Technology

Lightweight technology from the group

The ATS product range comprises alloy wheels for passenger vehicles which are manufactured using both the low-pressure casting method as well as using forging technology.

ATS, part of the UNIWHEELS group, introduced this pioneering low-pressure casting technology in 1970 and has been constantly redeveloping it since.

Using the newly-developed racing wheels manufactured in the low-pressure casting method, ATS won the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in 2010 together with Chevrolet. Not only that, at the Formula Three season finale in Macau, ATS chassis occupied first, second, third and fourth places at the finish.

Lightweight technology in all vehicle components leading to weight reduction and therefore a reduction in emissions will increasingly become the focus over the next few years.

UNIWHEELS combines a variety of methods and technologies, some of which have been developed in-house, to optimise weight and strength of the alloy wheels manufactured in the low-pressure casting method.

Coating technology

At ATS, alloy wheels which are put under significant loads undergo a joint optimisation process in the company‘s own coating systems. This process also improves the material properties at the same time.

Strain hardening technology

This innovative method represents a less expensive alternative to the FlowForming process – with almost the same level of weight reduction on the wheel and a shorter process at reduced costs. This technology can be applied with existing weight reduction designs. The process is based on hardening the material whilst, at the same time, smoothening surface harshness in highly-stressed areas of the rim well. In addition, critical process tensions are converted into compressive stresses.

Hollow-spoke casting method

Hollow-spoke wheels are manufactured using in-house developed casting machines with an additional sand core. Alloy wheels which are manufactured using the low-pressure casting method in accordance with the hollow-spoke principle have less rotating mass than full-spoke wheels. Stability and load capacity are increased at the same time.

FlowForming technology

The FlowForming manufacturing technique allows ATS, alongside the already-established company lightweight construction methods, to offer lightweight construction which has been tried and tested in the automotive industry.

With the manufacture of alloy wheels with the involvement of FlowForming technology, parts of the wheel rim are rolled out in a second processing phase. A large majority of the machining is dispensed with, which means, on the one hand, that raw materials are able to be saved in comparison with conventional manufacturing methods and, on the other hand, the material undergoes a second compaction phase during the FlowForming method as the alloy material is rolled out. This allows parts of the alloy wheel to have lower wall thicknesses whilst still being extremely stable.

For example, the 8.5 x 19“ ATS RACELIGHT wheel manufactured using the FlowForming method weighs just 9.9 kg. FlowForming technology alone has contributed to a 10 % reduction in the weight. In comparison with conventionally-casted wheels and wheels available on the market, using FlowForming-manufactured wheels means saving 4 kg per wheel. That‘s 16 kg per car! This is particularly important for driving dynamics in the unsprung mass area, with the additional reduction in emission values.