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A look at the car of TodayThe Future

Hole Making
Grinding
ELECTRONICS

Machining
Wire Drawing
All

Body & Interior

Electrical
Harnessing
Glass
Plastic
Components
Semiconductors
LED
Lights

Drive Train

Bearings
CV
Joint
Driveshaft
Ring
Gear
Pinion

Engine

Camshaft
Crankcase
Crankshaft
Cylinder
Liner
Valves
Valve
Seats

Wheels & Suspension

Alloy
Wheels
Brake Disc
Suspension
Components
Tyres

Body & Interior

Audio Systems
Body Panels
CFRP
parts
Semiconductors
Infrared
Detectors
LED
Lights
PMMA
Electrical
Harnessing

Drive Train

Diamond
Bearings
Hybrid
Drive Train

Engine

Powertrain
Sensors
Safety
Sensors
Navigation
Sensors

Wheels & Suspension

Aluminum
parts
Ceramic and
MMC Brake discs
Wire Drawing

Electrical Harnessing MD111

Electronics throughout the car require extensive electrical harnessing.

Wire drawing is a metalworking process used to reduce the cross-section of a wire by pulling the wire through a single, or series of, drawing dies. There are many applications for wire drawing, including electrical wiring and cables.

Features

  • 3 point crystal orientation
  • Excellent thermal conductivity and stability at temperatures up to 1100°C in non-oxidising environments
  • Broad ranges of sizes
  • Stringent quality controlled synthesis

Benefits

  • Exceptional wear resistance with reduced hole wear distortion
  • Long, reliable die life
  • Consistently high quality finish of drawn wire


Grinding

Glass PDA999

Car windscreens are normally made of material that is resistant to different external contaminants as well as impacts.

Glass grinding is primarily done using diamond abrasives. Carefully selected grain sizes, concentrations and bond types can increase productivity, improve surface finish and reduce subsurface damage.

The Element Six PDA diamond range is the optimal choice for glass grinding, in particular the higher crystalline diamond types; PDA999, PDA989, PDA768.

Their high strength, higher thermal stability and defined shape can improve grinding process through high material removal rates, improved surface finishes and long tool life.

Features

  • High impact strength
  • Thermal stability
  • Uniform particle strength

Benefits

  • Improved performance and throughput of products
  • High consistency, providing superb surface finish without subsurface damage


Machining

Plastic Components CMX850

Although many plastic components are manufactured to near-net shape, there is still a significant amount of trimming and machining required.

Plastic components offer vehicle manufacturers greater flexibility at lower cost than metal components. Increasing quality standards within the automotive industry, combined with greater recycling targets, mean higher quality cutting and reduction of material waste is key.
The greater wear resistance of PCD compared to traditional tool materials enables longer tool life and improved part quality when machining plastic components.

Features

  • Fine grain structure
  • Displays enhanced processing capabilities
  • Provides a blend of abrasion and chipping resistance

Benefits

  • Long tool life
  • Exceptional surface finish
  • Robust and economical solution
  • Remarkable cutting performance


Grinding

Semiconductors Micron+ MDA

Advanced ceramics like silicon are the key component of semiconductors used in car controls. There are a number of processes to get from the initial substrate material to the final product; slicing, dicing, back grinding and polishing.

Using diamond in these applications will enable high material removal rates as well as shorter processing times.

Micron+ MDA is a sharp, tough grit with customized size and shape distributions to fit a broad range of applications.

Features

  • Custom-made shape and size distributions
  • Sharp and tough grit

Benefits

  • Desired surface finish
  • Prolonged tool life
  • Lower grinding forces


Grinding

LED Lights Micron+ MDA

Advanced ceramics like sapphire are the key component of light emitting diodes (LEDs) used in car lighting. There are a number of processes to get from the initial substrate material to the final product; slicing, dicing and polishing.

Using diamond in these applications will enable high material removal rates and shorter processing times.

Micron+ MDA is a sharp, tough grit with customized size and shape distributions to fit a broad range of applications.

Features

  • Custom-made shape and size distributions
  • Sharp and tough grit

Benefits

  • Desired surface finish
  • Prolonged tool life
  • Lower grinding forces


Grinding

Bearings ABN200

Bearings are indispensable machine elements that constrain motion and reduce friction between moving parts.

There are numerous grinding operations involved in the manufacturing of bearings, including face grinding. As large contact areas are involved in this process, an abrasion resistant grit with good thermal conductivity like cubic boron nitride (CBN) is the most appropriate material. Dulling of the grit would enlarge the contact area and increase the possibility of thermal damage to the workpiece.

Element Six ABN200 is the optimal choice in this application due to its self-sharpening capability - enabling prolonged tool life and reduced possibility of thermal damage to the work piece.

Features

  • Breakdown mechanism suitable for large contact areas
  • Self-sharpening effect

Benefits

  • Lower forces
  • Prolonged tool life
  • Superior surface finish


Machining

CV Joint DBS900

A constant-velocity (CV) joint is typically attached to the ends of the drive shaft to allow transmission of rotation and power through variable angles. CV joints allow for effective vertical movement of the wheel over bumps, while still transmitting power.

Tools made of polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) material offer maximum process reliability and provide consistently high quality and accuracy for the hard machining of CV joints. Element Six has developed DBS900, a very high performance grade, that offers cost effective tooling solutions.

Features

  • High content PCBN – approximately 90%
  • 4μm grain size
  • Novel binder system

Benefits

  • Outstanding tool life
  • Reduced tooling cost
  • Provides the ultimate combination of abrasion and chip resistance


Machining

Driveshaft PureCut DHA650

The driveshaft is critical to effectively transmit the engine's power and torque to the driven wheels of the car. The wheels are typically some distance away from the output of the gearbox, attached to the engine; therefore a means of transmitting the power is vital. A hard material which resists torsion and shear stress is required - typically case hardened steel is used for long component life.

It is preferable to machine these parts in the hardened state to avoid deformations during the heat treatment process. Polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) was the enabling technology for hard part turning.

Features

  • Excellent balance of toughness, and crater and flank wear resistance
  • Ultra-pure nano-structure binder with bi-modal CBN grains for further toughness
  • Bimodal <4µm with approximately 65% CBN
  • TiC/TiN binder

Benefits

  • High machining speeds
  • Long tool life and reliable performance
  • Reduced cost per part


Machining

Ring Gear PureCut DIA500 and DHA650

A ring gear is cut on a ring-shaped hardened steel rim; it is the large gear in the differential of an automobile that is driven by the propeller shaft pinion to transmit power to the live axle.

The material of choice for these components is case hardened steel. It is preferable to machine these parts in the hardened state to avoid deformations during the heat treatment process. Polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) was the enabling technology for hard part turning.

Element Six PureCut product range is recommended for this application. For machining operations with less interrupts DIA500 is recommended. For more interrupted machinng DHA650 is the ideal choice. Both grades are also available as solid integral inserts that allow for step-change reduction in cost per machining edge over backed materials.

Features

  • Excellent abrasion resistance
  • Ultra-pure nano-structure binder
  • TiC/TiN binder

Benefits

  • Ideal for cold work tool steels and valve seat alloys
  • High machining speeds
  • Long tool life and reliable performance
  • Reduced cost per part
  • Improved surface finish


Machining

Pinion PureCut DHA650

A pinion is a round, hardened steel gear; it is the smaller gear that meshes at an angle with the ring gear to transmit the power through the differential to the live axle.

The material of choice for these components is case hardened steel. It is preferable to machine these parts in the hardened state to avoid deformations during the heat treatment process. Polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) was the enabling technology for hard part turning.

Element Six PureCut grade DHA650 is recommended for this application offering tool life >50% over industry benchmark grades plus the ability to go to higher speeds for increased productivity. DHA650 is also available as solid integral inserts that allow for step-change reduction in cost per machining edge over backed materials.

Features

  • Excellent crater wear and toughness
  • Ultra-pure nano-structure binder with bi-modal CBN grains for further toughness
  • Bimodal <4µm with approximately 65% CBN
  • TiC/TiN binder

Benefits

  • Ideal for moderately and heavily interrupted hard turning and finish hard milling
  • Market leading ability to withstand impacts
  • High machining speeds
  • Long tool life and reliable performance
  • Reduced cost per part


Grinding

Camshaft ABN800 / ABN900

The camshaft is used to operate the intake and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine. Due to the intimate relationship between the relative rotation of the crankshaft and camshafts, high tolerance grinding of the camshafts and cam lobes is required.

Cubic boron nitride (CBN) is the most suitable abrasive material for grinding of camshafts. However, the correct particle shape must be selected to survive the quick changes in material removal rates on the outer diameter of cam lobes. ABN800 and ABN900 are the optimal grain types fit for this challenging grinding operation.

Features

  • High strength
  • High thermal stability
  • Optimum shape distribution enabling free cutting

Benefits

  • Increased tool life over next best CBN product in the market
  • Less production downtime
  • Superior surface finish


Hole Making
Machining

Crankcase Aero-Dianamics™

The engine cylinder block, or crank case, houses hundreds of parts and constitutes 20 - 25% of the total weight of the engine. Typically cast from Aluminum alloys, many finish machining operations are required, such as drilling, reaming and tapping.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting tool materials are able to accomplish all of these operations, offering flexible and effective solutions for high output production lines.

PCD’s extreme hardness provides a cutting tool with exceptional wear resistance that can be run at faster machining speeds than carbide tools. This provides significant economic benefits through reduced tool changes, less production downtime and faster operations.

Element Six’s PCD Metal grades offer high tool life in both interrupted cutting operations such as milling, and in continuous operations such as reaming.

Features

  • Two PCD drilling format options – Aero-Dianamics Chevron and Planar
  • Unique three-dimensional design

Benefits

  • Significantly increased wear resistance over coated carbide
  • Longer tool life, with consistent performance
  • Faster drilling
  • Superior work piece finish
  • Offers virtually unlimited flexibility in drill point geometry


Crankcase PCD Metal – CMX850, CTB004, CTM302

The engine cylinder block, or crank case, houses hundreds of parts and constitutes 20 - 25% of the total weight of the engine. Typically cast from Aluminum alloys, many finish machining operations are required, such as face milling, pocket milling and boring.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting tool materials are able to accomplish all of these operations, offering flexible and effective solutions for high output production lines.

PCD’s extreme hardness provides a cutting tool with exceptional wear resistance that can be run at faster machining speeds than carbide tools. This provides significant economic benefits through reduced tool changes, less production downtime and faster operations.

Element Six’s PCD Metal grades offer high tool life in both interrupted cutting operations such as milling, and in continuous operations such as reaming.

Features

  • Format flexibility – offered in full round disc or cut segments
  • Ultra-fine (CMX850), Fine (CTB004) and Multimodal (CTM302) grain structures
  • Superior wear resistance

Benefits

  • Element Six PCD grades are ideal for high and low silicon aluminium, capable of high quality surface finishes
  • Enhanced performance with increased machining speeds
  • Extended tool life, less downtime
  • Superior quality provides process stability to the end user


Grinding

Crankshaft ABN800

The crankshaft is a solid hardened steel shaft which converts the reciprocating motion of the pistons into a rotational motion used to drive the gearbox and thus the wheels of a car.

Due to high rotational speed, the crankshaft must be ground to high tolerances to reduce unwanted vibration.

Element Six cubic boron nitride (CBN) products such as ABN800 offer significant benefits over conventional grits in crankshaft grinding.

Features

  • High toughness
  • High thermal stability
  • Optimal shape distribution to enable free cutting
  • Controlled breakdown mechanism with self-sharpening effect
  • Abrasion wear resistance

Benefits

  • Significantly improved tool life over the next best CBN product in the market
  • Less production downtime through extended dressing intervals
  • Reduced thermal damage of the work piece
  • Superior surface finish


Machining

Cylinder Liner DBS900

With the increasing drive for efficiency gains within the Automotive industry, significant efforts target power-to-weight gains within the engine.

Aluminium alloys offer significant weight advantages over cast iron, as well as having a higher thermal conductivity. A wear-resistant coating is still required inside the cylinder bore and so technology has progressed to allow, typically, an iron-based coating to be applied around 0.2 - 0.3mm thick. This coating is then machined to the required thickness.

Where this machining was previously the expensive process of honing, Element Six’s PCBN materials offer a more economical option to bore the liner using defined edge cutting tools. This benefits the end user with faster machining times, utilisation of cheaper machines within the production line and a more controllable process.

Features

  • High content PCBN - approximately 90%
  • 4μm average grain size
  • Novel binder system

Benefits

  • Exceptional performance in interrupted applications
  • Proven performance in iron-based machining applications
  • Outstanding tool life
  • Provides the ultimate combination of abrasion and chip resistance
  • Process stability for the end user due to superior quality standards


Grinding

Valves ABN900

Valves are used in most piston engines to open and close the intake and exhaust ports in the cylinder head.

Cubic boron nitride (CBN) is the most suitable abrasive material for grinding valves which are typically made of nickel chromium alloy steels.

Using electroplated tools in the grinding process enables high material removal rates and high productivity. Element Six ABN900 is the perfect choice, offering an improved grinding process through a combination of uniform shape and good bond retention. Its controlled breakdown generates lower forces, allowing even higher material removal rates, whilst the wear resistance of the grit enables long grinding times and high productivity.

Features

  • Uniform, blocky shape and high surface purity
  • Controlled breakdown mechanism with self-sharpening effect
  • Excellent bond retention
  • Available in a wide range of sizes

Benefits

  • Improved tool performance with improved precision and consistency for a superior surface finish
  • Higher material removal rates
  • Lower grinding forces
  • Longer tool life and less down time


Machining

Valve Seats DBS900 and PureCut DIA500

The valve seat is the surface against which an exhaust valve rests when that valve is closed.

Made from Powder Metal (PM) material, different operations are performed to generate conical-section surfaces into the valve seat. As PM is difficult to machine, polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) tools are the most suitable material for valve seat machining.

Due to the broad range of PM materials, the selection of the best PCBN grade for a given application should be made only after material analysis.

Features

  • High and low content PCBN
  • Various grain sizes and novel binder systems to cover the wide range of valve seat materials

Benefits

  • Outstanding tool life
  • Reduced tooling cost
  • DIA500 (low CBN) provides greater resistance to chemical wear, particularly where longer tool life or high cutting speeds are desirable
  • DBS900 (high CBN) provides the ultimate abrasion and chip resistance, and has the ability to maintain cutting edge integrity during most applications


Machining

Alloy Wheels PCD Metal – CMX850

The use of Aluminum and/or Magnesium alloys for wheels was pioneered in the 1920’s motorsport scenes and is now used in the general market as a key styling element. It has the added performance benefits of reduced weight and greater stiffness over stamped steel wheels.

Typically cast in one piece, alloys offer the designer greater degrees of freedom. These near-net shape castings require finish machining to size and shape - utilising milling, drilling and turning operations.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is used extensively, primarily for its increased tool life which provides significant economic benefits in mass production. The latest styling elements, such as ‘diamond cut wheels’, utilise PCD’s superior cutting edge quality to produce exceptional surface finishes without the need for secondary polishing operations.

CMX850 provides a robust and economical solution, with enhanced processing for the tool manufacturer and remarkable cutting performance for the end user.

Features

  • Fine grain structure - sub-micron grain size
  • Superior abrasion and chip resistance

Benefits

  • Ideal for milling and rough cutting of aluminium alloys
  • A superior cutting edge quality, suitable for mirror finishes
  • Enhanced processing capability means economical processing times and high quality tools for the tool maker
  • Process stability for the end user due to superior quality standards


Machining

Brake Disc AMB90, DBW85, AMK90

The disc brake employs callipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc in order to create friction that retards the rotation of an axle, either to reduce its speed or to stop.

Grey cast iron is relatively inexpensive and easy to produce. It has excellent thermal conductivity and stability at temperatures from 400° to 600°C.

The machinability of Grey cast iron is significantly improved using polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) where the high speeds achievable generate a protective layer on the tool resulting in extreme tool life.

Features

  • High wear resistance and thermal conductivity
  • Backed and solid formats
  • Very high thickness (AMB90)

Benefits

  • Extreme tool life and cutting speeds in turning and milling
  • High reliability
  • Excellent productivity
  • Less cost per part


Machining
Hole Making

Suspension Components PCD Metal – CMX850, CTB004, CTM302

Reducing weight is a key issue in the drive for greater vehicle efficiency. Previously, typical suspension components were made from pressed steel for ease of manufacture, but the industry is now moving towards pressed, cast or machined Aluminum.

Element Six can provide a full spectrum of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) grades offered in large diameter, high yield formats to fit the application. The Syndite range of PCD offers the greatest performance option for Aluminum milling, boring and drilling.

Features

  • Ultra-fine (CMX850), Fine (CTB004) and Multimodal (CTM302) grain structures
  • Displays enhanced processing capabilities
  • Provides a blend of abrasion and chipping resistance

Benefits

  • Long tool life
  • Exceptional surface finish
  • Robust and economical solution
  • Remarkable cutting performance


Suspension Components PCD Metal – CMX850, CTB004, CTM302

Reducing weight is a key issue in the drive for greater vehicle efficiency. Previously, typical suspension components were made from pressed steel for ease of manufacture, but the industry is now moving towards pressed, cast or machined Aluminum.

Element Six can provide a full spectrum of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) grades offered in large diameter, high yield formats to fit the application. The Syndite range of PCD offers the greatest performance option for Aluminum milling, boring and drilling.

Features

  • Ultra-fine (CMX850), Fine (CTB004) and Multimodal (CTM302) grain structures
  • Displays enhanced processing capabilities
  • Provides a blend of abrasion and chipping resistance

Benefits

  • Long tool life
  • Exceptional surface finish
  • Robust and economical solution
  • Remarkable cutting performance


Wire Drawing

Tyres MD111

Steel wire cords, beads and belts are key components of a tyre, holding the tyre onto the rim of the wheel. They provide the tyre’s strength and maximise the tyre’s contact patch with the road.

Wire drawing is a metalworking process used to reduce the cross-section of a wire by pulling the wire through a single, or series of, drawing dies. There are many applications for wire drawing, including electrical wiring and cables.

Single crystal diamond wire drawing dies provide exceptional wear resistance and reduce hole wear distortion, delivering less down time, higher productivity and a high quality finish of drawn wire.

Features

  • 3 point crystal orientation
  • Excellent thermal conductivity and stability at temperatures up to 1100°C in non-oxidising environments
  • Broad ranges of sizes
  • Stringent quality controlled synthesis

Benefits

  • Exceptional wear resistance with reduced hole wear distortion
  • Long, reliable die life
  • Consistently high quality finish of drawn wire


ELECTRONICS

Audio Systems CVD Diamond Tweeter domes

The sophisticated car of the future deserves an outstanding sound system. Speakers that use diamond tweeters can provide the ultimate in-car listening experience.

Element Six pioneered the first diamond audio tweeters in partnership with their long-standing customer Bowers & Wilkins. The extreme stiffness and low density of chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond provides the ultimate tweeter dome material – capable of reproducing high frequency sound without distortion at double the frequency of the more commonly used material, Aluminum.

Element Six has developed its technology and expertise in this area over 30 years – in order to grow CVD diamond tweeters at the complex geometric shapes and thicknesses required to deliver this exceptional performance.

Features

  • Very high stiffness at low density
  • 0.05mm thick dome with polycrystalline surface structure

Benefits

  • Highest frequency sound reproduction without break up – for minimum distortion
  • Clearest sound reproduction in the acoustic range
  • Crystalline structure gives finished speaker the lustre of diamond


Machining

Body Panels Optical grade Polycrystalline CVD Diamond

The majority of automotive manufacturers have been using lasers to join metals in car bodies for many years. Disk laser technology continues to develop higher powers with better beam divergence, and the automotive industry is likely to seek the productivity gains that these lasers can offer.

Chemical vapour deposited (CVD) diamond, used as the optical window through which the laser beam exits, is the key enabler to this technology development as it is only material that enables powers above 5kW.

Improved beam quality means that the same weld can be produced using a lens that is further from the workpiece. The subsequent reduction in time spent moving the laser from one weld to the next results in greater productivity and efficiency.

Features

  • Highest thermal conductivity
  • Ultra low absorption at laser wavelength

Benefits

  • Higher power for faster cutting and welding
  • Increased efficiency – less time between welds


Machining
Hole Making

CFRP parts Aero-Dianamics™

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is an extremely lightweight yet high strength material favoured in the fabrication of aircraft and motorsport vehicles. Its commercial use in the automotive industry is likely to increase in the pursuit of lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles.

However, machining these fibrous materials presents challenges, particularly for more traditional carbide tools. With its superior wear resistance, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) maintains consistent precision and extends tool life at least ten fold. Less friction, combined with excellent thermal conductivity also enables CFRP stacks to be machined twice as fast.

The Element Six Aero-Dianamics round tool blanks for milling and drilling are designed to meet the challenge of machining CFRP. Three dimensional PCD tool design provides the freedom of flute profile design, with limitless flute angles and orientations, enabling engineers to optimise the superior performance of PCD for their application. Thick section PCD also provides consistent performance after multiple tool reprocessing.

Features

  • Unique three-dimensional PCD drilling formats with the Planar
  • Wear resistant Chevron format available in flexible EDM shapes
  • Helix milling format provides a helical PCD geometry
  • Planar drilling/milling formats provide full 360° PCD
  • Available in a wide range of sizes

Benefits

  • Faster machining – up to 12 times faster than carbide tools
  • Extended tool life – more than 10 times longer than carbide tools
  • Planar formats offer virtually unlimited possibilities for PCD drill point and mill geometries optimised for difficult CFRP applications
  • Superior work piece finish


CFRP parts Aero-Dianamics™

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is an extremely lightweight yet high strength material favoured in the fabrication of aircraft and motorsport vehicles. Its commercial use in the automotive industry is likely to increase in the pursuit of lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles.

However, machining these fibrous materials presents challenges, particularly for more traditional carbide tools. With its superior wear resistance, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) maintains consistent precision and extends tool life at least ten fold. Less friction, combined with excellent thermal conductivity also enables CFRP stacks to be machined twice as fast.

The Element Six Aero-Dianamics round tool blanks for milling and drilling are designed to meet the challenge of machining CFRP. Three dimensional PCD tool design provides the freedom of flute profile design, with limitless flute angles and orientations, enabling engineers to optimise the superior performance of PCD for their application. Thick section PCD also provides consistent performance after multiple tool reprocessing.

Features

  • Unique three-dimensional PCD drilling formats with the Planar
  • Wear resistant Chevron format available in flexible EDM shapes
  • Helix milling format provides a helical PCD geometry
  • Planar drilling/milling formats provide full 360° PCD
  • Available in a wide range of sizes

Benefits

  • Faster machining – up to 12 times faster than carbide tools
  • Extended tool life – more than 10 times longer than carbide tools
  • Planar formats offer virtually unlimited possibilities for PCD drill point and mill geometries optimised for difficult CFRP applications
  • Superior work piece finish


Grinding

Semiconductors Micron+ MDA

Semiconductors will become increasingly important as improved processors will be required for car-to-car communication.

Advanced ceramics like silicon are likely to be used more extensively for this purpose.

There are a number of processes to get from the initial substrate material to the final product; slicing, dicing, back grinding and polishing.

Using diamond in these applications will enable high material removal rates as well as shorter processing times.

Micron+ MDA is a sharp, tough grit with customized size and shape distributions to fit a broad range of applications.

Features

  • Custom made shape and size distributions
  • Sharp and tough grit

Benefits

  • Desired surface finish
  • Prolonged tool life
  • Lower grinding forces


Machining

Infrared Detectors Nano-scale engineered single crystal diamond

The development of vehicles with greater environmental awareness, as well as the ability to communicate with other vehicles will result in an increased demand for sensors and detectors.

Detector materials such as silicon or germanium are difficult to machine and require tight tolerances. The power of these materials can be unlocked using nano-scale engineered single crystal diamond tools which can be tailored to each particular application.

Features

  • Diamond tailored to specific application (orientation and nano-scale engineered)
  • Fully engineered solution compared to natural – for higher consistency

Benefits

  • Best surface finish possible (<10 μm) at longest tool lifetime
  • High reliability


Machining

LED Lights Nano-scale engineered single crystal diamond

As light emitting diodes (LED’s) become more affordable, the automotive industry will increase their use due to the benefits of reduced energy consumption and longer life.

Colour stability and performance of the LED lights are determined by the processing quality of their different constituent layers.

Single crystal diamond enables engineers to access the nanometer specifications and tight tolerances required irrespective of the various materials that it has to cut through. Element Six engineered diamond can prolong tool life in these applications.

Features

  • Diamond tailored to specific application (orientation and nano-scale engineered)
  • Fully engineered solution compared to natural – for higher consistency

Benefits

  • Best surface finish possible (<10 μm) at longest tool lifetime
  • Greater stability of LED colour in end product
  • High reliability


Machining

PMMA Nano-scale engineered single crystal diamond

Heavy windscreen and window glass in today’s cars pose a hindrance in the pursuit of light weight, more fuel efficient vehicles. A lighter replacement material could be Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), also known as acrylic glass.

PMMA materials require sharp tools that run at low temperatures; blunt tools can cause burred edges, chipping and material stress.

With its superior wear resistance and excellent thermal conductivity, single crystal diamond is the ideal material to machine PMMA, delivering consistent precision and less friction by maintaining sharper edges for longer. Its high thermal conductivity also enables machining at higher speeds than other competing materials such as carbide.

Features

  • Ultra sharp cutting edge
  • Hardest material
  • High thermal conductivity

Benefits

  • Long tool life
  • Exceptional surface finish
  • Remarkable cutting performance
  • Provides ultimate abrasion resistance


Wire Drawing

Electrical Harnessing MD111

Electronics throughout the car will continue to require extensive electrical harnessing.

Wire drawing is a metalworking process used to reduce the cross-section of a wire by pulling the wire through a single, or series of, drawing dies. There are many applications for wire drawing, including electrical wiring and cables.

Features

  • 3 point crystal orientation
  • Excellent thermal conductivity and stability at temperatures up to 1100°C in non-oxidising environments
  • Broad ranges of sizes
  • Stringent quality controlled synthesis

Benefits

  • Exceptional wear resistance with reduced hole wear distortion
  • Long, reliable die life
  • Consistently high quality finish of drawn wire


WEAR PARTS

Diamond Bearings PCD

Typically, bearings are used in many applications within a car, with multiple rotating shafts requiring precise control and movement. Bearing materials require high hardness, low coefficient of friction and good thermal stability.

Diamond offers exceptional performance in all three of these properties and maintains high tolerance sizes for bearings to run over their lifetime. Diamond bearings could dramatically increase component life as bearing surfaces are one of the first areas to wear.

Until now the opportunity has not been realised due to difficulties producing diamond in the required shapes and sizes. Element Six is at the forefront of diamond bearing innovation for the automotive industry.

Features

  • High hardness
  • Low coefficient of friction
  • Good thermal stability

Benefits

  • Increased component life


ELECTRONICS

Hybrid Drive Train CVD Heat Spreaders

The growth and development of Hybrid and Electric vehicles is set to continue, increasing the electrification of drive train components - from motors and transmission to fuel injection, engine and knock control.

Within some of these electronic systems, heat spreaders are essential to prevent devices from overheating and malfunctioning. For example, inverters in Hybrid drive trains generate large amounts of heat when converting direct current from the batteries to an alternating current in order to power the motor.

Diamond has the highest room temperature thermal conductivity of any material. It is also electrically insulating with a high mechanical strength, low weight and chemically inert - making it the material of choice for high voltage power devices within the demanding environment of a vehicle drive train.

Features

  • Highest room temperature thermal conductivity of any material
  • Electrically insulating
  • High mechanical strength
  • Very low weight
  • Chemical inertness and low toxicity

Benefits

  • Improved reliability and increased efficiency by lowering device operating temperature
  • Reduced system weight and footprint
  • Reduction or elimination of auxiliary cooling systems


ELECTRONICS

Powertrain Sensors Boron doped diamond

The car of the future will have more embedded sensors to monitor the performance of the powertrain, be they combustion, electric or hybrid systems. Automotive sensors need to be simple, low cost and very reliable. 

Electrochemical sensors could be used to control and monitor the performance of batteries and fuel cells. Modern combustion engines depend on sensors to manage combustion. Measurements that currently require specialist external instrumentation could be made within the vehicle itself, using new electrochemical sensors to monitor emissions.

Diamond is a semiconductor and can be doped with boron to give it metal-like electrical conductivity, whilst retaining diamond’s inert, robust characteristics. Diamond electrodes can be manufactured with the stability, range and sensitivity to enable new types of simple electrochemical sensors to be developed.

Features

  • Semiconducting properties
  • Robust material for hostile environments
  • Wide sensitivity range and ultra-low noise
  • Low cost electrochemical sensors and devices technology

Benefits

  • Metal-like conductivity when doped with boron
  • Chemically inert stable and reliable electrode materials
  • New methods of sensing parameters with parts-per-billion sensing
  • Improved existing and new types of powertrain diagnostics


ELECTRONICS

Safety Sensors Optical grade CVD Diamond

Multiple imaging systems that can operate at different wavelengths are able to enhance driver safety aids. Multispectral imaging such as infrared night vision and millimetre wave imaging (as used in airport scanners) can greatly enhance safety in poor visibility conditions.

Diamond is an unparalleled multispectral optical material with a window spanning from the deep UV through to the visible, infrared and millimetre wave bands. It is also an extremely robust material that lends itself well to being the protective window. Future delicate multispectral sensor technology can be deployed behind a multi spectral diamond precision optical that will protect it from the environment for the lifetime of the car.

Features

  • Multispectral optical material
  • Robustness due to extreme hardness and high thermal conductivity
  • Low absorption and dielectric losses

Benefits

  • Enabling compact multispectral sensors
  • Resistant to impact damage, scratching, degradation and life on the road
  • High transmittance levels across the spectrum
  • Enabling improved machine vision for future driving aids


ELECTRONICS

Navigation Sensors Low absorption single crystal diamond

Multiple sensing systems that can operate at different wavelengths are able to enhance driver navigation aids. Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) systems are being considered for in-car electromagnetic navigation. Lasers operating at wavelengths around 1.4 µm are called "eye safe" as they are less likely to reach the human eye cornea and less prone to cause laser dazzle or more serious permanent eye damage.

For these laser-based systems, diamond is an excellent optical material combining low absorption with unparalleled robustness and power handling capabilities.  

Element Six low absorption optical grade single crystal enables wavelength shifting in a Raman laser to allow the operation of eye safe sensing lasers - enabling reliable, better performing LIDAR systems.

Features

  • Multispectral optical material with highest Raman gain coefficient
  • High thermal conductivity and lowest thermal expansion
  • Highest Raman frequency shift

Benefits

  • Enabling compact Raman shifted laser devices
  • Stable high power density laser optical systems
  • Compact solid state eye safe lasers at 1.4µm
  • Increased range LIDAR systems that are less prone to laser dazzle and eye damage


Hole Making

Aluminum parts PCD Metal – CMX850, CTB004, CTM302

Aluminum is already used in structural components throughout the chassis of commercial vehicles to reduce sprung weight. With the drive for ever greater efficiency and improved performance, its use is set to increase. Lighter Aluminum components in areas such as the hub carrier, upright suspension arms, control arms and wheels will make them more easily controlled by the chassis and shock absorber - improving performance and aiding overall economy.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) presents unrivalled cutting tool performance in high Silicon content Aluminum alloys. Element Six can provide a full spectrum of PCD grades offered in large diameter, high yield formats for complex geometry tools to fit the application. The Syndite range of PCD offers the greatest performance option for Aluminum milling, boring and drilling.

Features

  • Format flexibility – offered in full round disc or cut segments
  • Ultra-fine (CMX850), Fine (CTB004) and Multimodal (CTM302) grain structures
  • Superior wear resistance

Benefits

  • Element Six PCD grades are ideal for high and low silicon Aluminum, capable of high quality surface finishes
  • Enhanced performance with increased machining speeds
  • Extended tool life, less downtime
  • Superior quality provides process stability to the end user


Machining
Hole Making

Ceramic and MMC Brake discs CMX850

The ideal brake disc would be light weight with high abrasion resistance, high compressive strength and good thermal conductivity in order to reduce vehicle weight and increase overall performance. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) fit these combined requirements. These materials typically combine an Aluminum alloy as the matrix, with a hard phase material as the strengthening component.

However, MMCs are incredibly difficult to machine efficiently. Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is one of the few cutting tool materials that offers economical cutting performance of MMC, in turning and drilling applications. Where Tungsten Carbide offers a tool life of minutes, PCD can perform for hours.

With our Syndite range of discs for turning applications and the Aero-Dianamics round tools for drilling, Element Six offers the best solutions to tackle the machining operations of MMC materials.

Features

  • Fine grain structure
  • Displays enhanced processing capabilities
  • Provides a blend of abrasion and chipping resistance

Benefits

  • Long tool life
  • Exceptional surface finish
  • Robust and economical solution
  • Remarkable cutting performance


Ceramic and MMC Brake discs Aero-Dianamics™

The ideal brake disc would be light weight with high abrasion resistance, high compressive strength and good thermal conductivity in order to reduce vehicle weight and increase overall performance. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) fit these combined requirements. These materials typically combine an Aluminium alloy as the matrix with a hard phase material as the strengthening component.

However, MMCs are incredibly difficult to machine efficiently. Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is one of the few cutting tool materials that offers economical cutting performance of MMC, in turning and drilling applications. Where Tungsten Carbide offers a tool life of minutes, PCD can perform for hours.

With our Syndite range of discs for turning applications and the Aero-Dianamics round tools for drilling, Element Six offers the best solutions to tackle the machining operations of MMC materials.

Features

  • Unique three-dimensional PCD drilling formats with the Planar
  • Wear resistant Chevron format available in flexible EDM shapes

Benefits

  • Faster machining than carbide tools
  • Extended tool life over carbide tools
  • Virtually unlimited possibilities in PCD drill point and mill geometry
  • Superior work piece finish


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