Alcoa introduces lighter and stronger high-load aluminum wheels

Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products (AWTP), a business unit of Alcoa, introduced four new forged aluminum wheels, which are up to 44% lighter than its steel equivalents. The new aluminum wheels also support the move to higher-load-capacity tires. Two of the four new aluminum wheels offer maximum loads per wheel, a feature that is currently unavailable in steel. The wheels were introduced at the 64th International Motor Show (IAA) Commercial Vehicles conference in Hannover, Germany.
Tim Myers, president of Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, said, “We are constantly driving ourselves to design aluminum wheels that offer our customers stronger and lighter options to steel that also increase cargo capacity, fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions. There is a definite trend within the commercial vehicle industry to move to higher-load-capacity tires, and these new wheels address those needs.”
Alcoa’s two new aluminum wheels are available at high-load capacities, which are not found in steel. The wheels feature an improved Alcoa global trailer wheel. The wheels also have the first aluminum 45mm offset trailer wheel for inloaders and trailers which are designed to transport architectural glass plates and concrete parts. The improved trailer wheel has a maximum load of 5,500kg per wheel, almost 6% higher than the previous Alcoa model, but is 2.1kg lighter. Compared to steel wheel, the aluminum wheels are 22.8kg lighter.
The company is producing the lighter, yet stronger, aluminum wheels which promote fuel savings and reduced carbon emissions, exemplifying Alcoa’s dedication to greener transportation.
Alcoa is introducing two other forged aluminum wheels:

• 135 FrontRunner, a 135mm offset truck wheel with maximum load per wheel of 5,000kg. The wheel is suitable for use on the front axles of Scania, DAF and Inveco trucks; it is 44% lighter than the steel equivalent and supports the move to higher-load-capacity tires;
• 80mm offset trailer wheel with a maximum load per wheel of 4,500kg. This is best used with the new lightweight SAF 80 One axle by SAF Holland.

(September 19, 2012)