Performance Improvements for Vehicle Wheelliners
摘要
Wheelliners have the main functional role to prevent water, rocks, debris from getting into the wheel well area. Additional functionality, especially important for electrical vehicles, pertain to improvements of the overall vehicle aerodynamic performance and the ability to reduce the transmission of NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) to the passenger compartment. Starting from a patented concept, Alseca team has further developed an alternative design for the Wheelliners based on a multicomponent concept. The front half is injection molded in physical foaming (MuCell) process and incorporates an air grille and a lower air deflector subcomponent. The rear half includes multilayer nonwoven inserts that are surrounded by a hard plastic frame, also molded in the MuCell process. The proposed concept allowed for significant NVH performance improvements; it also generates aerodynamic drag coefficient reduction.