Swiss automotive OEM supplier Autoneum (Winterthur; www.autoneum.com), a specialist in acoustic and thermal management solutions, is establishing a competence centre for new forms of mobility in Sunnyvale, California / USA. With the new US location, it hopes to profit from the proximity to innovative Silicon Valley companies while evaluating the potential of current automotive trends, such as electric vehicles, and how to develop new technologies and products to supply them.

In the coming weeks, the Swiss company said its acoustic and heat management experts will begin developing future-oriented components and systems, building on its years of experience in developing multifunctional noise and heat protection components that save vehicle weight and thus fuel consumption while reducing noise and “significantly” improving driving comfort.

Within its current portfolio of lightweight automotive parts, Autoneum is promoting an in-house developed composite called “Theta-Fiber-Cell,” which is claimed to enable lightweight engine encapsulation with superior acoustic absorption and thermal insulation. To manufacture the component, a semi-structural felt made of a glass fibre and polyamide binder (Theta-Fiber) is moulded together with a low-density polyurethane foam (Theta-Cell). Autoneum said its “extensive knowledge” of the material solution together with sophisticated simulation tools it has developed allows the accurate prediction of operative thermal insulation performance.