The Simmerring® test facility in Weinheim is a key component of the innovative strength and quality philosophy of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST). In Weinheim, FST has recently expanded its testing expertise with a new test rig for washing machine seals.
For washing machine manufacturers such as premium customers Miele and BSH (best-known brands Bosch and Siemens), Simmerrings are critical components. The seals are often invisible, but always essential.
Inside the appliance, a shaft rotates the drum filled with dirty laundry through the suds container. Sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right. Sometimes through a lot of suds, sometimes through a little only. Sometimes slowly, sometimes – when spinning – at well over 1,000 revolutions per minute. A Simmerring® specially designed for this application prevents the aqueous solution from escaping and damaging roller bearings or electrical drive components.
Lye instead of oil
The particular challenge for FST in washing machines is the medium. Washing suds must be sealed, not the usual lubricating oils and greases. In order to reliably test the performance of a Simmerring® against washing suds, special test benches are required that faithfully simulate all operating conditions during washing. Until now, such “washing machine test benches” were almost exclusively available to appliance manufacturers. Now FST does, too.
“It makes sense to be able to test specific products for washing machines ourselves. It puts us in an even better position to develop customized sealing solutions for customers in the household appliances market segment, which is important to us,” says Florian Spiegelhalter, who has been in charge of the test facility since last January. The new dynamic test bench is based on the same principle as one of the major washing machine manufacturers’ benches. “We meet their expectations exactly and can transfer results one-to-one,” Spiegelhalter says.
Product development engineer Marcus Kowall says: “This represents a clear competitive advantage. We can now simulate the unique load conditions of radial shaft seals in washing machine applications in-house. With this we can make sure that new products meet the highest quality and performance standards. At the same time, the test bench provides us with fact-based arguments for value selling. This strengthens our position in the market and opens up new business opportunities for us.”
Modernization towards digitalization
The new test bench enables comprehensive testing at various speeds, temperatures, pressure loads, water levels and several other parameters. It belongs to the latest generation of FST’s supplier for test benches in Weinheim, a system provider specializing in testing technology. This new generation is characterized by standardized hardware interfaces and digital data processing – which improves the consistency and accuracy of the testing processes. One advantage in terms of sustainability: the test bench is equipped with energy-efficient motors and a recuperation system. This significantly reduces energy consumption.
Spiegelhalter points out another special feature: automatic leakage detection by sensor. “This allows us to track exactly at which point in time or under which operating conditions leaks occur.” This function is an example of the direction in which the test field is currently being developed. “We have recently purchased many new test benches and have a modern setup. With this investment, we are expanding our broad range of testing options in a targeted manner. Digitization is key for further modernization. The aim is to learn even better from data, streamline processes and accelerate product development and time to market overall,” Spiegelhalter says.
Investing in innovation and excellence
Dr. Daniel Frölich, Technical Director Lead Center Simmerrings, says: “The new test bench is an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence. It not only expands our testing capabilities, but also supports our data-driven development initiatives for new designs and materials. The investment underlines our strong commitment to product development and testing in Weinheim. We have all the relevant technical departments here on site – keeping things short and sweet. Our material and product development, sample department and test field work closely together at the site.” Besides, the test facility also performs tests for other FST divisions, such as Special Sealing or Fluid Power.
Contact persons are: Florian Spiegelhalter, Marcus Kowall and Dr. Daniel Frölich.
