Automotive & Vehicle Industry

Heraeus doesn’t manufacture cars, but we make many automotive components that consumers never see, such as platinum spheres for spark plug electrodes and resistance wires for airbag initiators. More than 200 processes on the automotive production line employ infrared heat. Heraeus develops infrared emitters that are used to dry paint on bodywork, form synthetic materials or coat industrial textiles. Modern cars contain as many as 80 electronic controls made with precious-metal materials and components from Heraeus, such as bonding wires, plated precision stamped parts or multi-wire wispers. The automotive industry uses customer-specific sensors, such as oil temperature sensors to monitor motor oil quality or sensors for diesel particulate filter systems. Platinum sensors help curb emissions and reduce fuel and oil consumption.