| Sport and performance car enthusiasts are | | | | forged wheels on their highest performing |
| just now beginning to understand what both | | | | vehicles. By optimizing wheel strength |
| amateur and professional racers have known | | | | through process and material choices, the |
| for years……..The fact that forged | | | | many benefits in overall vehicle performance |
| wheels deliver better performance parameters | | | | will make forged magnesium wheels one of the |
| on the track and are significantly safer than | | | | key milestones in upcoming production vehicle |
| cast wheels. What this means for everyday | | | | refinement, performance and safety |
| luxury, sport and performance car drivers is | | | | improvement. |
| that lighter, stronger, forged wheels can | | | | |
| offer both a higher margin of safety as well | | | | Technology in forging magnesium wheels is |
| as improved vehicle dynamics including | | | | always advancing. With the new technologies |
| acceleration times, braking distances and | | | | come new applications in forging and coating. |
| handling. Because forged wheels are much | | | | SMW Engineering and are researching and |
| stronger than cast wheels, they can be | | | | testing new design methods regularly. The |
| designed with thinner cross-sections, making | | | | racing world, automotive and motorcycle, has |
| them lighter in weight and better optimized | | | | for some time adopted magnesium wheels as |
| for rotational mass and inertial moment | | | | efficient tools for weight reduction, better |
| considerations. | | | | handling and increased performance. Luxury |
| | | | car and bike manufacturers are now meeting |
| Mark Lisnyansky, President of notes that, | | | | consumer interest and demand for not only |
| "Wheel weight is very important to overall | | | | high-performance magnesium wheels but |
| performance as it is key component in | | | | exclusively designed and coated magnesium |
| "un-sprung" vehicle mass. Generally, the | | | | wheels. |
| accepted rule for thumb for predicting | | | | |
| performance benefits from sprung vs. | | | | recently announced the introduction of |
| un-sprung weight reduction is a factor of | | | | one-piece, forged magnesium wheels for street |
| approximately 4:1. For every pound of | | | | use in North America. The wheels are 20 to 30 |
| un-sprung mass eliminated a four fold | | | | percent lighter than forged aluminum and |
| advantage is gained in vehicle performance | | | | offer increased safety and performance. |
| parameters. For example, forged magnesium, | | | | |
| large diameter wheels ( 20"-22") increase the | | | | "The U.S. wheel market is quite formidable |
| weight advantage over aluminum by | | | | and we intend to supply a smaller but very |
| eliminating, on average, 70-75 lbs. un-sprung | | | | important segment of the 100 million vehicle |
| mass, which would provide the same | | | | wheels used in North America," said Mark |
| acceleration time and braking distance | | | | Lisnyansky, President of "We will provide |
| benefit as eliminating 250-300 pounds from | | | | the best-in-class wheels that automakers can |
| the vehicle engine, chassis or passenger | | | | offer as an option on new vehicles and |
| compartment." Mr. Lisnyansky goes on to say | | | | consumers can add to their present vehicles." |
| that, "By virtue of these lighter wheels, | | | | |
| forged wheels are at least 20% lighter, | | | | The magnesium alloy wheels are initially |
| sustaining equal loads with better | | | | available in 20 and 22-inch sizes, and are |
| characteristics, which is always easier on | | | | treated with a high-tech anti-corrosion |
| the car and its suspension. Lighter wheels | | | | coating. The company will also be developing |
| also yield shorter breaking distance, which | | | | wheels in various sizes and compositions for |
| saves lives, shorter acceleration and reduces | | | | specific North American applications. |
| fuel consumption." | | | | |
| | | | "Steel wheels are becoming nearly obsolete |
| The forged aluminum and magnesium wheel | | | | and the prevailing trend is toward cast |
| manufacturing process is critical to wheel | | | | aluminum wheels. While most people are not |
| strength. They are produced by applying | | | | familiar with forged wheels, performance car |
| extremely high forces to base material in a | | | | enthusiasts know that forged wheels offer |
| contained die. The forged wheel blanks, or | | | | significant advantages, and forged magnesium |
| "pre-forms", undergo very beneficial changes | | | | wheels, which are lighter and much stronger |
| in metallurgical grain structure during this | | | | than their aluminum counterparts, are the |
| process. The more random grain structure | | | | next logical step in optimizing vehicle |
| found in standard cast wheels becomes a more | | | | performance." |
| highly organized and aligned grain structure | | | | |
| when wheels are forged. More importantly, | | | | Magnesium wheels offer consumers improved |
| forged wheel metallurgical microstructure in | | | | safety by shortening braking distances and |
| both aluminum and magnesium can be further | | | | delivering higher acceleration rates as well |
| oriented in the forging process to provide | | | | as improving gas mileage. There is also the |
| the highest material strength exactly where | | | | dampening factor of magnesium, which allows |
| wheels see the highest loading from road | | | | for vibrations caused by road imperfections |
| surface hazards or from lateral and other | | | | to be absorbed six times more effectively. |
| loading generated by the vehicles own | | | | |
| inertia. Going one step further, today's | | | | Mr. Lisnyansky added that along with the |
| advanced computer aided modeling techniques | | | | safety aspects, "forged magnesium wheels will |
| allow the wheel manufacturer and the | | | | also provide appreciable impact to vehicle |
| automaker to collaborate in optimizing a | | | | performance by decreasing un-sprung mass, an |
| specific forged wheel geometry and design for | | | | important performance factor." |
| the utmost strength and safety on the | | | | |
| vehicle. | | | | Using specialized aviation industry |
| | | | equipment, the company has been producing |
| SMW Engineering, a division of is a leader in | | | | Superbike and Formula One competition wheels |
| developing magnesium wheels. Engineers at | | | | for many years. The wheels are forged in |
| acknowledge another important feature of | | | | Russia by a subsidiary and then machined and |
| forged wheels over low pressure cast wheels | | | | finished in Italy. |
| is the integrity of surface finish | | | | |
| achievable. Most final wheel styles and | | | | Why not build a finishing line in Russia? |
| finish combinations are enhanced by the | | | | "Prospective customers, primarily automotive |
| density and uniformity of cosmetic surfaces | | | | original equipment manufacturers, often |
| on forged wheels. This is particularly | | | | require the comfort level of having their |
| important on higher-end vehicle applications | | | | suppliers' wheels produced locally, even if |
| where a bright wheel finish is desired but | | | | the forging itself arrives from Russia," |
| chrome plating is not an alternative due to | | | | Lisnyansky said. |
| mass, cost and environmental considerations. | | | | |
| Forged, bright polished wheels certainly make | | | | Magnesium . com recently held a "Best New |
| a dramatic addition to the vehicles | | | | Wheel Design" competition, and is negotiating |
| appearance and aesthetics. | | | | with several large distributors to establish |
| | | | a joint machining and finishing facility in |
| While forging processing cost is higher than | | | | the U.S. The company is considering an |
| the standard, low-pressure casting process | | | | acquisition of or a joint venture with a |
| used on wheels that come as original | | | | local wheel company with an existing high-end |
| equipment on many vehicles, even the most | | | | market presence and brand name recognition. |
| cost-conscious auto manufacturers do install | | | | |