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DuPont adds Wear & Friction concept

14
Apr '08

Amid material selection criteria that range from reduced cost and weight to ease of assembly, automotive designers and engineers are increasingly asking for materials that improve wear and reduce friction, according to results from the 14th annual DuPont Automotive/SAE survey of designers and engineers attending the 2008 SAE World Congress next week in Detroit.

Sixty percent identified lower wear and friction as important or very important, twice the number who identified that criterion last year.

“The jump could be influenced by growing awareness of energy loss attributed to friction,” said David J. Ritchey, global development manager, DuPont Vespel parts & shapes. Ritchey is one of the panelists discussing: “Where's the Rub? How Far Can We Go with Low Friction Concepts and What Will They Bring,” which will be held Monday, April 14 at 1:30 pm at the FEV Powertrain Innovation Forum during the Congress. “Reducing friction can greatly enhance the efficiency of engines for consumers and also reduce CO2 emissions,” said Ritchey.

In addition to sharing low-friction design concepts and new and emerging materials, Ritchey will introduce the DuPont “Science of Friction” vision. “As materials science experts we understand the fundamental relationships between material science, system design and component function to help predict and in some case control system friction in order to more rapidly develop prototypes and meet project timing,” he said.

For the past two years, Ritchey has led the team responsible for rapidly growing the DuPont Vespel parts & shapes business in the global automotive industry. This team's focus on solutions for high temperature, low wear, and long life powertrain and driveline applications has created a strategic view of friction and wear, within DuPont, which spans multiple business units and products.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

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