Perforated sheets are a functional construction and design element for the automotive industry. Prominent examples are ventilation grilles as engine protection and perforated body parts for weight optimization. SCHÄFER Perforated Metal developed nine individual protective and ventilation grilles for the British off-road vehicle Grenadier from INEOS Automotive. The perforated plates are visible at the front of the vehicle and are optimized for air flow to cool the engine. Nevertheless, they permanently protect the engine from mechanical impacts that are common in everyday off-road use. The grilles are manufactured in Neunkirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia and delivered ready for installation.
"The original plan for the INEOS Grenadier was to use diamond-shaped perforations for engine protection. Of course we could have supplied this. In the design-in process, together with the engineers and designers from INEOS, we were able to work out the advantages of hexagonal perforations for this application. The achieved increase in air flow of a good eight percent has a measurable effect on engine cooling. The engine works more efficiently and is just as well protected against stone chipping as with the diamond perforation", explains Torsten Schoew, automotive expert in the field of engine protection and cooling at SCHÄFER Perforated Metal.
Each type of perforation has specific areas of application and offers individual advantages. A diamond-shaped perforation allows a free cross-section of just under 75 percent. In other words: one square meter of perforated sheet then consists of 25 percent metal, 75 percent is open area. With hexagonal perforation Hv 6.0-6.7, the free cross-section can be increased to over 80 percent. On the one hand, this optimizes air permeability and, on the other, provides protection against mechanical impact from objects with a diameter greater than 6 mm.
The challenge in the production of the hole pattern Hv 6.0-6.7 is the ratio of hole size (6 mm), material thickness (1.0 mm) and web width (0.7 mm). The 0.7 mm fine webs must not tear during production and must withstand external influences even in harsh environments. This requires know-how and precise punching tools in the production facility, which SCHÄFER Perforated Metal manufactures in its own tool shop.
All in all, SCHÄFER Perforated Metal realizes complex customer projects, which include comprehensive expert advice. The product range includes over 400 different immediately available hole patterns, which are designed as round, square, diamond, long or hexagonal perforations. The company processes steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, brass and plastic. An in-house design department is responsible for the development of customer-specific patterns. This means that almost all conceivable applications can be realized. In addition to perforation, SCHÄFER Perforated Metal offers a wide range of processing services, in particular lasering, edging, notching, punching, degreasing, powder coating, painting and anodizing.
