How one small fastener assembly has made a big difference to the user-friendliness of electric vehicle components
Jake Holmes looks at how one small fastener assembly has made a big difference to the user-friendliness of electric vehicle components.
When people list off electric vehicle (EV) components, they tend to focus on crucial mechanical parts such as the battery, motor and electronic control units (ECUs). However, it can often be the less obvious components that make all the difference in how a customer perceives and experiences a vehicle.
For instance, the user-friendliness of a central console can be an important feature for many customers who value ease-of-use and smooth functionality in their day-to-day lives. One global EV manufacturer in particular recognised the need to provide a better experience for users and improve the quality of their existing central console. Requiring precise speed and timing for the opening and closing of the mechanism, it turned to industrial fastenings manufacturer and distributor, TR Fastenings, to provide a bespoke spring solution.
GAPS IN THE MARKET
The EV manufacturer’s requirement was for a fastening solution that would provide an advanced sliding functionality to the console in its latest EV model. The solution needed to include a bespoke spring and spool mechanism with three different versions designed for installation in the console’s tray, cup holder and lid.
Despite researching the market for a solution to the client’s challenge, TR could not find a suitable spring and spool product for the sliding console. So, the company set about designing its own component.
Creating the product in the time frame available posed the most significant challenge. The open and closure mechanism would only be possible through using advanced fastening technology, requiring a high level of technical expertise and collaboration.
“Finding the right solution is my passion, and working alongside our customer on this project was an incredible opportunity to bring that to life,” says Patrik Ringdahl, project engineer at TR.
PLUGGING THE GAP
New EV components require extensive design and engineering expertise, all the way from design and prototyping through to full production.
TR’s US and Swedish branches collaborated closely with several global manufacturers to design and assemble the final spring and spool product. This saw a collection of experts come together throughout the project to ensure its success.
“Leveraging our experience and global supplier network, we designed a solution that not only met their precise needs but also provided enhanced functionality and durability,” Ringdahl explains.
The mechanism requires a suitable damper to match the spring performance to enable the smooth and continuous motion of the central control mechanism, both in a stationary vehicle or when in operation over uneven terrain. To achieve this, TR developed a spring and spool assembly which translates linear motion into rotation. The client also requested the spring and spool to operate silently.
Using a high-lubricity plastic achieved a low-friction product, making use easier and reducing noise. Customers experienced and even and easy pull due to the aligned geometry of the spool and spring. TR used a specific polymer to produce the spool, ensuring low static and dynamic sliding friction against mating surfaces.
To help keep costs down and speed up installation time, the size of the spool was reduced, which required less raw material and simplified the installation process. The product met the demands of the client’s central console mechanism whilst being reliable, cost-efficient and functionally smooth.
“This approach means our customer benefits from a reliable, high-performance component, supporting their commitment to quality and innovation,” Ringdahl adds. “Growing with our customers to create functional, forward-thinking solutions is what drives our teams at TR every day.”
IMPROVING EVS MATTERS
Introducing new technologies to EVs can have a far greater impact than merely just improving a user’s enjoyment. The world is currently in a race against time to blunt the blade of climate change, and innovations such as EVs can aid in this global mission. The uptake of EVs is essential to reducing the impacts of climate change, especially in densely populated areas.
Research from the European Union has found EVs produce significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than combustion-driven cars over the course of their lifetime. Hand in hand with curbing emissions, EVs have a neutral impact on air quality, an increasingly vital topic in urban areas.
Car manufacturers have been heavily incentivised to increase their focus on the manufacturing and production of EVs. Firstly, by market shifts as diesel sales in the UK have fallen by a fifth whilst petrol car sales have fallen by 14% according to recent data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). And secondly, by the UK government’s policy to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Similar action is being taken by many other governments around the world.
As 2024 comes to an end, reports indicate an increase of 18.1% in sales of EVs, an improvement on the 15.6% rise at the same point in 2023. Advancements in EVs, whether that be vehicle mechanics or user-focused elements, are essential to continue to accelerate the transition to electric.
