Federal-Mogul has introduced Nimbus GII, a lightweight and flexible heat shield material. This material is developed to overcome weight and heat reduction issues as well as engine downsizing problems.
The new heat shield material is nearly 80% lighter than standard sandwich-style steel heat shields. The Nimbus GII offers greater formability and thermal efficiency to create complex shapes.
Nimbus GII
The Nimbus GII is developed by connecting two corrugated aluminum sheets, thus forming a rigid structure. Aluminum’s high thermal performance is increased by an insulating air pocket placed between two aluminum layers. The thermal protection is improved by 15%-30% than typical sandwich-style construction. Federal-Mogul’s heat shield technology also reduces CO2 emissions and improves fuel economy.
The high formability characteristic of the Nimbus GII allows the material to be elongated without tearing and can also be compressed without crumpling. Earlier, due to formability limitations of materials multiple heat shields have been required to cover large and difficult areas. But, with the Nimbus GII heat shield only single-piece is enough to fit large areas. Thus, the Nimbus GII shield material acts as an efficient thermal barrier in harsh environments.
Production of the Nimbus GII is being carried out in global manufacturing facilities of Federal-Mogul that includes Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Nanchang, China; Tepotzilan, Mexico; and Skokie, Illinois, U.S.