Products
Cast Iron Components
We can control the strength and shape of cast iron in a variety of ways.
We offer a wide range of cast iron components, mainly for automobiles.
At NPR-RIKEN, we primarily manufacture camshafts, a key engine component, and steering knuckles and housings, a part of the vehicle’s suspension system that connects the tires to the vehicle body.
We offer a wide range of products and are capable of casting both FC and FCD materials.
These products are manufactured following a process that includes proposals for weight reduction and product shape, as well as material development, prototyping, and evaluation, depending on strength requirements. Through the production of cast iron components, we support transport and logistics infrastructure around the world.
Topics
A first step toward carbon neutrality Cupola furnaces to electric furnaces
At our overseas facilities, we also cast frying pans
Introducing High-Rigidity Cast Iron,
Our Internally Developed Material
RCD550
In 2014, we obtained a patent for “RCD550,” an internally-developed spheroidal graphite cast iron characterized by high strength and ductility. By controlling the graphite and matrix structure, this material achieves superior strength and toughness in as-cast form compared to conventional materials. This allows for easy weight reduction, and as such, it is currently used in steering knuckles and housings.
H-FCD
While retaining the general characteristics of cast iron, it has the following key properties:
No heat treatment required
Good machinability (relative to FCAD)
Inhibits water-induced brittleness
Overview of lightweighting technologies
Achieving weight reduction while maintaining strength and rigidity
Chassis components × Lightweighting technology (structural design technology)
In addition to engine components, NPR-RIKEN’s cast iron products contribute to the weight reduction of components for automotive suspensions and construction machinery.
In the field of automotive suspension components (steering knuckles and housings), we have independently developed high-strength, high-ductility materials with excellent stretch and impact resistance. By combining these materials with our design expertise, we have developed products that achieve significant weight reductions comparable to aluminum alloys. Automotive manufacturers demand high performance from critical components related to safety, handling, and ride comfort, and NPR-RIKEN continues to draw on its proprietary technologies to meet these demands.
■ Properties of the “Lightweight Knuckle” made from high-strength, high-rigidity FCD material
1. Provides high strength without heat treatment
2. Maintains strength and rigidity even when the product is made thinner and lighter
3. Superior stretch and impact resistance compared to standard cast iron products
4. Weight reduction achieved through the use of high-strength materials and structural optimization (15% to 20% lighter than conventional products)
Thin-wall technology, an evolution of hollow-core technology
Camshaft × Weight-reduction technologies (hollow-core and thin-wall technologies)
By reducing the weight of the camshaft, a key component of engines, it is possible to improve fuel efficiency. NPR-RIKEN employs advanced shape design and manufacturing technologies to provide production of cast camshafts and, as a pioneer in the camshaft industry, has consistently met the needs of its customers. Our “thin-walled lightweight camshaft,” which has evolved hollow-core technology to achieve a wall thickness of 2.5 mm, is highly regarded for the techniques it employs.
■ Properties of our lightweight camshafts
1. Manufacture of chilled camshafts and surface-hardened camshafts
2. Significant weight reduction achieved through the use of
hollow sections with varying diameters
(20–30% lighter than solid products)
3. Applicable to motorcycle and automobile engines
