Winterproof alloy wheels RIAL 11.11.2013: – Stringent varnish testing and manufacturing at the standard level of auto industry enable a unique 5-year warranty

– Stringent varnish testing and manufacturing at the standard level of auto industry enable a unique 5-year warranty




Photo caption:   RIAL alloy wheels as the current model BAVARO withstand the extreme winter conditions thanks to its Protect4Life.



The alloy wheel manufacturer RIAL thoroughly tests winter resistant varnish sprays, and also simulates a road stone impact and other damaging effects


It is currently estimated that 32 million motorists in our country  are changing to winter wheels. Whether aluminium or steel wheels it is still a question for  many of them. Steel wheels used to be the rule for many drivers because of their  resistance.


The alloy wheel manufacturer RIAL in Bad Dürkheim, which is one of the  leading manufacturers in the industry of over 35 years, gives a confident answer on this  question by offering a 5-year warranty on the varnish of all 15 current winter designs.


Since the beginning of autumn, different opinions and experiences on aluminium and  steel wheels are being exchanged in many Internet forums. Sales figures clearly show a  trend towards aluminium wheels even in the cold season. However there are still many  drivers who choose the time-tested steel wheels for winter out of sheer caution, since in  the past, low-grade aluminium wheels, especially cheap wheels imported from the Far  East have proven to be very susceptible to damage by road salt and grit.
 

RIAL shows that this does not always need to be the case if the quality is right. The  aluminium winter wheels which are produced only in Europe are coated with a special  varnish surface according to automotive industry standards, which protects wheels  against any damage by road salt and grit in the adverse weather conditions of winter.


RIAL is the only manufacturer which offers a 5-year warranty on its Protect4Life varnish,  despite the fact that alloy wheels are exposed to extreme weather conditions, especially  in winter. How can that be?


Arno Riffel, Head of Engineering/Construction of RIAL: "As a part of UNIWHEELS we  manufacture around 6 million wheels per year in our factories for nearly every automotive  manufacturer in Europe. Therefore, we apply the same high standards of serial wheels to  our RIAL wheels in the accessories market.


In addition, our high-tech coatings run  through the very hard CASS test.” The CASS test (Copper Accelerated Salt Spray Test) is  specially designed for the automotive industry, which is a salt spray test for testing the  corrosion protection of varnished surfaces of wheels.





photo caption:  RIAL’s CASS test bombards the wheel with gravel. The simulation of road stones  impact is the basis for the 5-year warranty on the varnish Protect4Life.


RIAL technicians simulate the aging and corrosion process of varnish coating in a  hermetically sealed chamber which has an elevated temperature of 40 degrees, by  befogging the wheel with a very aggressive chlorine, copper and vinegar solution.


No  varnish peeling may occur later. RIAL wheels pass this test in the production-related tests  all the time. "Therefore, we can give a 5-year warranty on our certified varnish quality in  good conscience" says Ivan Lasic, Quality Management Representative of RIAL.


"Furthermore, we test possible road stone impact by split and salt. In this way we can check resistance of wheels against damages caused by additional elements in winter." For this purpose, a special test apparatus is filled with a certain number of gravel  (diameter of two millimeters). These stones are then air pressured against test wheels.


Lasic emphasizes: "Thanks to this procedure, we can assure the right varnish  consistency so that a usual amount of road stones causes no damage to the wheel."

Conclusion: Winter can come with the CASS test of RIAL!



- Ralf Jensen, photos RIAL