Steel wheel applicator system

Finally, a case study describing the application of the hybrid interference fitted-adhesive bonded joint technique on the automotive steel wheel system is presented. The study was carried out in collaboration with the MW company, a division of the CLN group. The business of MW concerns the steel wheel market for passenger cars, light and heavy commercial vehicles and motorcycles. Bonded wheel prototypes were submitted to static and dynamic mechanical tests adopted for components validation. The results obtained on bonded wheel prototypes were compared with the traditional welded wheels and with the samples tested at laboratory level. 

Then the hybrid interference and some design aspects for practical application in (the antomotive steel wheel) have been analyzed. An experimental evaluation of the contributions of the adhesive and the interference to the resultant resistance of the hybrid joint was carried out with particular attention to the phenomena occurring at the interface level and the effect of the adhesive nature, its curing technology and its mechanical response. The outcomes of the laboratory analyses were validated in the steel wheel system. The adhesive contribution mainly affects the static resistance of the hybrid joint, and is strongly related to the type of adhesive exploited. On the other hand, the interference seems to play an important role in the fatigue behavior, especially in the wheel system. 

Wheels and tires are one of the major uses of cast polyurethane elastomers. We commonly see these on fork lift trucks and shopping carts, where their excellent abrasion resistance, resistance to oil, and good elasticity are valued. In industrial settings we find polyurethane covers on rollers used for paper, steel, and textile conveyor systems. In such applications, their excellent cut and abrasion resistance help prolong their useful life. If used in hot and humid conditions, polyether-based polyurethanes are preferred. 

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