Bobsleigh stability rests on DSM Arnitel TPE

Achieving the fastest time in bobsleighing all depends on the stability of the bobsleigh while on the track; minimizing vibration is the key.

After months of collaboration with the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), DSM Engineering Plastics created a new vibration damper from its Arnitel copolyester thermoplastic elastomer to replace traditional rubber vibration dampers.

With rubber dampers, the dampening effect was dependent on the outside temperature. Low temperatures cause the rubber to harden, reducing their performance.

These Arnitel vibration dampers reduce vibration by 40 per cent, allowing the sleigh to sit more firmly on the track. Plus, Arnitel TPE retains its properties from -30 to 10C, and thus provides a more consistent dampening effect than their rubber counterparts. After extensive testing by members of the Dutch Olympic bobsleigh team, it was revealed that the Arnitel B damper with four teeth was the most effective for the two man bobsleigh. In the case of the four-man bobsleigh, where the vibration dampers have to bear a greater weight, the Arnitel B damper without teeth achieved the best results.

DSM Engineering Plastics (Evansville, Ind.)

www.dsm.com; 812-435-7539