ENGINEERING THERMOPLASTICS | MATERIALS
properties with two new polyamide compounds that also provide excellent processability, dimen- sional stability, high surface gloss, and low warpage. Both new compounds have UL-94 ratings of V0. Creamid A3H7GE FRSE is a 15% glass fiber
reinforced PA66 that is now in use for an automo- tive housing application requiring high tempera- ture resistance. Creamid C3H2G4 FRSE*800 is a PA66+6 compound being used for a housing on a handheld consumer product that needed to meet a drop impact test from 1.5 m after being fully assembled.
BASF was set to launch new flame retardant
grades of PBT and polyamide at this year’s Fakuma exhibition in Germany in October. The show was cancelled, so BASF introduced the products in a virtual show of its own. Two new products, Ultradur B 4440 and Ultramid B3U42G6, are said to offer extremely high tracking resistance and excellent fire behaviour combined with economical process- ing options. The flame retardant systems are free of antimony and halogenated compounds. Both grades attain the highest CTI rating of 600V and the UL94 V-0 classification at 0.4mm.
Case studies
ETP suppliers have been showing how customers are using their materials in new applications. Witcom Engineering Plastics, part of Wittenburg Group, worked closely with injection moulder Miki-Plastik in a project to make new PCB maga- zines, which house and transport PCBs during their automated assembly process. For its high tempera- ture magazine, Witcom needed an electrically conductive high temperature plastic. Marcus Weiland, Managing Director at Miki-
Plastik, says: “The vertical guide rack is a large, flat part that needs to be moulded within tight toler- ances without any warpage. It also needs to be electrically conductive for ESD protection, and withstand impact loads, and, for our high tempera- ture range, temperatures in excess of 130°C. We consulted with a large number of suppliers for a suitable raw material; Witcom Engineering Plastics was the only one to pick up this challenge.” Witcom selected PES as the base polymer, as it can withstand temperatures of up 180°C, is inherently flame retardant and can be moulded within tight tolerances. Piotr Zgnilec, Lead Engineer in conductive thermoplastics at Witcom, says: “To achieve the conductivity needed for the ESD protection and some reinforcement, we could not use carbon fibre, because that would cause the parts to warp. Using conductive carbon black however, causes PES to become rather brittle. In
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close co-operation with Miki-Plastik we developed a new formulation based on a unique conductive carbon black, which did not show brittleness and had enough flow to fill these large tools. Witcom PES-EC is a multi-purpose grade which can be injection moulded as well as extruded.” Christine Van Bellingen, Business Development Manager for conductive applications, adds: “Other potential market areas we are looking at include conductive high temperature sheet and other components for electronics manufacturing.” Independent compounder Lati recently high- lighted an application for its LatiGloss structural compounds, designed to combine the high mechanical strength of 50% glass fibre-reinforced PA66 with a high-quality surface finish, “usually impossible to achieve with filled semicrystalline polymers.” The fibres used to reinforce structural plastics are usually visible on the surface of the moulded pieces, often to the point of making them aesthetically unsuitable for applications that are not purely technical. LatiGloss compounds are claimed to ensure perfectly even surfaces, even in the case of bright colours or when dealing with challenging geom- etries, complex or hefty, or with items that have considerably varying thicknesses. Chevillot, a French company well-known for its livestock tagging systems, is making use of these advantages in ear tag applicators (see main photo on page 35). The company has successfully replaced
November/December 2020 | INJECTION WORLD 43
Left: Witcom Engineering Plastics worked with injection moulder
Miki-Plastik in a project to make new PCB magazines using an electrically
conductive high temperature material
IMAGE: WITCOM
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