Saint-Gobain Seals Group Charges On with Emerging Sealing and Polymer Technology for Electric Cars
GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA - Saint-Gobain Seals Group continues investing in the development of electric vehicle technology with its OmniLip™ and OmniShield® sealing solutions and Meldin® HT polymer solution. The electric car, which is propelled by one electric motor or more using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device, has become one of the youngest and fastest growing segments in today's automotive industry. Although volumes are still in the low single digit percentage compared to conventional internal combustion engine cars, this rate is steadily increasing and several initiatives around the globe are in place to achieve the goal of having 20 million electric cars on the road by 2020. Since 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing has occurred due to advances in battery and power management technologies, concerns about increasing oil prices, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Seals Group's OmniLip™ product line of rotary lip seals are used in a cooling differential module for the electric system. Cooling the electrical systems is one of the most critical challenges engineers face and is essential for safe operation. In addition, it is important for the cooling system to consume the least amount of energy possible to ensure long use of battery power. After a long and rigorous development process, the Seals Group designed a special version of its OmniLip™ radial lip seal, which includes a low level of friction. It is a key factor in reducing the energy consumption and at the same time providing an efficient and durable sealing solution. These lip seals can endure hostile environments, unlike elastomer lip seals, with key benefits in terms of temperature and chemical resistance.
Another defining feature of the electric car is the charging of the batteries. For charging electric cars, special connectors have been developed by the industry. With its OmniShield® spring-technology seals, which were first introduced in 1958, the Seals Group has developed a full range of springs for latching and locking as well as shielding for these battery connectors.
Not only does the Saint-Gobain Seals Group provide the above sealing solutions but also material solutions such as their Meldin® HT polymer components for the brake system. They co-developed with one of the automotive industry's leading manufacturers, a series of high-tech polymer components that are used in the brake system of the Renault ZOE.
About Saint-Gobain Seals Group (www.seals.saint-gobain.com)
Saint-Gobain Seals Group is a business unit under Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics' Engineered Components division; our parent company is one of the world's top 100 industrial groups. With more than 50 years of manufacturing experience and an established global presence (with strategic sites in Garden Grove, California, USA; Kontich, Belgium; and Minhang, Shanghai, China), we offer a diverse range of innovative sealing and polymer solutions:Â
Spring-Energized Seals
PTFE Rotary Shaft Seals
Fluoroelastomer Seals
EMI / RFI Shielding Solutions
High-Performance Fluoropolymer Compounds
Thermoset Polyimide Materials
High-Performance Thermoplastic Materials
Other products include Fluoroloy® (high-performance custom-formulated compounds and alloys), cup seals, hydraulic seals, metal seals, v-packings, piston rings, Marathon® (valves and vacuum pump diaphragms), Transband® (PTFE creepage band), custom parts, polymer bearings and stock shapes.
The majority of seals and polymer components manufactured are custom designed and matched with the best materials to optimize their performance in various applications and markets.
