Detroit, April 27, 2004:
Avtar Singh
Senior Product Engineer
Strong wheels for use in automobiles, recreational
vehicles, aircraft, and rail cars have usually been constructed of
steel. However, steel wheels have proven too heavy and have poor dimensional
control. Metal alloys have improved dimensional control and reduced
the weight, but at a material cost of three to five times that of
steel.
Wheels made from fiber resin plastic offer
high strength, lower production costs, reduced weight, and the ability
to be mass-produced. By dividing the key components of a wheel into
several parts - such as the hub, rim, and the adjoining disk area -
the design, materials, and production process for each area may be selected
so as to optimize the differences in strength, malleability, appearance,
and shape.