Engineers of one of the Germany's largest research institutes have developed a plastic camshaft module. The developers believe that the composite element of the motor will allow to reduce engine mass, machine price, and also simplify the assembly process.
The technology so far exists only in the form of a demonstration sample. Reinforced fiber of thermosetting polymer is used for camshaft production. This material is known for its high hardness, and at the most stressful points it is reinforced with aluminum inserts. Engineers claim that the module can withstand high temperatures under severe mechanical or chemical effects.
A new element makes it possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing vehicles by using blanks that are close in shape to the final part. We also note that the service life of thermosetting polymer injection molds is about 500,000 cycles, which is several times longer than that of high-pressure aluminum molds.
Today a thermosetting polymer camshaft was tested about 600 hours, that makes its possible to be installated in an internal combustion engine. The composite material is also capable of absorbing noise and vibration, and its low mass will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions.
News source: https://polymerbranch.com/
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