Composite Materials for Truck, Bus, and Off Highway Vehicles
Materials that can be produced affordably, in large volumes, that are inherently insulating, lightweight, and tough
Lightweight, corrosion and chemically resistant, and tough materials.
These objectives can be met by replacing metal or cast components with high performance thermoset composite materials. Norplex-Micarta offers a full line of these composites in sheet, tube, rod and prepreg forms.
Norplex-Micarta composites provide excellent mechanical strength at a relatively low weight, an important consideration for fuel efficiency. Light-weight components must exhibit excellent tensile, compressive, shear and flexural strength to withstand the rigors of heavy truck off-road uses. They must also withstand the initial impact force of installation, as well as the repeated stress of inspection and repair. Creep resistance is also an important performance criteria; Norplex-Micarta composites exhibit excellent creep resistance, making them a good alternative to standard thermoplastics.
High-temperature applications, such as disk brake systems, place particular stress on composites. NorplexMicarta materials exhibit high strength at elevated operating temperatures, and also provide insulation from heat when used to separate two components. There are even Norplex-Micarta products with thermal expansion properties similar to those of aluminum and steel, common materials used in transportation equipment.
Composite Materials for Braking Systems
Norplex-Micarta materials provide excellent thermal insulation for disk braking systems in heavy truck vehicles. Disk brakes generate a great amount of heat and a thermal insulation component is required to isolate the hot disk from the tire and strut frame. This insulation component must also withstand extreme compressive force of up to 10,000 psi when the disk and wheel are bolted together during installation, as well as every time the braking system is inspected or repaired. The shaft of the braking system can also be insulated with a thermoset composite to isolate it from the tire. This material must withstand the same high-temperature and compressive forces as disk brake components.
Composite Materials as Bearings
Norplex-Micarta thermoset composites are used to replace steel bearings in back hoes, bull dozer arms and semi-trailers in the heavy truck industry. These connection points must withstand high amounts of stress, load and weight, thereby requiring excellent mechanical strength and durability.
Composite Materials as integral parts of an EV future.
ElectroLAM™ materials are proven in a host of very demanding electrical applications for more than a century. The inherent electrical insulation properties of these materials, along with their structural performance, makes them an excellent choice for the increasing array of electric vehicle applications from battery trays and housings, to high performance motor insulation.