01Professional characteristics of automotive rubber parts

Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Europe have a long history of car development. Many car companies and parts suppliers have more than a hundred years of history. Although Japanese and South Korean cars have a short history, they have become one of the international car powers after years of pursuit. In these countries and regions where the car industry is prosperous, the market is mature and stable, and the company has a strong accumulation of skills, leading the development direction of the international car industry. In recent years, the car rubber parts industry in countries where cars are prosperous in Europe, America, Japan, South Korea, etc. has shown the following characteristics: Rubber automation

(1) Large-scale and specialized gatherings. At present, the production planning of foreign rubber products companies is expanding day by day, and the degree of specialization is getting higher and higher. The annual sales of foreign super large rubber products companies are as high as 2 billion US dollars. , The trend of intensive production. For example, the German Continental Company, the Japanese NOK Oil Seal Company, the French Hutchinson Company, the American Gates Company and other well-known foreign rubber products companies have multiple professional production plants, which can engage in automation, mechanization and specialized production, and the economic planning benefits are huge. Kunshan Keshide Automation Machinery Co., Ltd. is an automated manufacturer of rubber injection molding machines.

(2) Collaborative development and modular supply with vehicle companies. In a prosperous country, automotive rubber product companies attach great importance to product development and regard it as the lifeblood of the company. Therefore, they don't hesitate to invest a lot of manpower and financial resources to research original materials, product structure planning, and product testing. Some companies can invest in research and development to account for 1/3 of the total investment, independently carry out product structure planning, CAE simulation analysis, and synchronize or even advance the development of new models. The implementation of modular supply, that is, after the vehicle companies put forward product requirements, supporting companies with development capabilities gather and propose plans, coordinate production, and supply and assembly in a serialized and modular way. Rubber automation

(3) Continuous improvement of production technology and processing equipment. As a rubber product manufacturer, rubber refining is one of the fundamental processes. Foreign countries choose intelligent and large-scale rubber refining systems to complete vulcanization and continuous production. Advanced equipment such as automatic vacuum vulcanizing press and injection molding vulcanizing press.

(4) New products are widely used. With the rapid development of the car industry and the continuous development of new models, high demands are placed on rubber products. Therefore, special rubber products with excellent functions have become the primary demand for car rubber products. Special rubber, because of its characteristics of high temperature resistance, oil resistance, ozone resistance, aging resistance and air tightness, 50% ~ 80% of the output value is used in the car industry.

As a whole in my country, affected by the rapid development of the car industry, the consumer demand for synthetic rubber in my country's shopping malls has also increased significantly, attracting many foreign-funded companies to invest in China to increase production. So far, 34 foreign-funded enterprises among the top 50 domestic automotive rubber parts companies have touched more than 70 factories. Among the top 50 non-tire rubber products in the world this year, Zhuzhou Times New Materials has jumped from 38th to 28th in the previous year due to the acquisition of ZF Group (Germany), creating the best ranking in my country; Anhui Zhongding is the largest car in the country Manufacturers and exporters of rubber parts ranked 36th. In addition to Zhuzhou Times New Materials and Anhui Zhongding, the leading domestic rubber products manufacturers include: Ninghai Jianxin Rubber and Plastic Co., Ltd., Shanghai Hengsheng Car Parts Co., Ltd., Shiyan Dongsen Car Seal Co., Ltd., Donghai Rubber and Plastics (Tianjin) ) Co., Ltd., Ninghai County Xinhua Rubber and Plastic Co., Ltd., Guiyang Jingyi Rubber Fittings Factory, Ningbo Fengmao Yuandong Rubber Co., Ltd. and other companies. The sales of these companies account for about 40% of the total demand for domestic car accessory stores. Rubber automation

However, due to the late start, the small size of professional enterprise planning, the weak technical ability, and the low degree of specialization, the production of domestic rubber products is still at a low level, low power, and low efficiency stage, and there is still a long way to go compared with foreign companies. . Although there is still a considerable gap between the overall professional level and the prosperous countries and regions, there are still bright spots in domestic independent enterprises. In order to improve the overall career planning and skill level, some areas have relied on large rubber products enterprises to gradually form an industrial agglomeration effect. For example, in Anhui Ningguo, driven by Zhongding Group, ASIMCO and other companies, there are 47 car rubber parts companies, including 1 company with more than 1 billion yuan, 2 companies with 100 million yuan, and an annual output of car rubber parts15 100 million pieces, the production and sales volume ranks first in the country. Baolong Industrial Park, as the only global supplier of Ford Motor Company of the United States, has put into operation its first-phase engineering valve project. In addition, Zhejiang, Hebei and other places have successively formed professional production bases for Taizhou V-belts, Haining seals, Jingzhou hoses, and Hengshui engineering rubber products.

02The trend of materials for automotive rubber parts

As non-tire rubber parts, rubber parts are important supporting products for cars. They are widely used in engine systems, fuel systems, transmissions, suspension systems, car body seals, electronic appliances and other assemblies and parts. Important effects such as vibration, sealing, dustproof, transmission and electrical insulation. Rubber automation

According to statistics, a general passenger car has about 400 to 500 rubber parts, which account for about 40% of the total mass of car rubber and about 6% of the total vehicle production cost. With the advancement in the safety, comfort and stability requirements of cars, the use of rubber parts in cars has also steadily increased.

2. 1 Hose

Hose products can be divided into fuel hoses, brake hoses, radiator rubber hoses, air conditioning hoses, power steering hoses, turbocharged hoses, etc., and are mostly distributed in the three major assembly systems of car chassis system, engine system and body system. It is used for oil, gas, water supply, control, power transmission, cooling, heating and other effects. According to statistics, in 2015, the utilization of car hoses in my country has reached more than 400 million meters. It is speculated that the hose market will exceed 600 million meters in 2017, and the total value will exceed 24 billion yuan.

Fuel hose, as the most valuable rubber hose among automotive hoses. In the car fuel system, through the connection of fuel tanks, canisters, fuel pumps, crankcases and other components, on the one hand, the fuel is transferred to the engine for incineration work, and on the other hand, it transfers the vaporized oil and gas, the fuel that is not burned, and the fuel exhaust gas to the fuel purification system. Incineration or discharge. With the tightening of fuel consumption regulations, the traditional three-layer fuel hose materials are constantly being replaced by new data technologies. If the inner layer of rubber with low penetration rate is required, it is gradually changing from nitrile rubber (NBR) to fluorine rubber (FKM) and fluororesin (THV) special rubber composite rubber layer; it has ozone resistance, oil resistance and abrasion resistance The outer layer of rubber is also changed from chloroprene rubber (CR) or chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM) to ethylene acrylate rubber (AEM), chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM), and chloroether rubber (ECO); 4 Layer, 5-layer and even more layers of composite hoses are also emerging. However, although the appearance of the multi-layer structure of the hose has improved the high-strength wear resistance of the hose, the poor interlayer adhesion has brought new problems to the fuel industry. Rubber automation

The brake hose, as an irreplaceable part of the car's brake system, is primarily used to transmit braking force to the car's brake shoes or brake calipers to ensure that the braking force does continuous work. Depending on the brake fluid, brake hoses are divided into petroleum-based and non-petroleum-based. With the continuous improvement of braking function, energy saving and environmental protection regulations, and the development and application of new materials, the inner rubber of brake hose has been replaced by ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) instead of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). The inner rubber of the movable hose also has more choices of natural rubber (NR), nitrile rubber (NBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), EPDM rubber (EPDM), special rubber and so on. Generally, natural rubber (NR), chloroprene rubber (CR), EPDM (EPDM) can be selected for the outer layer of rubber, and nitrile rubber (NBR) and EPDM (EPDM) are selected for the inner layer. The middle layer is reinforced with reinforcing materials such as cotton, polyester, rayon, and aramid. Rubber automation

The radiator hose is mainly used to transmit the coolant in the heat dissipation system of the car engine. Return to the engine for the next heat cycle. The continuous use of advanced technology in engine incineration control has caused the temperature in the engine compartment to rise from the original 110 ~ 125 ℃ to 125 ~ 150 ℃, and even as high as 175 ℃. The radiator hose of the previous sulfur vulcanization system is no longer used to be higher. The temperature of the peroxide system is becoming more and more widely used.

Air-conditioning hoses are used in car air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The refrigeration cycle is completed by transmitting refrigerants of different pressures and gas-liquid conditions. It is divided into three types: pure rubber, rubber-resin composite material, and pure resin material structure. The rubber-resin composite structure is now the most widely used. The inner rubber of this hose consists of a layer of resin and a layer of rubber. It was once considered the best choice for the new car air-conditioning refrigerant R134a.

Power-assisted steering rubber is used in car steering system to connect the main components such as steering oil pot, steering gear, steering oil pump, etc., through the transmission of power-assisted steering oil of different pressures, complete the control of the power-assisted steering gear, thereby improving the steering power from the steering wheel. The power steering system of a car is mainly divided into four types: mechanical steering system (which has been screened for a long time), hydraulic power steering system, electronic hydraulic power steering system and electric power steering system. At present, most new passenger cars are equipped with electric power steering system, because the power steering system directly supplies steering assistance from the power steering machine, eliminating the part of the hydraulic system, so it does not contain the power steering hose, but after the car is repaired in the market There is still a large demand for power steering hoses.

The contact medium of the power steering hose is mineral oil, which requires good heat resistance and strong joints. The recent development trend of foreign car power steering systems is to select high-pressure pumps, and to complete the miniaturization and high output of the pumps. The hoses are required to improve heat resistance and durability. The inner rubber layer has outstanding oil resistance, and the outer rubber layer is wear-resistant and resistant. Heat (above 150 ℃) and weather resistant. In the past, nitrile rubber and neoprene rubber are generally used for the surface and inner rubber layer materials of this kind of hose, and now it is developed in the direction of hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR), chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, chlorinated polyethylene, and acrylate rubber. The new structure of hydraulic steering hose generally uses HNBR as the inner rubber layer, nylon 66 as the reinforcement layer, and chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber as the outer rubber layer. Compared with the traditional hose, the service life of this hose can be increased by more than 2 times at 140 ℃. In order to improve the heat resistance function, the power steering hose also uses fluoroelastomer, but because fluoroelastomer is easy to react with certain additives in the oil, its use is subject to certain restrictions.

The turbocharged rubber tube is used in the air intake system of car engines to connect the supercharger, intercooler, intake manifold and other major components, and transfer the hot air supercharged by the turbocharger to the intercooler after cooling Pass it to the intake manifold to supply enough air for the engine to burn and add incineration power. In foreign countries, the turbocharger hose is now made of all-rubber structure. The inner rubber layer is composed of fluoroelastomer and silicone rubber with good heat resistance. The reinforcement layer is knitted with high-strength aramid fiber, and the outer rubber layer is made of silicone rubber. my country’s turbocharger hoses started late, and the overall level is relatively far away from foreign countries; my country’s existing car-use hose production companies have 40-50 companies, and the production companies have small plans, relatively scattered, and weak technical capabilities, and only a few companies Have strong research and development ability.

2. 2 Damping rubber

In recent years, in order to improve the safety, comfort, operability and service life of cars, the variety and quantity of shock-absorbing rubber products for cars have been increasing. In order to reduce or eliminate the sensation of the source of sensation and improve the stability of car operation, rubber shock absorption products are divided into four categories: brackets, bushings, cushioning and damping, which are widely used in car engine mounts and gearbox suspensions. In the parts and components such as shifting damping rubber, strut equipment, suspension bushings, center bearing brackets, suspension shock absorbers and change shock absorbers.

For example, in the engine suspension system, a rubber layer is sandwiched between two metal plates, and the compression and shear deformation of the rubber are used to achieve the buffering intention. Changing the shock absorber and gear shift damping rubber of the transmission, through the high viscosity and high elasticity of the rubber, converts the oscillation into thermal energy and dissipates it, achieving the purpose of damping and shock absorption.

2. 3 Sealing rubber

As one of the most important parts of car accessories, oil seal directly affects the operability and safety of the car. Automotive oil seal components mainly include: crankshaft front/rear oil seals, transmission oil seals (input/output shaft oil seals, shift shaft oil seals), transmission shaft intermediate support oil seals, differential oil seals, rear axle shaft oil seals, front wheel hub oil seals, Rear wheel hub oil seals, valve stem oil seals, etc. The requirements for oil seal components are generally low torque, good sealing performance, a certain degree of misalignment of the shaft, certain high temperature resistance, no protection, long life, structural optimization, and a variety of media that can be used after data selection.

In addition to oil seals, another primary application of sealing rubber is sealing strips, such as door sealing strips, front and rear windshield sealing strips, window glass guide groove sealing strips, window water cuts, engine compartment sealing strips, luggage compartment sealing strips, sunroof sealing strips Article etc. Common sealing strips mainly include pure rubber sealing strips and composite sealing strips. Domestic materials have been gradually replaced by CR and NR rubber by EPDM, and recently they have been replaced by new thermoplastic elastomer materials.