14.02.2012
An innovative transmission from Hi-Lex America Inc. (Rochester Hills, MI) continues to reliably and quietly open and close automotive lift gates thanks to design and development assistance from Ticona Engineering Polymers (Florence, KY), which assisted the automotive tier supplier to develop new injection molded high-precision plastic shafts and gears.
"For several years, Hi-Lex customers have used a two-stage reduction transmission that relies on precision steel ball bearings mounted on plastic shafts and accompanying 2.5-inch diameter plastic gears to achieve the desired reduction between the electric motor and a flexible torsional cable assembly to lift and close big, heavy automotive rear lift gates," says Fred Eberle, technical engineer at the Hi-Lex Automotive Center. Hi-Lex is a leading supplier of automotive electromechanical, power closure devices and control cables. "A first generation model used a powder metal shaft system, which was subsequently replaced with a plastic shaft system that provides an immense improvement in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and makes our customers very happy."...