Production Processes

Meeting the Needs of our Customers

We are the go-to partner when it comes to providing the know-how for the right material mix and its related processes, e.g. vulcanization, adhesion characteristics, rubber, silicone and plastic injection as well as welding and assembly processes. Next to standard industry processes, Vibracoustic has adapted and further developed various innovative production processes for the individual needs of our customers, including:

Vulcanization

Vulcanization is based on the chemical reaction of rubber with temperature and the precondition to give rubber its required NVH – mainly stiffness and damping – performance characteristics. The most important factor for a perfect result is the perfect combination of temperature, pressure and time.

Laser Welding

Laser welding is a material fusion process using the energy of a laser beam to melt the materials being joined. Like this, Vibracoustic solves the challenges of light weight and compact design, e.g. in a rear suspension subframe mount where we chose a glass fiber reinforced polyamide. While the outer sleeve is transparent to the laser beam, the inner black plastic cage absorbs the energy and the plastic is melted. The components are combined without any screws or additional connections, enlarging the space inside the mount for increased damping characteristics. More space for the rubber springs leads to increased comfort and operational stability. As the cage and outer sleeve are made completely of plastic, the mount is over 20% lighter than comparable mounts made of metal.

Hot Gas Welding

Hot gas welding is a process for joining thermoplastic materials and is not easily automatized. Vibracoustic has adapted this process for use in air spring production. This process ensures a high degree of flexibility in the design of air spring top pot components, which can thus be precisely matched to the available space. Using this method, complex three-dimensional shapes are possible, which allow complex multi-chamber layouts to be realized for the top pot. By using plastic instead of metal, the components are up to 30% lighter and the stability of the components is comparable to that of conventionally manufactured plastic components.

DualRubber Process

DualRubber products are specifically designed to combine the advantages of two different rubber materials in a single design. These products are produced in special vulcanization presses equipped with two rubber injection units. Using a multi-cavity vulcanization mold combined with a unique cold runner the two rubber materials are injected in specific areas of the different cavities. The molds are carefully balanced and both rubbers are filling their specific areas within the same time. During the following vulcanization process both materials are transferred within the same time from a mainly viscous to a mainly elastic material-behavior. In addition, both rubber materials are bonded to the needed reinforcement components like metal or plastic components.

DuPlas Process

DuPlas stands for “Dual Plastic” and is an NVH product range consisting out of two different plastic materials used for example in spring seat isolators. Typically, there is a hard material providing the structural integrity of the product and a soft material providing the right amount of damping and stiffness. Compared to pure rubber parts or rubber to metal parts the recycling is much easier and the DuPlas product provides a higher design flexibility and functionality. DuPlas is produced in a typical plastic injection machine feeding two plastic materials into a uniquely designed mold. During each cycle both materials are injected into their specific cavities. Between the cycles the cavities within the mold are flipped and in one cavity the soft material is injected on top of the hard material and in the other cavity the hard material is injected as the base for the soft material. This also reduces the production time of the DuPlas products in comparison to rubber or rubber to metal parts.

Production Processes

Production Processes

Meeting the Needs of our Customers

Vulcanization

Laser Welding

Hot Gas Welding

DualRubber Process

DuPlas Process

Dr. Joerg Boecking | CTO

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Marco Altherr | CFO

Former Positions (selection)

Frank Mueller | CEO

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Dr. Jörg Böcking | CTO

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Marco Altherr | CFO

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Frank Müller | Vorstandsvorsitzender

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Axel Wersel | COO

Former Positions (selection)

Axel Wersel | COO

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