Automotive Seat Motor Thrust Washers Now Made From Highly Durable & Wear-Resistant Victrex APTIV Film Made Using VICTREX PEEK Polymer
Automotive Seat Motor Thrust Washers now made from Highly Durable & Wear-Resistant Victrex APTIV film made using VICTREX PEEK polymer
S&T Daewoo was looking for a high performance material solution to withstand wear to produce automotive seat motor thrust washers.
As conventional thrust washers are made of steel not only do they wear out but other surrounding parts wear out as well which results in frequent replacements being needed. As a solution, a variety of plastic materials such as PA66 and POM were tested but did not provide the required level of wear-resistance. When tested Victrex APTIV™ film demonstrated outstanding wear resistance and durability, scoring well in lubrication tests as well.
S&T Daewoo has adopted Victrex APTIV film for the thrust washers used inside seat motors among the company's flagship automobiles as the film's superb durability, wear-resistance and inherent lubricity features were optimal for this particular application. Read more about APTIV Films exceptional properties.
Thrust washers for seat motors are required to withstand motor revolutions of approximately 4,000 RPM and pressures of 10 kg/m2 (2.05 lb. / square foot) and are mostly produced in diameters of 10 mm (0.394 inch) or 8.5 mm (0.335 inch).
S&T Daewoo has earned recognition around the world for their aggressive marketing campaign and outstanding technological competitiveness, supplying auto parts to the European market where customers are well-known for their high standards regarding car quality. The company`s technological prowess also led domestic customers to recognise the exceptional quality of their products in the local market. "The selection of APTIV film was the obvious choice as it was essential for the company to ensure functionality and long service life of their products," said S&T Daewoo's Senior Researcher Heo, Dong Suk.
S&T Daewoo also uses other types of films based on engineering polymers like PA66 for different applications. However, the company is also considering the adoption of APTIV film for those applications demanding a longer service life. This is to support the current industry trend of longer product warranties.
Researcher Heo also added, "We did not run into any specific issue during development, but we had a bit of trouble finding film suppliers and punchers up to our requirements. However, we were able to expedite our development and production process thanks to Victrex recommending suitable processing partners."
Thrust washers are used in the motors that control the car seat reclining angle and position and three million units are produced every year. S&T Daewoo's thrust washers are used in a variety of cars such as the Opel Vectra, Pontiac G6, Cadillac BLS and GM Daewoo Tosca amongst others.
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