The news of Hutchinson Precision Sealing Systems

With the development of e-mobility, battery safety is a major issue for carmakers.  Teams from the Precision Sealing Systems business and the Research and Innovation Centre have developed a new material that meets the requirements of the UL94, V-0 standard, which is the most stringent level of fire resistance.  Moreover, this EPDM has the advantage of containing no halogens, making it not only safer but also more durable than other materials on the market.  Thanks to our formulation expertise, this material guarantees optimum sealing, good chemical compatibility and good resistance to low temperatures. Its blue colour makes it easy to identify in its environment. This new EPDM is designed for battery pack gaskets and seals for the battery pack cooling circuit, to protect the cells in the event of contact with the coolant or the spread of flames. It can also be used for electric motor cooling applications and battery peripheral equipment.  Thanks to its properties, this material is also a promising choice for demanding industrial and aeronautical applications. Hutchinson is confirming its know-how and its commitment to making mobility safer and more sustainable.  

Hutchinson, winner of the France 2030 ‘Hydrogen technology brick’ call for projects operated by ADEME, is launching the OBI-1 project to develop economical, high-performance bipolar plates for fuel cells.

Led by the Precision Sealing Systems activity and the Innovation & Research Center, this 43-months project aims to develop composite and metal plates with optimized sealing systems, which are essential for the efficiency and cost of fuel cells. The teams will focus on research into new materials, assembly technologies, and associated sealing systems, while improving transverse conductivity, enhancing corrosion resistance, and perfecting elastomeric sealing with low chemical release.

By 2028, Hutchinson will be able to offer bipolar plate solutions with integrated sealing systems:

• Increased compactness to create smaller stacks or generate more power for the same footprint, improved functional performance and simplified stack assembly.
• Large-scale production in France to maintain French leadership in H2 technology. 

Link to PR

Hutchinson has designed an innovative solution attenuating the sound vibrations emitted by E-compressors and E-Motors.

Our multi-material solution offers an excellent combination of vibration attenuation and absorption, especially in high frequencies (>1000 Hz) which is the range of E-Modules concerned.

Our Acoustic cover is thermoformed, lightweight and made of recyclable materials. It can provide rapid prototype solutions.

Numerical simulations and specific acoustic tests enable us to answer accurately to customers’ specific requirements.

Thanks to our material expertise, we improve E-compressor efficiency and the active cooling systems for E-motors with optimal thermal insulation properties.

This acoustic encapsulation solution has been validated and selected in 2023 by a major international OEM.