Freudenberg Helps Vehicles Perform Better, From Reducing Noise and Vibrations to Making the Air Inside Cars Cleaner

DETROIT, Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freudenberg North America uses technical expertise and cross industry experience to revolutionize 2012 vehicle parts for the automotive industry.

"The Freudenberg family of companies has broad cross-industry reach and this allows us to bring innovative technologies from other industries and apply them to the automotive realm," said Leesa Smith, president, Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership. "The diverse technical capabilities that our employees offer to customers help improve vehicles in all sorts of ways -- from cleaner air filters to synthetic greases to high-performance air springs. Freudenberg products have a direct impact on the end consumer in terms of better ride, handling and gas mileage."

Freudenberg Filtration Technologies

Freudenberg Filtration Technologies has launched micronAir® cabin air filters to improve the air quality circulating inside the vehicle. The filters protect against pollens, road dust, abraded particles, soot, bacteria, industrial dusts and other ultra-fine particles.

micronAir® filters also prevent dirt from entering the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, lengthening equipment life and decreasing repair costs. Additionally, the filters prevent haze and mist on windows, improve driver visibility and decrease the risk of an accident.

micronAir® cabin air filters are fitted in most 2012 vehicles. Designs vary across vehicles, but all micronAir® cabin air filters feature a multi-stage filtration media that is electro-statically charged for optimum performance, protecting driver and passenger health while improving comfort overall.

Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies

Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, the world's largest producer of elastomeric seals and custom molded products, has helped automakers reduce emissions and improve fuel economy in three powertrain areas: gaskets, fluid power and special sealing solutions.

The company's gasket division is a major partner in the electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicle market by sealing oversized large battery housing. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies' new Low-Emission Sealing Solutions (LESS) helps address automaker demands for fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The LESS package contains reduced-friction sealing solutions that cut wear and power loss. Freudenberg-NOK fluid power sealing applications innovate with new materials, such as its transmission seal rings, transmission thrust washers and plastic accumulator pistons.

Kluber Lubrication

Kluber Lubrication is introducing two synthetic greases for the automotive industry. The Klubersynth P 84-52 G is an efficiency-increasing specialty lubricant for panoramic sunroofs and the Klubersynth RA 44-702 is a damping grease specially developed for the lubrication of plastic parts inside cars.

Where other lubricants are destroyed by rain, car washes, dust and temperature extremes, Klubersynth P 84-52 G offers lifetime lubrication for panoramic sunroofs exposed to today's demanding environment. The Klubersynth P 84-52 G has been tested and validated by several manufacturers and has proven to be the market leader.

The new damping grease for car interiors, Klubersynth RA 44-702, was developed to help eliminate noise in today's vehicles and also to improve the customer's interaction between moving parts. In addition, it offers a pleasant high-quality feel when handling the car components, even at low temperatures. The grease, which has no odor, can be used for both plastic on plastic and plastic on metal material pairings. One of the applications is on the new 2012 Kia Sorrento sunroof. Other applications include a glove box, cup holder door, storage door and arm rest.

Vibracoustic

Vibracoustic offers a complete range of components for automotive vibration technology in cars and commercial vehicles. The company is showcasing several innovations on vehicles at the North American International Auto Show.

Vibracoustic's suspension components help global platforms improve vehicle noise, vibration and ride harshness, corrosion resistance and durability.  For 2012, the company is offering customers a package solution that includes components such as microcellular urethane (MCU) spring isolators, including molded-in steel inserts, specially engineered strut mounts, sealed bearings, and MCU jounce bumpers. By providing customers with a comprehensive package of components, Vibracoustic has addressed the customer challenge of working with multiple vendors on critical parts that must interface flawlessly as a unit. The Vibracoustic package improves system durability, increases resistance to contamination intrusion, improves ride feel and decreases noise transmission. This provides customers with specially designed products that meet the normally conflicting requirements of superior ride quality, improved noise reduction and excellent steering responsiveness. By using Vibracoustic's technology and engineering competence for a number of components within the suspension system, OEMs can also reduce their program management, engineering time and costs.

In addition, Vibracoustic has developed a higher performance air spring for a new luxury vehicle. It has a uniquely thin wall thickness and especially flexible bellows. The flexibility allows for a comfortable ride, even during the most demanding driving conditions. With the axial bellow technology, stiffness supports in the air spring are installed vertically only. The air spring is suitable for a wide range of luxury models and helps cars handle better.

Vibracoustic also has developed a flexible prop shaft coupling that is fitted to the drive shaft and helps remove noise and vibration. The technology, produced from two die-castings, offers automakers a more durable alternative to a rubber flexible disk and eliminates problems such as impact noise at low-speed accelerations. The product will be included in some BMW models at the auto show. The flexible prop shaft coupling is less expensive and more flexible for tuning than the disk option.

"In everything we do at Freudenberg, our goal is to support our customers' needs and provide solutions to make their products even better," Smith concluded. "We're proud to be a supplier to so many of the great automakers that have vehicles on display at the North American International Auto Show. The show is a celebration of incredible industry talent, and we hope everyone will take the time to visit the event and see what's new for 2012."

About Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership

Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership, the North American holding company for Freudenberg & Co. of Weinheim, Germany, owns a family of companies that operate 15 unique businesses. Together, these companies provide innovative products and solutions to customers in industries ranging from automotive, aerospace and medical to chemical, oil and gas and construction. Freudenberg North America companies develop and manufacture custom-engineered seals, vibration control technology, filters, nonwovens, release agents, lubricants, expansion joints, household products, and IT software and services.

The Freudenberg Group specializes in seals and vibration control technology, nonwovens, filtration, lubricants and release agents and other specialty business areas. The Freudenberg Group generated sales of more than U.S. $7.13 billion and had 34,000 global employees in 2010. For additional information, please visit freudenberg.com.

SOURCE Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership