A new ductile iron alloy called SiboDur has been introduced by Grede Foundries in St. Cloud site, Minnesota, to produce durable lightweight chassis, power- and drive-train components for heavy-duty truck applications.
Grede Foundries unveiled the SiboDur components last week at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. According to the company, the metal has a unique chemistry and process that competes favorably with aluminum in weight reduction. The high-strength characteristics of SiboDur also provide cost, fatigue life and “manufacturability” advantages over other materials.
Heavy-duty truck manufacturers use SiboDur in parts with high stress and torque requirements including steering knuckles, differential cases, control arms, hubs, brackets, engine mounts, crankshafts and suspension links. SiboDur was developed by a Swiss company, and Grede has the exclusive license to produce the alloy in North America. In addition to St. Cloud, it is being made at a Grede facility in Reedsburg, Wis.
Grede has estimated annual revenues of $1 billion, is headquartered in Southfield, Mich., and has 4,700 employees at 14 foundries and three machining operations in North America.
