Automotive

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Automotive

Fluoropolymers and other engineered plastics such as PEEK (polyether ether ketone) are quickly becoming the materials of choice in global automotive applications. These materials are able to maintain exceptional physical properties in extreme conditions such as elevated temperatures and aggressive chemical environments. Engineered polymers are also cost-effective and offer weight savings over other materials such as metal.

As automotive regulatory requirements become more demanding, the use of performance polymers in designs will continue to increase. Zeus is prepared to support automotive innovation by partnering with our customers to determine optimal materials and develop custom parts for their applications. Our polymer solutions can be found worldwide in applications where materials are exposed to critical environments on a broad range of automobile platforms.

For over 50 years, Zeus has continually focused on producing the highest quality products and polymer solutions to meet or exceed industry standards. We are committed to continuous improvement and are ISO/TS 16949 certified to ensure consistent quality and alignment of our products with demands of the automotive industry.

Zeus Dual-Shrink™ heat shrinks have a high presence in automotive areas for crimp and sensor encapsulation. Offered in two forms, with a PTFE outer layer and FEP inner layer and in a low temperature version with an FEP outer layer and EFEP inner layer, these unique bilayer heat shrinks create a moisture proof solid encapsulation. Our spiral wrap, convoluted tubing, and other heat shrink products are likewise widely used for wire harness applications. We also offer drawn fiber made from various resins that make excellent braiding materials for wiring harnesses or cables, thus increasing chafe resistance and minimizing weight.  Zeus Sub-Lite-Wall™ (0.003″ / 0.076 mm) heat shrink offers seamless coverings for composite forming mandrels or bladders that expand with heat and pressure.

Our portfolio also includes polymer solutions that are ideal for fiber optic, hydraulic, wire coating, and sealing applications.

To learn more about our automotive or other products, contact our team or call toll-free in the US 1-800-526-3842 or +1-803-268-9500 internationally today.

  • APPLICATIONS

    Accelerate Performance – Zeus extrudes high-performance polymers which aid in weight reduction by replacing heavy metals and simplifying your design. We have tubing options that can reach 500 °F (260 °C). The natural lubricity of these products makes them ideal for push / pull use in cable applications. Our Engineered Surface tubing reduces friction even further without using additives or fillers. These products allow for easier component assembly and longer service life of moving parts.

    Electric Motor Insulations – Bringing you superior and seamless wire insulation for enhanced motor performance, our PEEK coatings and heat shrink provide superior dielectric properties, high thermal endurance, and extreme abrasion resistance. Additional wire coatings in PTFE, PFA, ETFE, or FEP are also available.

    Fluid Transfer – Meeting your needs for fuel supply, power steering, and flexible brake lines, our high-performance tubing products are chemically inert to typical automotive fluids such as fuels, automatic transmission, power steering, and brake fluids. Dual-layered, or co-extruded, tubing is also available for custom applications. Zeus’ Drawn Fiber for over-braiding increases abrasion resistance; this fiber is also chemically inert to automotive fluids. Our smooth-bore tubing can be customized to give complex geometries for your specific needs.

    Manufacturing Aids – We offer a variety of approved contact resins for use for composite manufacturing. Our heat shrinks provide seamless coverings for mandrels and bladders and replace tapes and films saving time and money.

    Sensors / Fiber Optics – Becoming ever more important for communications and safety, fiber optics have become a focal point in today’s automotive world. Our Dual-Shrink™ heat shrink, convoluted and engineered surface tubing, and spiral cut products deliver critical insulating properties against vibration, noise, wet and corrosive environments, and extreme heat to protect sensors, fiber optics, and wiring communicating back to the powertrain control module (PCM).

    Wire Harness – We place a premium on protecting your valuable wiring, cable, hose, and other systems. Zeus provides a wide variety of protective covering options for your critical wiring bundles including flexible conduit, tubing, braided drawn fiber, heat shrink, spiral cut tubing, corrugated tubing, and engineered surface options to shield your components from extremes of heat, moisture, shock, and more.

  • PRODUCTS

    Aeos™ ePTFE – This product is chemically inert, naturally hydrophobic, and remains flexible in high and low temperatures. Aeos™ ePTFE can be extruded in tubing form, ribbon form, or as a monofilament such as a cable filler adding robustness to cables.

    Convoluted Tubing – Commonly referred to as flexible conduit, this product can be used to house multiple wires to prevent chafing. Our convoluted tubing can be drilled with holes, marked with part numbers, or slit to easily fit over and wrap wires. This tubing is chemically resistant and able to maintain is mechanical features even at temperature extremes.

    Custom Extrusions – We can manufacture shaped splines for centering wiring, reducing vibration impact, and allowing air and moisture passage. Other specialized shapes are available that provide individual isolation of wires in multiple lumens.

    Drawn Fiber – This material is an excellent braiding option for wire harnesses that increase chafe resistance, minimize weight, and provide mechanical reinforcement. Tensile strength, elongation, and shrinkage can be customized to meet your specifications.

    Heat Shrink Tubing – Our shrink-to-fit products provide a protective covering for items subjected to extremes of heat, corrosion, shock, moisture, and other critical conditions. Ratios of 4:1, custom sizes and materials, and certifications to 23053/11 & 12 Mil Spec are available.

    PEEK Insulated Wire / Magnet Wire – For motor windings, insulation, and slot liners; PEEK offers excellent dielectric strength of 3000+ volts/mil, 500 °F (260 °C) thermal endurance, and extreme abrasion resistance. Zeus PEEKshrink™ provides this same high-end protection for splicing; this means that the splice, typically the weakest point in electric motor windings, can now be the strongest. Additional wire coatings in PTFE, PFA, ETFE, or FEP are also available.

    Smooth Bore Tubing – This tubing is best for fluid handling for applications such as fuel, power steering, and flexible brake lines. This high-temperature functioning, chemically inert product offers high lubricity and exceptional anti-stick characteristics.

    Spiral Cut Tubing – Cut in a spiral manner to form an expandable tubing, this product provides a highly flexible housing over wires, cables, hoses, and critical bundles. Custom spacing between the spirals allows for individual lead wires and fibers that can be “broken out” at any point along the tubing. This type of tubing is ideal for wire harnessing or insulating material requiring frequent changing out or servicing.

  • MATERIALS

    ECTFE – Also known as Halar®, this tubing material is a popular selection for protecting wires and cables in automotive and aerospace applications with a broad operating temperature of -94 °F (‑70 °C) to 302 °F (150 °C). ECTFE provides outstanding durability, ultra-low permeability, is chemically resistant and gamma and e-beam sterilizable, and offers good performance at a competitive price.

    ETFE – This copolymer is used in applications requiring excellent impact, abrasion, and stress cracking resistance and possesses superior toughness, stiffness, and durability, all while being chemically inert. The material can be extruded in variety of forms including flexible convoluted tubing. ETFE maintains its mechanical properties up to a continuous working temperature of more than 300 ºF (148 ºC). ETFE is radiation resistant and gamma sterilizable. In heat shrink form, ETFE has a comparably lower recovery temperature range of 360 ºF (185 ºC) to 420 ºF (215 ºC).

    HDPE – This high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tubing provides a high strength-to-density ratio and is a good option for corrosion resistant piping, fuel tanks, electrical boxes, and other automotive needs. HDPE offers a maximum short duration operating temperature of 150 °F (66 °C) with an extended duration operating temperature of 130 °F (54 °C). HDPE, the hardest and stiffest version of polyethylene, possesses a tensile strength of 3,200 – 4,500 psi and is also resistant to sunlight.

    LDPE – This low density counterpart to HDPE, LDPE offers a similar service temperature range, lubricity, and chemical resistance, but with much greater flexibility; making it the softest and most flexible version of PE. LDPE has high elongation giving it greater impact strength. LDPE’s tensile strength is 1,200 – 4,000 psi.

    Nylon – Zeus extrudes nylon tubing and lay-flat tubing and can assist in the selection of the specific grade of nylon best suited for your application. Our engineered nylon is available in a wide range of grades suited for many custom applications including Zytel® (Nylon 6/6; Zytel® 42A and ST801), Rilsan® (Nylon 11; Rilsan® B), Grilamid® (Nylon 12; Grilamid® L25, Rilsan® A, Vestamid® L2140, Grilamid® TR55 and TR55LX), Vestamid®, Pebax® (PEBA; Pebax® 7233, 7033, 6333, 5533, 4033, 3533), and others.

    PEEK – This high-performance engineered polymer possesses excellent endurance to heat and one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any thermoplastic. PEEK material can be used as an alternative to other materials, such as aluminum, steel, glass, and other polymers. This lightweight and biocompatible polymer is very strong while retaining excellent lubricity and purity for demanding applications. PEEK’s upper working temperature is 500 ºF (260 ºC) with superior resistance to many common solvents and fuels. PEEK tubing exhibits exceptional torsion stability, is thermoformable, radiation resistant, with excellent impact and wear resistance. PEEK tubing has a high burst pressure and can withstand more than 3000 autoclave cycles. PEEK has a low flammability value of UL 94 V-0 at 1.45 mm.

    PFA – Zeus PFA possesses excellent lubricity, clarity, flexibility, and chemical resistance making it highly versatile. Aside from its automotive applications, PFA tubing is a preferred choice in a variety of scenarios in semiconductor, chemical, oil and gas, aerospace, pharmaceutical, fiber optics, and medical industries. PFA is highly flexible, chemically resistant to all common solvents, possesses low gas permeability, and has ultra-low levels of ionic extractables. PFA retains its mechanical strength even at temperatures up to 500 °F (260 °C) (flame resistance rating of UL 94 V-0) and can tolerate ETO, e-beam, and autoclave sterilizations.

    PTFE – The unique properties of this material have made it the gold standard for industries requiring top-flight performance in lubricity, high temperature use, chemical resistance, biocompatibility, and precision tolerances. PTFE has a working temperature between -328 °F (-200 °C) to 500 °F (260 °C) and has the lowest coefficient of friction of any similar polymer; it is also chemically resistant to all common solvents including acids and bases.

    PVDF – This polymer’s inherent purity positions it as ideal for a variety of applications which involve extreme conditions. PVDF, also known as Kynar®, is characterized by low permeability as well as strong abrasion and chemical resistance. This fluoropolymer has a good performance-to-cost ratio and provides a wide working temperature range of -58 °F (-50 °C) to 302 °F (150 °C), nuclear radiation and UV resistance, low smoke and flame properties, excellent creep resistance, exceptional dielectric properties, and resistance to bacterial and fungal growth.

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