How will future intelligent cars change component design?

It is also necessary to carefully observe how the material behaves during the production process, so final flow analysis is highly recommended. All details from mold filling to optimization of the molds used in thermoplastic and elastomer molding processes can be analyzed, effectively simulating the entire manufacturing process, including thermal management of the molds used and details such as mold temperature distribution to ensure consistent quality.

The benefits to customers of developing products in a partnership with suppliers are clear, especially when it comes to sealing applications. Sealing performance is often the last element considered in a design, and because it is performed so late, the problems that can arise are many and varied, often requiring a solution that is not the best design option. All of these dimensioning issues can be easily addressed during the development phase with the appropriate design freedom, but are much more difficult to address at a later stage, after the design of certain components or important parts of the system has been frozen. By involving suppliers and applying their specific knowledge early in the development process, it is possible to optimize the design from the outset to ensure a global optimum rather than a local optimum.

Incorporating sustainability into future mobility solutions

One of the main concerns with electric vehicles is to have a positive environmental impact, and here the processes involved in component development can help achieve these goals. Sustainability starts with the materials and then continues to evolve as the component development process evolves. By optimizing the processes mentioned above and the designs that are intended to be produced, in some cases, the development team can actually reduce the amount of material required to deliver optimal performance.

From a design perspective, engineers who specialize in sealing components are always looking for ways to integrate bio-based materials, and they should have the ability to develop tailor-made materials from scratch to meet the specific needs of their customers. Ideally, they will also have compliance experts in-house who can work with material experts to eliminate critical substances and identify those that may become obsolete under requirements such as Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). If they find that a material may become scarce in the future, they will not use it in the development of the material. The right supplier should be your indispensable partner to stay ahead of the curve—designing materials to meet future as well as current regulatory requirements.

Smart sealing solutions also have a positive impact in terms of environmental sustainability. Sensor active layers within the elastomer can detect force, touch, even leakage and, in some cases, the presence of media on the sealing surface, thus improving predictive maintenance capabilities. This is a highly desirable feature in battery packs, for example, where any form of leakage could lead to reduced functionality or even overheating. 

When incorporated into a sealed solution, electronic components such as chips and sensors can also detect factors such as temperature and pressure. If we use the battery pack example again, monitoring thermal conditions is critical because optimal function is only achieved within a specific temperature range. The ability to monitor the status of components is not only for the vehicle driver, but for the entire system, so service or maintenance can be scheduled when it is actually needed, rather than at intervals determined by guesswork.

Ultimately, the cars of the future will be significantly different from the internal combustion engine cars we are familiar with today. From the perspective of the end user, the essence of the car, that is, a way of getting from A to B, has not changed, but as technology advances towards fully autonomous vehicles, the world is changing beneath the surface. Therefore, the way manufacturers and their suppliers work together must change, and should be more focused on joint research and development. These future visions will be realized at an unprecedented speed and efficiency.