The transformation of powertrain technologies poses risks. Established businesses are falling by the wayside. But it also offers Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) a range of opportunities based on innovations for new drivetrain concepts and greater involvement in applications beyond the drivetrain. Business with other up-and-coming industries is also promising. Like renewable energies.
In the automotive business, all signs point to electric mobility. The shift from internal combustion engines to battery-electric motors is picking up speed. With this in mind, FST is developing a variety of solutions for “new mobility” that extend far beyond its traditional sealing business.
FST’s innovative spirit and openness to new technologies are on display in heat shields, thermal barriers, multifunctional pressure equalization components (DIAvents) and prismatic cell caps. Two-thirds of the company’s automotive pipeline is filled with purely e-mobility projects. The expertise in materials, design and processes developed in the sealing business has proven to be extremely valuable.
At the same time FST scores high with an array of existing products for the automotive powertrains of the future. Plug & Seals are the best example. FST can equip these connecting elements with sensors to monitor temperature or pressure. Talking about sensors: No matter what powertrain is used, the demand for sensors and electronics is growing. This is due to increasing electrification and automation in cars with an abundance of safety and comfort functions, from lane departure warning systems to massage seats. FST’s tried-and-tested seals and housings protect these measurement devices from extreme temperatures, moisture, dirt or electromagnetic interference (with EMI shielding).
Building up Existing Strengths
Traditional FST products are also benefiting from the trend toward automatic transmissions in cars. The solutions that FST has for them have traditionally been excellent. Different versions of the Simmerring® are a prime example. Whatever the drive system, the vehicles of the future will still require steering, braking and suspension systems. In these application areas, FST can continue to build on its strengths with existing and new propulsion-independent products.
That being said, an observation from Ulrich Huth, Head of Automotive Sales, still applies. “We are going to lose a lot of automotive business due to the decline of the internal combustion engine and the units associated with it,” he said in an interview in the previous edition of SEALING WORLD. “This affects about 60 percent of our previous sales. That doesn’t mean that the business is going to completely disappear. Until now, our main focus has been on engines and transmissions. Now the battery is primarily taking over this role. And then there are e-axles, which combine the electric motor, transmission and performance electronics in a single component.”
Given these circumstances, one of FST’s key advantages stands out. Thanks to its broad array of products, the company is at home in a wide range of industries. There are many growth areas, some might falter for some time. A prime example: Medical applications came to the fore during the pandemic. The trend revealed how well positioned FST is in the field. For example, it has micro-solutions for safety and dosing valves as well as seals, diaphragms and component parts for lab, dental and medical equipment. Some key applications are breathing masks and devices to measure blood pressure and respiration (see article on this page). And when it comes to future-oriented topics like robotics and automation, FST and its products are in the forefront (see article on this page).
Smart seals are setting trends for the future across industries, promoting the safe and reliable operation of machines and systems. By monitoring their own wear, they provide assessments of their condition in real time. They make it easier to schedule predictive maintenance and repairs and carry out measures economically. Precise timing is the key: not too early because that would be costly, and not too late because that could result in leaks. FST demonstrated the feasibility of these smart seals in a dedicated study early this year.
From Hydropower to Hydrogen
One higher-level goal rises above powertrain electrification and the gradual retreat from the internal combustion engine: replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy to slow global warming. For years, FST has been doing business successfully in the once-revolutionary world of hydrogen and hydropower, of electrolysis and fuel cells, and wind turbines and solar energy. Thanks to its proactive stance, Freudenberg is starting to reap benefits. Growth in these markets is helping to offset gradual losses in the classic automotive business.
“We produce made-to-order products for floodgates, dams and storm surge barriers of every shape and size,” said Scott Sharpless, Global Key Account Manager at Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, citing just one example of the company’s diversification. Its presence in that market is important since hydropower continues to be the leading source of renewable energy. Sharpless sees more opportunities in the future. “African and Asian countries, including India, are following China’s example, accelerating their economic expansion by building hydropower plants,” Sharpless said. Tidal power stations, which harness the energy of ocean tides, need new technical solutions due to saltwater corrosion. That will take materials expertise, one of FST’s core competencies.
Tailwind for Wind Power
With the help of wind energy, powerful tailwinds are sustaining the energy transition. Starting with the main bearing seal – the key word here is Seventomatic – FST has been improving these systems’ long-term reliability and the industry’s growth with a wide array of products.
One high-altitude example: Rotor blades for the next generation of offshore wind turbines with an installed capacity of up to 20 megawatts. Their diameters exceed 250 meters (820 feet). It takes robust, sophisticated hydraulic solutions with FST’s high-performing, long-lasting piston accumulators to handle these gigantic rotor blades high above the sea.
FST components also perform important functions at sea level in offshore wind facilities. For example, the seal for monopile transition pieces has been effective in preventing corrosion between the foundation structure and the turbine tower for more than 30 years. And FST rubber pads installed in the buoys of floating offshore wind turbines ensure that high voltage cables are securely positioned at the specified depth.
Sunny Prospects
More and more solar parks are connecting to grids worldwide, and the sealing materials used in their systems must meet special requirements for fire protection and resistance to ultraviolet light. Dust, sand and water are important issues as well. Special connectors are required to link solar panels to one another and to connect the entire park to the power grid. The connectors have to be sealed securely all around, especially against water to prevent corrosion. FST annually produces 100 million sealing rings to support these applications. The delicate silicone seals have a diameter of approximately 7 millimeters. A safety-critical part, they prevent power loss due to corrosion and reduce the risk of fire.
Green Hydrogen
Green hydrogen, which is produced with renewable energy, is tremendously important as an energy source for the future, according to all projections. First of all, for the fuel cells expected to power ships and trucks. More than two decades ago, Freudenberg began to develop sealing concepts for these systems. The expertise developed at the time is now paying off.
Secondly, internal combustion engines can be powered with hydrogen. Some applications could be a transitional solution on the world’s path to improved CO2 balance sheets. And last but not least, hydrogen can serve as a medium for the storage and transport of green electric power.
Two processes in particular have emerged to produce hydrogen in electrolyzers – alkaline electrolysis (AEL) and proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEM). FST offers appropriate integrated sealing solutions for both, including frame seals, sometimes made of FKM, other times made of EPDM.
All Charged Up
What is the good of extraordinarily clean green energy if it can’t get to consumers? Power grids are needed for this. They include distribution and transformer stations that connect high-voltage overhead power lines to local grids. They also make sure that the current flowing from outlets in homes are low- voltage: 230 volts. Protective gases in the switching systems of transformer stations keep electric arcs from creating hazards and causing damage. To date, SF6 gas, which is environmentally harmful yet comparatively easy to seal, has been used for this. Modern gases based on CO2 and air are much more climate-friendly but more difficult to contain. FST has developed suitable, long-lasting seals based on the material known as CIIR for these environmentally-friendly options.
