Detroit, April 27, 2004:
Avtar Singh
Senior Product Engineer

Strong wheels for use in automobiles, recreational vehicles, aircraft, and rail cars have usually been constructed of steel. However, steel wheels have proven too heavy and have poor dimensional control. Metal alloys have improved dimensional control and reduced the weight, but at a material cost of three to five times that of steel.

Wheels made from fiber resin plastic offer high strength, lower production costs, reduced weight, and the ability to be mass-produced. By dividing the key components of a wheel into several parts - such as the hub, rim, and the adjoining disk area - the design, materials, and production process for each area may be selected so as to optimize the differences in strength, malleability, appearance, and shape.