contitech.de
www.contitech.de
Elvira Kluth
Head of Communications
Air Spring Systems
ContiTech AG
Vahrenwalder Strasse 9
30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 511 938-1092
Fax: +49 511 938-14025
E-mail: elvira.kluth@contitech.de
www.contitech.de
This press release is available in the following languages: German, English
Links
Press releases and photos are available for download at www.contitech.de/press
Your contact:
Mario Töpfer, +49 511 938-1304