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| Technical basics and details Technical terms Forging: Dirt-repellent Nano tec-coating Handling of alloy wheels: |
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| Components of an Alloy Wheel | ||
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Bolt (Pitch) Circle Diameter / Bolt Hole Pattern indicates the diameter of two opposite bolts on the wheel hub of a car, and how many bolt holes the wheel needs to fit the hub. Centrebore Diameter: For optimum flexibility, AEZ uses reduction rings so that a wheel can have a number of centrebore diameters with only one centrebore hole (basic ring system) Offset is the distance from the mounting surface to the rim's true centreline. This measurement is very important as it determines the positioning of the wheel on the car. Rim Width is the inner distance between the two rim flanges. The rim width also indicates the nominal width of the wheel. Hump: When strong lateral forces are acting on the wheel (e.g. when driving around curves), the hump keeps the tyre from slipping around on the wheel, thereby preventing a sudden loss of tyre pressure. There are a large number of different hump designs. Key wheel indicators: e.g. 7.5Jx17H2 7.5....Nominal width (rim width) J.......Size of the rim flange 17.....Nominal diameter of the wheel H2.... Double hump (individual hump design) |
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 Specials at AEZ The three-section forged wheel “Nemesis” The High-Grade, High-Tech Designer Wheel for Purists |
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 The inner and outer wheel dish and the star hub are made of forged aluminium and feature an electroplated surface. The highly polished wheel dish and its sand-blasted titanium-coloured star hub give this wheel a technoid appearance. The wheel’s modular construction takes the look and performance of exclusive sports and luxury cars to the next level. |
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Exclusive Forged Wheel “Forge A” Lite tec® Elegant, luxury Design |
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| The Forge A is a forged wheel featuring an elegant and luxurious design manufactured using Lite tec® technology. Rotating rollers exert enormous pressure on the metal blank to create a high-density wheel dish. The interplay of pressure, roller rotation speed and the high temperature of the material are decisive factors in determining the strength of the wheel. Computers constantly monitor the temperature and the tension in the wheel core. Years of experience go into manufacturing every wheel: flow forming is an art that only few have mastered. |
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| Forging Forging is a non-machined manufacturing technique carried out while the material is heated but still solid. The so-called blanks are aluminium cylinders about 30 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height. Great pressure and high temperatures are applied to the blank, which is pressed into the shape of the mould. This takes place over three production steps using moulds with various degrees of contouring. The moulds are clamped into the forging press and pressed together under 5000-8000t of locking pressure. Compressing the material during forging boosts the density of the material, but also disproportionately increases the maximum load capacity. A silicon aluminium alloy is used in the forging process, enabling the surface to be polished to an extremely high shine. This shine is maintained even when the wheel surface is sealed using an acrylic finish and is protected from the elements and scratching. The acrylic coating makes it impossible, and unnecessary, to repolish the wheel. Manufacturing Forging The materials are heated to approximately 400°C before every step. |
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Machine tooling All manufacturing processes up until this step are carried out in the forge. We have our own manufacturing specialists who complete the remaining work processes to meet our extremely high quality requirements. Using exceptionally fine tools our team dresses the wheel on all sides to make sure it corresponds to AEZ’s measurement requirements and mills the design, as determined by the AEZ team, into the wheel. Finally, the wheel is polished to a high shine by hand on the front and on the interior, and the surface is sealed using a liquid acrylic finish. In a nutshell Forging allows us to give the wheel high-performance properties, and achieve sportier handling and improved braking ability, while keeping wheel mass to a minimum. Of course, forged wheels entail much higher manufacturing costs than cast wheels. |
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| Nano tec – easy 2 clean® Brilliant Silver | ||
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Nano tec - easy 2 clean® ”Nano tec Brilliant Silber” is a finish manufactured using nanotechnology that is able to repel dust and dirt. Our Nano tec finish was specially developed by our experts at AEZ Produktion together with the company FreiLacke located in Bräunlingen, Germany. This special finish has a very low surface energy allowing it to repel water (creating a beading, or “lotus leaf” effect). This means that oily substances, dirt and brake dust no longer stick to the surface, making the wheel “easy2clean”. In addition, our Nano tec Brilliant Silver finish is scratch-resistant, extremely tough and heat-resistant – all properties that the world has come to expect from high-quality AEZ alloy wheels. AEZ Leichtmetallräder is the first company world-wide to use nanotechnology in wheel finishes. Nano tec – easy 2 clean is used on the AEZ Raver. |
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| A Wheel Dish with EH2+ Hump | ||
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The EH2+ hump is the latest development in hump design. Together with runflat tyres, the EH2+ hump guarantees that the tyre will not slip off the wheel due to a sudden loss of tyre pressure. Of course, non-runflat tyres can also be used, but without these pluses. The EH2+ hump is currently is use with our new wheels: the AEZ Phoenix and the AEZ Intenso. |
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| Developing Wheel Models | ||
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The story of a wheel begins with a design idea. Design specification documentation is drawn up outlining the basic definition, appearance and the technical structure of the wheel (one-section, two-section or multi-section). This idea is then brought to life using special CAD software to create the first 3D model for testing. The software allows the wheel to be turned three-dimensionally and for improvements to be made easily. |
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| Wheel tension testing | ||
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| Spoke stress Enormous pressure –exceeding by far any actual strain on the wheel in reality – is applied to the 3D wheel model in computer simulations, which calculates tension and warping. The computer also displays the resulting changes in the wheel using different colours. The areas subjected to the greatest amount of stress are shown in red, while stress-free areas are shown in green. |
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Spoke warping In this test the 3D wheel model is examined to see if any warping has occurred in the spoke flange. Here again, the critical areas show up in red, and the design modified and corrected. |
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| Final Testing of the Wheel The 3D wheel model is modified and optimised until the critical stress levels are eliminated. The wheel is designed to withstand enormous loads, guaranteeing safety for the driver and the highest-quality product for us. |
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| TUEV Testing Each and every wheel made by AEZ undergoes TUEV testing as a matter of course, guaranteeing a high level of traffic safety for years. The most important TUEV tests are:
Fatigue Testing |
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| Using Alloy Wheels in Winter | ||
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| Caveat: No wheel is manufactured exclusively for use in winter. A wheel’s suitability for use in winter (resistance to salt and gravel) is determined by the quality and coating strength of the clear finish. AEZ uses an especially high-quality finish developed particularly to withstand rough winter conditions. The objective was to strike an ideal compromise between the strength and elasticity of the finish. There are several non-standardised ways test these properties. The toughest test is certainly the Jaguar drop test. A M8 nut is dropped from a height of 4 m through a tube so that it hits the wheel, testing to make sure the finish does not chip. |
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Protection from salt: All AEZ wheels must pass the salt-spray test. In this test the finish on the wheel is scratched and sprayed with an acidic solution in a plastic container for about 300 hours. This test demonstrates very clearly how high the quality of the finish is, as the finish opens up, or “blossoms” where the clear or silver finish has any quality defects. |
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| Snow chains: Snow chains, mounted properly and at the right time, are not a problem for AEZ wheels in principle. Depending on the vehicle, AEZ pays special attention to make sure that snow chain access is included in the TUEV certification. |
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| Cleaning, Care and Storage of Alloy Wheels Specially designed cleansers and cleaning cloths have been developed for alloy wheels. At no time may aggressive chemicals, scouring agents or similar substances be used, as they may diminish the appearance of the wheel. When storing the wheels, e.g. during the winter season, they should be cleaned first and kept in a dry place. |
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| Repair of light-alloy wheels Every type of interference with the rim material (heating, welding, adding of materials, or even engraving, etching and grinding) results in a change in material properties and invalidates the strength test report. ! ! ! The wheel owner thus loses all rights to liability and warranty claims ! ! ! Based on these facts and our responsibility to our customers, we most urgently advise against rim repair even though insurance companies have lately started to push for this type of repair work for cost reasons. Unfortunately, repair of light-alloy wheels is still very common. This information explains why it would be better to steer clear of the repair of light-alloy wheels. Should you need any further information, please don't hesitate to contact the experts at AEZ Light Alloy Wheels and TÜV SÜD Automotive. Contact: AEZ, Mr. Ing. Pierre Czompo, Tel.: 0043-2256-801-513 TÜV SÜD Automotive, Mr. Jürgen Hübner, 0049-89-32950-693 AEZ Technical Department, 2008 |
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