What's New at ConExpo/IFPE

More new products and technologies that companies plan to showcase at this year's ConExpo-Con/Agg, which is co-located with the IFPE fluid-power event in Las Vegas from March 4-8, are previewed.

Grede is developing lightweight chassis, powertrain, and drivetrain components-including safety-critical systems-for several heavy-equipment manufacturers using a patented ductile iron alloy called SiboDur. Parts made from the alloy compete favorably with aluminum in terms of weight reduction, according to Grede, and offer high structural performance and durability, as well as integration for part complexity reduction. Five different SiboDur alloys are available, each offering select chemistries that can improve fatigue strength and functional design optimizations to match the requirements of specific applications. For example, SiboDur's Ultimate Tensile Strength ranges from 450 to 800 MPa, with elongation percentage ratios of 6 to 23%. Grede also utilizes sophisticated topography and FEA to create precise casting geometry to match the individual load case and stress strain vectors where it is needed. More detail at http://articles.sae.org/12843.