AUTOMOTIVE | MATERIALS


diffuser can now withstand a highly acidic environ- ment with pH levels of 2.2 and temperatures up to 200°C. The new design also eliminates the need for multiple components, including a gasket, O-ring and fasteners, resulting in a simplified part that directly integrates into the air intake assembly. “This validates our commitment to material


innovation and the collaborative expertise of our team,” said Russ Bloomfield, application develop- ment engineer at Envalior. Other partners in the project were Sogefi – the


Tier 1 supplier for the EGR assembly – and Viking Plastics, which moulds the Xytron EGR tube supplied to Sogefi.


Metal overmoulding Envalior also showcased a new material – at a recent event organised by the South German Plastics Centre (SKZ) – which it says can be used to overmould metal parts. The material, Pocan BFN4221Z, is a PBT with 20% short glass fibre reinforcement. Advantages of the compound are its high elongation at break (2.9%) and good Charpy impact strength. The elongation at break is even higher than that of comparable PBTs with halogen-containing flame retardants, says the company. Components made from the new material are


more crack-resistant, while connecting elements such as snap fits are easier to design. Its high elongation at break and temperature resistance make it resilient to thermal shock, making it suitable for overmoulding metal components that are exposed to large temperature changes. The high flame resistance of the compound is evident in the V-0 classification – which applies to all colours with test specimen thicknesses of just 0.4mm. Compared to PBT grades with halogen- containing flame retardants, the material is more resistant to tracking. With its electrical insulation properties and low


water absorption, the material is suited to direct current applications, such as in electromobility. Other possible applications include housings for power capacitors, connectors and plug connectors.


Composite picture At JEC World in France earlier this year, Engel highlighted a fibre-reinforced injection moulded truck storage compartment flap. The component – for Daimler Trucks, developed


by Fraunhofer IMWS – is a winner of a JEC World Innovation Award. The flap has a visually appealing, full-width edge and a closed, all-around edge, both of which are created in a single step along with the


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core and structural formation. This places high demands on the precision of the injection mould- ing process and the machine’s ability to deliver accurate, reliable results – even under high material stress. This component was made as a sandwich part on an Engel injection moulding machine and is the result of the thermoplastic sandwich moulding technology developed at Fraunhofer IMWS. In this process, semi-finished products consisting of a thermoplastic honeycomb core and fibre-rein- forced thermoplastic UD tape laminates from project partner ThermHex are thermoformed and can be functionalised via injection moulding in the same process. The continuous, fully automated manufacturing process is designed for high-vol- ume production. This is crucial for the automotive industry, which has large production volumes and short cycle times.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.basf.com � www.plexiglas-polymers.com � www.sabic.com � www.lbf.fraunhofer.de � www.lyondellbasell.com � http://winningplastics.com � www.mocom.eu � www.covestro.com � www.simoldes.com � www.polykemi.se � www.elix-polymers.com � www.syensqo.com � www.vartega.com � www.avient.com � www.cabopol.com � www.celanese.com � www.radicigroup.com � www.envalior.com � www.skz.de � www.engelglobal.com


May/June 2025 | INJECTION WORLD 29


Above: Engel showed a fibre-reinforced injection


moulded truck storage compartment flap at JEC World


IMAGE: ENGEL


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