Freudenberg acquires innovative technology from Frictins

"In the future, Freudenberg will offer the global automotive industry a cost-efficient, hard-particle coated nonwoven solution – ideally suited for the realisation of new powertrain designs and lightweight concepts," said Dr. Frank Heislitz, CEO of Freudenberg Performance Materials.

The technology combines a unique hard-particle coating process with a special nonwoven from Freudenberg. It is utilised by automotive manufacturers and suppliers in engine, chassis and powertrain applications. It generates an increase of the friction coefficient up to a factor of 8. This allows for a significant improvement in the performance of screw joints and press fits. By increasing the friction coefficient in such a way, many new and innovative material combinations become possible.

Currently, the products are manufactured in pilot production scale in a facility near Munich (Wolnzach), Germany. Freudenberg has acquired all assets and will set up an industrial scale production within the next few months.

The patent pending solution is using a multi-step-process to coat hard particles in various dimensions onto the surface of a special nonwoven. When applied in the friction joint, the hard particles penetrate into both parts of the joining components and create a micro interlock. Compared to existing technologies on the market, Frictins’ technology offers a greater flexibility in the design process, e.g due to lower material thickness, while also providing a much higher friction coefficient. By using 100 per cent inert materials, this new technology cannot cause any corrosion between the joining parts.

The Frictins technology has already won two awards: The German Innovation Award from the German Design Council in 2018 as well as the Materialica Design and Technology Award in 2017.

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a leading global manufacturer of innovative technical textiles offering differentiated value propositions to a broad range of markets and applications such as apparel, automotive, building materials, energy, filter media, healthcare, hygiene, building interiors, shoe and leather goods as well as specialties.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PC)