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ALCOA FORGED WHEELS - THE ONLY WHEELS APPROVED BY ALL MANUFACTURERS
The "wheel" component is regarded as a safety item by the Engineering Departments of manufacturers of trucks, bus chassis, and semi-trailers.
In addition to serving a now globalized market, companies are aware that roadway conditions in Brazil are not of the highest quality: conditions on 75% of Brazilian roads are classified as between terrible and poor (according to the CNT - National Confederation of Transporters).
Hence the project approval tests must be extremely rigorous, as must the supplier qualification system, all in order to assure greater safety in transport.
That's why Alcoa wheels are the most appropriate for use in Brazil.
For further details, contact your Alcoa representative or phone Alcoa Rodas de Alumínio Ltda.- After Sales Department - Phone 011 3611 3086.
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
Alcoa has been the leader in aluminum production and quality for over a hundred years.
It operates in over 140 countries, and is always ready with new ideas for serving all its customers' needs.
OVER 50 YEARS PRODUCING THE BEST WHEELS
There are now millions of Alcoa wheels equipping vehicles in a variety of countries.
From the very start of the process, the metal used is rigorously controlled and undergoes ultrasound testing to certify the absence of any air bubbles inside.
In forging, the metal is subjected to very high pressure, and the resulting structural grains combine with the shape of the wheel, making it incomparably strong, in comparison to other production systems.
The forged piece is then heat-treated to maximize its properties of strength and then it is machined.
Because the structure has no porosity, the surface does not need to be protected with a coating, as is the case with cast wheels.
ALCOA QUALITY SYSTEMS
Alcoa wheels are produced in factories certified by the most prestigious international standards bodies (TÜV, DQS, IQNet, Smithers, BVQI):
- ISO-9000, QS-9000, ISO-14000, VDA 6.1
NEW-GENERATION WHEELS
In line with the technological innovations offered by assemblers, the second half of 1997 saw Alcoa begin to market its New Generation Wheels.
Among other improvements, these wheels have even larger ventilation holes and can be used on vehicles with a conventional or disk brake system.
To guarantee complete safety and durability in use, Alcoa carries out testing at independent internationally accredited laboratories:
Rim Roll test
This assures rim strength. After testing, the wheel must not show cracking.
This test entails the application of a force factor which means the maximum load multiplied by this number.
TARGET DETERMINED BY SAE STANDARD:
- 100,000 cycles with 2.8 factor or
- 1,000,000 cycles with 2.0 factor
ALCOA TARGET: 1,000,000 with 2.8 factor
Cornering Fatigue
This assures strength in the disk area of the wheel. As in the previous test, the wheel must not display splitting.
This test similarly entails applying a force factor of the maximum wheel load multiplied by this number.
TARGET DETERMINED BY SAE STANDARD: 250,000 cycles with 1.35 factor
ALCOA TARGET: 400,000 with 1.6 factor
Impact test
A 900 kg. weight is dropped on the tire, simulating impact of the wheel on the highway divider. The wheel must withstand the impact, and the tire must not show leakage of air for a period of one minute.
Other wheel models are unlikely to meet this requirement.
Below is an example of a cast wheel subjected to this test:
LBF Test and TÜEV Test
These tests were developed to simulate severe highway conditions on European roads.
Alcoa wheels also meet these specifications
FIVE TIMES STRONGER THAN STEEL WHEELS
The test specified below measured the force necessary for 5 cm. deformation in the wheel. The result was that the Alcoa wheel reached that deformation with an applied load five times greater than that of the steel wheel.
FIVE-YEAR GUARANTEE
More than a simple catalogue commitment.
All technology allows for greater safety, strength, durability, and savings.
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