Solvay Showcases New Steering Component Made for Magnetti Marelli

For the first time, Solvay Composite Materials, leading chemical company Solvay’s new global business unit for composite materials displayed a new steering knuckle prototype that it made for Magneti Marelli. It was the first such component that the two companies had collaborated on.

According to Solvay, the steering knuckle has a complex geometry that was designed with the goal of maximizing the properties of its thermoplastic composites and injection molding materials. The company says that the prototype displays the benefits of compression moulding and overmoulding processes. It also highlights the effectiveness of using a combination of Solvay’s Amodel PPA thermoplastic compound and Evolite PPA thermoplastic composites. These products were specifically developed for high-temperature automotive functional applications. The product shows how using a combination of innovative high-performance materials, out of the box part design and rate-capable processing methods can reduce the weight of a component and enhance its structural performance and function integration.

Gerald Perrin, Global Automotive Director at Solvay Composite Materials Global Business Unit said that Solvay was proud of its role in making the prototype. The right combination of Solvay’s Amodel and Evolite PPA thermoplastic composite technologies helped to develop a product that was capable of achieving the rate and process flexibility that automotive manufacturers expect.

Marco Goia, head of product development at Magneti Marelli Ride Dynamics said that the prototype was the first of its kind in the field of suspensions. By using innovative materials and processing technologies, the two companies were able to combine high performance thermoformed laminates with injection molding to make complex and non-conventional geometries. The outcome was the design of a functionally integrated component that integrated co-molded structural sleeves. Magneti Marelli helmed the project from the outset and used advanced design methodologies while leveraging Solvay’s expertise in materials science application and process tuning.