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Optibelt RBK SCC: World’s First Multi-Rib V-belt with Replacement Indicator
Optibelt Asia Pacific took part in the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo (MCVE) 2017 by displaying its various product range. Among the products was the new Optibelt RBK SCC (Secure Change Control) V-belt, which Country Manager Vincent Thoo said was distinguished during the International Grands Prix for Automotive Innovation at Equip Auto 2015 in mid-October.
The SCC belt received the Silver Trophy in the Spare Parts & Aftermarket category. This was the 16th time that a jury awarded the innovation prize. The 60 journalists who made up the jury that year picked the winner from among 30 finalists and several hundred nominees in five categories.
The SCC belt is the world’s first and only multi-rib V-belt with an integrated replacement indicator. The Arntz Optibelt Group developed this groundbreaking product at its headquarters in Höxter, Germany and produced the new multi-rib V-belt at the same location.
Visual inspections cannot detect wear in extremely durable materials like EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer). Optibelt’s innovation addresses this challenge. It eliminates the need for additional inspection and measuring instruments by using a red strip that shows vehicle owners when a belt is worn and in need of service.
“The replacement indicator greatly simplifies inspections and enables greater mechanic and consumer safety – and that creates significant added value for our customers,” said Reinhold Mühlbeyer, CEO of Arntz Optibelt Group. “High-tech materials and special manufacturing processes have made it possible for us to now produce the product here at Optibelt.” The new technology also makes service intervals and costs more exact, more reliable and easier to plan. As a result, this new generation of multi-rib V-belt is said to be particularly well suited for fleet operations such as trucking and taxi companies.
Besides its innovative replacement indicator, the new generation of multi-rib V-belts also offers other positive characteristics with proven Optibelt OEM quality. These include high temperature resistance with the use of EPDM, which withstands temperatures from as low as -40°C to as high as +130°C. The optibelt RBK SCC is suitable for all modern drive solutions (such as start-stop) and saves fuel with its high efficiency.
Optibelt products are distributed by YonMing Group in Malaysia.