Birch Vale, UK -- Prestige UK motor manufacturer Bentley Motors and polyurethane elastomer specialist Dow Hyperlast have collaborated on innovative suspension designs to meet challenges posed by the luxury marque's latest generation of vehicle chassis.
The resulting design drew on "the exceptional properties of Dow Hyperlast's Autothane microcellular PU elastomer to modify the behaviour of specific shock and vibration management components," said a Dow Hyperlast statement.
The advanced suspension designs enhance the ride and handling performance of the chassis of the new Bentley Continental GT, the company added.
Engineers from both sides worked closely to optimise component geometry to provide prototypes for evaluating ride and handling. The result is a series of insert and cushioning components used to limit the reaction and traverse of vibration isolation bushings by progressive reaction stiffening of torque loads.
Careful use of non-linear finite element analysis proprietary to Autothane helps reduce lead times, said Dow Hyperlast, adding that this latest development takes the use of the material into a wider area of ride and handling refinement.
Autothane can be compressed and returned to its original shape repeatedly under heavy loads within the mechanically harsh environment of a working suspension unit. Knowing how the microcellular elastomer behaves under various loads and different temperatures is critical to the design of the jounce bumpers themselves, insofar as the load-to-weight deflections at certain temperatures is vital to the performance of the vehicle.
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