Sogefi says that its patented coil spring technology has been jointly developed together with Audi for market introduction before the end of the year. Audi will be the world’s first car manufacturer to launch this technology in series production.
Sogefi has patented this new type of coil spring made from glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) which weighs between 40% and 70% less than the traditional steel springs. The new GFRP coil springs can be assembled on cars and light commercial vehicles without affecting the suspension system architecture allowing for a weight reduction of 4-6 kilos per vehicle (depending on coil spring design and type of vehicle) and a significant reduction of the unsprung mass. The resulting benefits range from more precise driving, lower consumption with consequent reduction in CO2 emissions (up to – 0.5 g per km), enhanced noise-vibrational-harshness (NVH) comfort and full protection against corrosion.
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Guglielmo Fiocchi, CEO of Sogefi, said, “Research and development is a key factor for the future growth of Sogefi. Innovation in the car sector, starting from reducing weight and improving the efficiency of vehicles, now depends significantly on the components companies. Sogefi in particular is gradually increasing its investment in research and development, which has gone up in recent years from around 2% to just under 3% of its total revenues. We are very proud of the choice that Audi has made”.
This innovation also guarantees a significant reduction of CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process as the overall energy required is significantly lower than in traditional steel coil spring manufacturing.
