Brakes - Brake Lines
Brake systems are synonymous with safety. Redundancy is imperative, as is the emphasis on performance. The extruded aluminum brake lines perform under high pressure yet provide the resistance to burst under surge in pressure as defined by the anti-lock brake system.
Source: www.hydro.com
Extruded Aluminum Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Valve Bodies
Extruded aluminum blocks are used as ABS stem valve bodies in most vehicles, for weight and performance characteristics. The shapes are typically extruded into lengths, and then cut in blocks.
Typical specifications for these ABS valve bodies are:
- 6061 T6
- Reduced mechanical property ranges and microstructure control to improve machinability and allow for staking operations to assemble the valves into the valve bodies.
Driveshaft Tubes
Not many applications reduce both cost and weight, yet that is the story with the extruded aluminum driveshaft tubes. The key here is that the full tube can be produced in a single piece as opposed to a 2-piece steel design. The weight and cost savings come from the elimination of a center joint and bearing along with an additional frame crossmember.
These aluminum driveshafts are used on the longer wheelbase pickup trucks. Of the pictures show, one is a straight seamless tube and the other is a straight seamless tub that has the ends swaged to a smaller diameter to fit in the vehicle package space. Some of the tubes also get cardboard or foam liners to improve NVH characteristics. In the assembly, Tier 1 driveshaft supplier welds on the end fittings and assembles the U-Joints.
Typical specifications for driveshaft tubes are:
- 6061-T6 or T8 alloy
- Seamless extruded tubes, which are subsequently drawn to achieve thin walls and tight dimensional ranges
- Tight tolerances to allow for dynamic balancing of the driveshaft assemblies
Source: Kaiser Aluminum