Eberspächer focuses on tailored strips

The lighter the vehicle, the lower is its level of CO2 emissions. On the subject of light-weight design, the exhaust specialist Eberspächer focuses on tailored strips (tailor-made steel strips) – they are now being used in the rear silencer of the new BMW 730d (diesel version), thereby contributing to the environmental soundness of this premium model. For the first time, Eberspächer supplies a rear silencer manufactured with tailored strips technology for a production vehicle. In doing so, the automotive supplier is one of the first suppliers to offer their customers environmentally friendly, weight reducing exhaust systems with tailored strips made of stainless steel.

While driving, individual parts of the BMW rear silencer are subject to differing loads. Up to now, however, stainless steel with a constant wall thickness was used. It was custom-designed to withstand the highest mechanical load, the highest temperature and the strongest corrosion attack that this component is exposed to. Thanks to the innovative steel strips, which are joined by laser welding, material strength and properties of the outside shells can be matched and used exactly to local requirements – in a variety of thicknesses, quality or strength. Even during production, tailored strips have a number of advantages: They improve the malleability of the material in critical areas, thereby placing less stress on the tools than in the past. The tailored steel strips were developed by Thyssen Krupp.

In comparison to a conventional silencer (with a consistent wall thickness of 1.2 millimeters), it is possible to realize wall thicknesses of 0.7 or 1.2 millimeters. This way, more than 700 grams are being saved when it comes to the rear silencer of the new BMW 730d. On top of that, manufacturing front and middle silencers, pipes or manifolds with tailored strips, even reduces the weight of the exhaust system in a medium-class vehicle by up to three kilos. However, the quality is not affected at all in this case.

For further information, visit eberspaecher.com