electrical and electronic | Innovation
development expert in the Lanxess High Performance Materials business unit. A potential application for the new Durethan BKV 25
FN27 grade is low voltage switching equipment. In the glow-wire test (IEC 60695-2-12), samples of the halogen- and phosphorus-free material achieved a Glow Wire Test rating on a finished part of 960°C at thicknesses of less than one millimetre — the highest achievable rating for plastics. The company also offers Durethan BG 30 X F30 and
Durethan BG 30 X FN01 very low distortion grades, which are reinforced with glass microspheres. The latter is a halogen-free flame-retardant plastic boasting a UL f1 listing for use in outdoor applications exposed to UV light and water. Lanxess says its reinforced, flame-retardant polyam- ide and PBT compounds, which also exhibit a low tendency to warp, are in particular demand for the manufacture of geometrically intricate and large housing parts. The company claims that with its Pocan AF, it is one of the few suppliers of PBT/ASA (acrylonitrile-sty-
rene-acrylate) blends that fit the requirements. “They produce outstanding surfaces, and leave hardly any deposits in the injection mould,” says Radeck. Grades are rated V-0 according to the UL94 flammability test.
Moving on PBT Solvay Engineering Plastics is also planning to enter the PBT compounds market shortly. It already has limited production of PBT compounds in Korea for local customers, but market director James Mitchell says the plan is to take a more global position and to also transfer its expertise in halogen-free flame retardant technology for polyamides across into PBTs. In many markets, especially in Asia, standard
polyamides and PBT go head-to-head for applications such as connectors. On the one hand, PBT can be more cost competitive and it has been progressively increas- ing market share; but on the other, technology for producing halogen-free flame retardant grades is generally more advanced in polyamides than it is in PBT. BASF says its Ultradur B4450 G5 halogen-free
Automated thermal switch production
At Fakuma 2015 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, last autumn, Engel demonstrated a highly integrated, fully automated process for manu- facturing, testing and labelling thermal switch housings produced by over-moulding metal (brass) components that are stamped from a reel in the cell itself. The core of the production cell is an Engel insert 60V/35 single vertical machine. Also included in the cell is a processing module for tapping a thread into the component. Thermal switches, used for electric motors in cars, domestic
Thermal switches were manufactured in an integrated process by Engel at Fakuma
appliances and elsewhere, are normally produced in a complex multiple stage process, with the metal components being punched and over- moulded at different locations. Engel says the savings potential through process integration and simplification of logistics is high. It created its system solution in collaboration with fellow Austrian company MMS Modular Molding Systems. “It guarantees the lowest possible unit costs and makes composite manufacturing economical even at locations with high wage levels,” Engel claims. The brass carrier plates are overmoulded with a
Engel worked with MMS Modular Molding Systems to develop the reel-based production cell
glass fibre reinforced polyamide. Quality inspection occurs directly after moulding. In addition to camera- based checks, high voltage testing for short circuits is carried out on every part. Parts that pass the test are immediately laser marked to ensure complete traceabil- ity. Eight ready to install parts leave the production cell every 20 seconds. The modular design of the MMS systems makes it possible to integrate additional processing modules, for example for resistance or laser welding, riveting, assembly or cleaning of the parts. The entire process is visualised and controlled via the CC300 control unit on the Engel injection moulding machine. ❙
www.engelglobal.com
80 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2016
www.compoundingworld.com
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