Ulsan utilise Brüel & Kjær automotive solutions

Ulsan Technopark's Automotive Innovation Parts Center (APIC) provides test services for customers who are mainly manufacturers of components - both Tier 1 and Tier 2. Brüel & Kjær's PULSE platform, LDS shakers, arrays and transducers are all used at the facility for automotive noise vibration harshness (NVH), environmental and material testing.

Established in 2002, the Ulsan Technopark (UTP) is jointly owned by the Korean government and the Ulsan City Authority. Its goal is to situate resources such as universities, businesses and research institutes in one place and become the centre for technological innovation, providing building facilities and equipment for research, testing and production.

Andrew Kim, Test & Reliability Chief Manager, at the APIC, worked for Hyundai Motor Company for 10 years before joining UTP in 2004. With a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Pusan National University - and currently working on a doctoral thesis - Andrew was highly influential in the design and commissioning of UTP's state-of-the art test facility.

The facility includes a hemi-anechoic chamber with a cut-off frequency of 125Hz and a background noise level of less than 20 dBA, four climatic chambers, a state-of-the-art crash test facility, a hydraulic road simulator and a multi-axle hydraulic system for durability testing.

Andrew says: "Before joining Ulsan I worked for Hyundai Motor Company for 10 years and used Brüel & Kjær products and solutions almost exclusively. At UTP, we have a high focus on automotive NVH vibration testing for life-cycle and environmental tests."

Andrew is also very influential in advising customers in choosing test and measurement systems. He says: "In fact, it is not uncommon for our customers to purchase solutions that have been used for their projects".

UTP currently has two PULSE systems, which were bought four years ago - a 17-channel C-frame and a 34-channel D-frame - and they have plans to invest in more. Andrew continues: "I'm especially impressed with the PULSE platform - both hardware and software - and we are now moving forward to use PULSE Reflex Core and Modal for post-processing. We're also very interested in Brüel & Kjær's unique expertise in array technology".

UTP has both a Non-stationary STSF (Spatial Transformation of Sound Fields) array with scanning robot and a circular array that is used for Noise Source Identification and sound power measurements in UTP's hemi-anechoic chamber. Other Brüel & Kjær products used at UTP include an Impedance Tube for material testing. LDS shakers are extensively used - a V875 for durability/life cycle testing and a V9 with a climatic chamber for vibration testing (both R&D and durability/life cycle). In addition, Brüel & Kjær microphones, accelerometers and power amplifiers are used exclusively. Read the case study at: www.bksv.com  Refer to page 47

Sic Marking announces a dedicated
system for marking Vehicle Identification Numbers

The VIN identification number is listed on the body of a car which helps to ensure traceability of a vehicle throughout the manufacturing process, but also after it leaves the factory, right to the end of the life of the vehicle. VIN Marking is also being used extensively in heavy plant and for trailer traceability.

Being able to react quickly is essential, as demonstrated by many car manufacturers and highlighted in the recent Toyota recall. In order to maintain the legibility of the VIN over time, the quality of the engraving is essential. This is why SIC Marking has developed a comprehensive and highly adaptable VIN Marking System based on scribing technology.

Key Features: 1) The extremely fast scribing i113s unit is capable of 17 characters in less than 20 seconds, with 0.3 mm depth. 2) The system utilizes the E8 controller known for its robustness and versatility with more than 15 languages available. 3) Specialist SIC VIN software has been written for VIN marking applications.

In addition, a »reading» option allows validation of the mark through a camera. It analyzes its shape and its content. The software can be customized and the marking head can be supplied with bespoke fixturing. Communication protocols include (I/O, RS232, Profibus, Ethernet, Jbus, Profinet).

The versatility, robust construction, proven reliability and ease of integration has already convinced some of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world, in Korea (Renault Samsung), Russia (Peugeot, Mitsubishi, AVTO FRAMOS, AVTO FAZ) and Morocco (Dacia).

SIC Marking: Follow the mark...
In about fifteen years´s presence, SIC Marking has put the marking industry´s stamp. This French company (set out to capture other countries: Germany, Canada, USA, China...) is the finest esmerald of the industrial traceability and the French technology, realizing 70% of its turnover from export sales through about 40 distributors worldwide. Thanks to its dynamism and ambition, SIC Marking is an international recommendation.

For further information, e-mail: p.barthollet@sic-marking.com or view website: www.sic-marking.com  Refer to page 317

Center stack from Preh:
Krytox® high performance lubricant prevents noise build-up

Just a small amount of DuPont™ Krytox® high performance lubricant can prevent plastic and rubber components found in the car body and interior from squeaking and creeking during a journey. Not only are the oils and greases quick and easy to apply, but they also perform just as well in extreme heat as they do in arctic temperatures - invisibly, without drying out or outgassing and without attacking the plastics and rubber. A current example for the efficient use of Krytox® is provided by light guides used in a center stack control system manufactured by Preh GmbH www.preh.com for two SUVs from a large American automotive OEM. Ahead of assembly at its Mexican facility, the system supplier dips the light guides in a Krytox® solution. Following evaporation of the solvent, the remaining, ultra-thin Krytox® film on the surface of the light guides prevents noise emissions when driving.

Picture courtesy of Du Pont.

The picture illustrates the assembly of the center stack, manufactured by Preh for a large American automotive OEM, light guides made of PMMA (colored yellow for identification, see arrow) are dipped in a solution based on DuPont™ Krytox® high performance lubricant. As a result, Preh is able to reliably and durably prevent noises emanating from the contact points between the light guides, the ASA housing (colored blue in the image) and the PC cover (colored gray) when the car is moving.

The principal components of the so-called 'center stack' control system are formed by the ASA (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylester) housing and a smoke-gray, translucent console cover which is made of PC (polycarbonate) and is facing towards the vehicle's interior. Two light guides, made of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) and each with a diameter of approximately 4 mm and 260 mm long, are clipped onto the back of the housing and provide integrated ambient lighting. They are designed in such a way that they emit light along their entire length towards the console. As a result, the entire contour of the insert appears to be spherically illuminated, creating the impression to the vehicle occupants that the center stack is hovering weightlessly in the console.

"The devices and systems developed in Germany are subject to comprehensive long-term testing as early as the prototype stage," comments Wolfgang Tandler, lead engineer development at Preh. "The control system withstood the shaker tests stipulated by our customer. By using Krytox® we were also able to stay under its very low threshold for noise emission." Romy Pfitzer, project manager at Preh, adds: "We dip the light guides in a specially-produced solution that contains 5% Krytox®. The solvent evaporates very quickly, meaning that the guides can be installed almost immediately after immersion. In contrast to commercially-available greases, used for instance to optimize the torque of controls, Krytox® is 'invisible', meaning that the lighting effect remains unaffected." GBR Technology Limited (of Reading/England) is the official distributor of Krytox® high performance lubricants in the UK and Ireland as well as the major supplier of vacuum fluids in the UK with customers in Europe, the Middle East and Far East.

Background information
Krytox® oils are a perfluorinated polyether (PFPE). Krytox® greases are created by thickening these mid-viscosity oils with a powdered form of the chemically closely related DuPont™ Teflon® polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Because the C-F bond, which is dominant in both PFPE and PTFE, is one of the most chemically and thermally stable in organic chemistry, all Krytox® products are chemically inert and oxygen resistant, resistant to reactive chemicals and - depending on grade - to temperatures between -70 °C and over 400 °C. They have a very low coefficient of friction and an extremely long service life, high mechanical stability and are insoluble in most solvents. They are color neutral and odorless, non-flammable and will not burn or support combustion. Moreover they are compatible with a whole range of current elastomers and polymers. Krytox® is supplied in barrels, bottles or aerosol cans, is environmentally neutral and can be regenerated after use. Their high lubricating make Krytox® high performance lubricants one of the most cost-effective universal solutions.

Typical applications in polymers include all sorts of connectors, particularly those that sit tightly around the vehicle's electrical and electronic systems, snap-on connections and o-rings with their sensitive surfaces. In all cases, the benefits of Krytox® over alternatives such as glycerine, traditional oils and greases and particularly highly aggressive bio-oils, lie in their broad compatibility, long-term stability, temperature resistance and their freedom from resinification. With o-rings made of DuPont™ Viton® high performance fluoroelastomer in particular, the Krytox® grease products act as an additional sealant for extreme conditions.

Preh in profile
Preh is a globally operating enterprise with about 2,400 employees in Germany, Portugal, Mexico, the U.S.A., Romania and China. Preh is headquartered in Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale, Germany. The company was founded in 1919 and achieved about 350 million Euros in revenue in 2010. Preh's development and production competencies focus on vehicle interior control systems, sensor systems, electronic control units and assembly systems for the world's leading vehicle manufacturers.

DuPont Fluoropolymer Solutions
DuPont Fluoropolymer Solutions is a leading producer of fluoropolymer resins, additives, films, finishes and dispersions, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene), ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene) and PVF (polivinylfluoride), marketed under the registered trademarks DuPont™ Teflon®, DuPont™ Tefzel®, DuPont™ Tedlar® and DuPont™ Zonyl®. Major markets for these fluoropolymer products include the automotive, chemical processing, semiconductor, oil exploration, chemical handling, data communication, aerospace, electronics, housewares, building and renewable energy industries.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) in profile
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders it can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and product names denoted with ® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

For further information, view website: www.dupont.com or e-mail: horst-ulrich.reimer@dupont.com  Refer to page 383