TECHNOLOGY | COMPOUNDS FOR EVs
Right: Lanxess has developed several
compounds for this new highly integrated electric vehicle charging inlet design
manufacturers of charging systems allows the company to incorporate the experience it has accumulated in numerous previous charging infrastructure development projects. “This means that it also satisfies a desire expressed by many manufacturers to have the ability to be as flexible as possible when it comes to charging inlet sealing,” says Jaschkewitz. O-rings, sealing cords or family seals can be used, for example, as can lip seals manufactured in a two-component injection moulding process. The key elements of the charging inlet design the company has developed are the front and rear housings, socket for the connec- tor from the charging station, and an actuator. The latter locks the connector in place to prevent it from being accidentally or deliber- ately pulled out during the charging process. A pin holder secures the
metallic connector pins in place, as well as a printed circuit board (PCB) with cables for charging with direct or alternating current. Particular attention was paid to the design of the pin holder, which positions the cables such that the heat produced during charging is dissi- pated through the cables in use as well as the other cables not in use. This means the pin holder becomes part of the thermal management system and makes fast charging at high currents easier. Once the cables and contact pins have been placed in the holder and the PCB clipped in, all the charging inlet components are secured with snap fits. The cables are fastened in place under minimum strain so that they cannot become detached in the housing. The ability to join the components without the need for screws simplifies the assembly process and associated logistics, which cuts manufacturing costs. Lanxess says plastics for charging inlets are
required to comply with the IEC 62196-1 standard and deliver high electrical insulation resistance, as well as high dielectric strength and tracking resistance. Good flame retardant properties are also essential. Parts that come into direct contact with live components must pass a glow-wire end product test (GWEPT), in accordance with IEC 60695-2-11, at a glow-wire ignition temperature of 850°C. After being stored at 80°C for seven days, the plastic parts must not exhibit any surface changes – such as cracks – caused by ageing. High-grade mechanical properties, such as tough- ness, are also required to ensure that the charging
38 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2022
inlet is not susceptible to bumps or vandalism. “Our material solutions include compounds that
are ideally suited to this range of requirements,” says Sarah Luers, Application Developer at HPM. “In some cases, versions developed specifically for electric vehicles are also available. This includes, for exam- ple, highly weather and UV-resistant products for housings, as well as materials exhibiting low shrink- age and warpage for components that need to be particularly dimensionally stable. Thermally conduc- tive PA6 compounds with good mechanical properties are intended for use in the pin holder, which is subject to heavy thermal loads. This also includes product types that pass the UL94 flamma- bility test prescribed by the US Underwriters Laborato- ries Inc. testing institute with a V-0 rating.” Lanxess says it is
currently considering applying the new design to further assemblies of the
charging infrastructure – such as the charging plug. It says much of the design and materials
expertise built-up during work on vehicle charging inlets can be deployed because the requirements are very similar.
Compound options Italian compounder Lati has developed a number of self-extinguishing compounds for e-mobility applications such as charging systems, as well as supports and housings for electrical and electronic parts, engine parts and batteries. It says that in terms of compound development, knowing the most important parameters to monitor — such as flame retardancy, glow wire resistance, thermal and physical ageing, resistance to environmental conditions and creeping currents, dielectric rigidity and mechanical strength — is as important as choosing the right material. Its range of self-extin- guishing grades covers all resins, including include PA and PBT for typical applications, PPS and PPA for high temperatures, and PEEK for extreme conditions. Turkish compound specialist Tisan Engineering
Plastics developed its Tislamid PA and Tisester PBT compounds for components of electric vehicles, such as electric motors, high voltage connectors, battery parts and electric vehicle charging stations. The company says that the compounds provide the required flame retardancy and mechanical perfor- mance, as well as electrical performance with high
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: LANXESS
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