Magneti Marelli Suspension Systems actively searches for innovative models in the field of suspensions and in the area of weight and cost reduction for suspensions and components in general, evaluating the employment of technologies most suited to the achievement of these objectives.
These goals are pursued through specific research programmes also conducted with universities and research centres.
The main research programmes are listed below:
These goals are pursued through specific research programmes also conducted with universities and research centres.
The main research programmes are listed below:
Innovative models of rear suspensions
The activity related to innovative rear suspensions has originated three different models that allow the achievement of more complex Multilink suspension performances, taking advantage of the “structural” flexibility of control arms instead of the one that is usually provided by the elasticity of rubber components, but reducing the number of components, and thus the weight and cost of the suspension.
These suspension models developed by Magneti Marelli are
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FLECS (Flexible Link Elevated Compliant Suspension)
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TORCS (TORsional Link Elevated Compliant Suspension)
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U-LINK (with a U-shaped lower arm, as the name itself implies)
Innovative models of front suspensions
The activity pertaining to front suspensions takes advantage of the same concepts developed for the rear suspensions, with the added difficulty that with regards to front suspensions, the manoeuvring margins are much more limited, since the most commonly used suspension architectures (especially the McPherson one) have already attained a very good optimisation of performances, weights and costs.
The activity concerning front suspensions innovations is underway and will produce some results by the end of this year.
Innovative components in general
In the past years, the activity relating to components has resulted in different patents aimed specifically at reducing the cost of the same components, or aimed at improving the component performances in terms of vehicle handling, or again at optimising the weight by using suitable technologies or integrating more functions within the component itself.
There were fifteen patents registered in recent years by taking advantage of these purposes, and the activity is still continuing with the same results.