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When strengths complement each other
Hybrid components from Framo Morat
Where single materials reach their limits, hybrid components open up new possibilities. By combining different materials – metal and plastic, or two plastics with different properties – we create solutions that would be impossible to achieve with one material alone:
- Hybrid gears with low weight and high load capacity
- Lightweight shafts for efficient and dynamic drives
- Plastic housings with permanently integrated bearings, axles, and seals
Developing and producing hybrid components requires extensive material knowledge, design expertise, and process reliability. We know our materials from decades of experience and our own in-house research. We use this knowledge to select suitable material combinations, develop custom-fit interfaces, and manufacture the components in-house using the most suitable manufacturing technology for each application. This is how Framo Morat creates powerful and cost-effective drive solutions for your demanding applications.
Which hybrid components can take your application to the next level?
Our full range of hybrid components
Plastic-metal hybrid gearings
Plastic-metal hybrid gearings combine the best of both worlds: the high strength and temperature resistance of metal with the low weight, vibration damping, and cost efficiency of polymer materials. Combining plastic and metal into hybrid components enables us to create economical drive solutions that are lightweight, quiet, durable, and powerful at the same time.
We develop precisely tailored interfaces, select suitable materials, and join metal and plastic gearings with the highest level of precision. Our production facilities allow us to automatically insert metal components into the injection mold, overmold them with plastic directly in the tool, or manufacture them in a linked process. This creates precisely aligned hybrid components that can permanently transmit high torques and withstand harsh environmental conditions.
In addition to individual plastic and metal gearing components, we also offer gear pairs in which one gear is made of metal and the other of plastic – available for spur gear sets, worm gear sets, and our innovative speeroX gearing. This material combination delivers smooth operation, low noise, and, thanks to the excellent sliding properties of the plastics, exceptionally low maintenance requirements.
2K plastic hybrid gearings
Hybrid gearings made from two polymer components (2K) make use of the distinct properties of technical plastics. They make it possible to create products with functions that a single material alone could not achieve. Using 2K plastic injection molding, it is possible to combine the following functions within one gearing component:
- Precise power transmission and vibration damping for household appliances and automotive comfort drives
- High load capacity and low weight for drones and lightweight drives
- Precise motion with integrated sealing for wet and dusty environments
60 years of experience in precision plastic injection molding and our own research into materials and gear geometries are compelling reasons to rely on Framo Morat. We develop and manufacture 2K plastic hybrid gears tailored to your application – providing you with real competitive advantages.
Incidentally: Our expertise in 2K plastic injection molding is not limited to gearing components. We also offer technical parts and housings made from two bonded materials. For example, by bonding seals directly into the housing, we minimize part count and streamline assembly.
FRP-metal hybrid components
If you want to improve the dynamics and energy efficiency of your drives, lightweight components are a key lever. They reduce the masses that need to be moved and the overall weight of the drive, significantly boosting performance. Fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) are particularly suitable for reliably transmitting tensile, compressive, and torsional forces over the long term.
Framo Morat has tested and validated an innovative process to manufacture FRP-metal hybrid components, such as drive shafts. The wbk Institute of Production Science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) researched, developed, and operationalized the centrifugal process. This process enables us to integrate metallic components directly into FRP structures during the centrifugal process. This eliminates the need for additional joining steps, reducing throughput times and process costs.
The FRP-metal hybrid design combines the advantages of both materials: The force-transmitting and mechanically stressed areas are made of metal, while the free, load-carrying area is formed from a lightweight, hollow FRP structure. This results in components that meet high requirements of load capacity and lightweight design – for applications in the automotive industry, robotics, medical technology, and aerospace.
Which hybrid design can take your application to the next level?
Your advantages with Framo Morat hybrid components
Low noise levels
Plastics and fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) have excellent damping properties. They absorb vibrations, contributing to smoother operation and reduced operating noise.
Greater efficiency and dynamics
Hybrid components significantly reduce the weight and inertial masses of drives. This makes them a key factor in improving the efficiency and dynamic performance of your drive systems.
Simpler parts handling
Two materials together can achieve more than one alone. Hybrid components allow you to integrate additional functions such as damping, sealing, and bearing. This reduces the complexity of your drive and simplifies logistics and assembly.
Applications for hybrid components
Hybrid gearing components for paper shredders
In the drive for the cutting mechanism of various paper shredders, our hybrid gears made of plastic and metal are primarily subjected to extreme loads in the event of a jam. The heavily stressed element of the cutting mechanism is made of metal and overmolded with a plastic gear. This approach combines the advantages of both materials: Metal handles peak loads and provides structural strength, while plastic dampens vibrations, reduces weight, and ensures smooth, quiet operation.
Hybrid shafts for aerospace applications
Low weight and consistently high load capacity are fundamental requirements for drive components in aerospace. Our hybrid shafts, made from fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) and metallic functional elements, provide an ideal solution. Using a specialized centrifugal process, we bond the extremely lightweight, hollow shafts made of carbon fiber and an epoxy resin matrix with the load-transmitting, easily machinable metal components in a single production step. This process reduces the weight and inertial mass of the shafts while increasing the drive's efficiency and dynamic performance.
Functional components made of plastic and metal for e-bikes
The screw-on plates in e-bikes form the connection between the battery contacts and the bike’s power electronics – while simultaneously protecting these sensitive interfaces from moisture, dirt, and corrosion. Metal contact springs are automatically fed into the injection mold, where they are overmolded with flame-retardant plastic. This creates a component that meets the highest stability and safety requirements.
2K plastic gears for desk height adjustment
Lifting drive units raise desks or workstations to the desired height, promoting both productivity and user health. The core of these systems consists of precise plastic gearing components that reliably convert the drive motor’s rotational motion into a uniform, linear lifting motion. The use of 2K plastic spur gears is particularly advantageous here. The harder material provides high dimensional stability, precise power transmission, and a long service life, while the softer material reduces noise and vibrations in the gearbox. This enables quick, quiet, and comfortable adjustment of working positions.