MATERIALS | ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC
PEEK helps eco-designed vacuum cleaners
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has long been recognised for its outstanding mechanical properties and performance, having a strength-to-weight ratio equal to or in some cases better than that of metals. In home appliances, it can help reduce weight and down-size without negatively affecting perfor- mance. Even though it is expensive among thermoplastics, PEEK can also reduce the cost of parts, when replacing metals. A case in point is the latest generation of
portable vacuum cleaners. In September 2017, new EU eco-design rules banning the sale of noisy and ineffi- cient vacuum cleaners came into effect. The rules reduce the maximum power rating from 1,600 W to 900 W and limit the maximum noise level to 80dB. PEEK producer Victrex says the processing flexibility of its
injection moulding polymers and their consequent advantages in manufacturing have allowed designers to explore new approaches to the design of smaller, yet powerful, vacuum cleaner components. It says the ability to injection mould Victrex PEEK to produce high engineering tolerance parts that cope with high speeds (in some cases faster than 100,000 rpm), while cutting noise by up to 50%, is impressive. The material´s high stiffness-to-
weight ratio allows the impeller to maintain its shape at very high speeds,
potentially resulting in stronger suction com-
pared to more ductile materials. In addition, PEEK is resistant to a wide range of household chemicals, heat and moisture, and can enable reductions in the weight of parts and the size of motors and components needed.
Makrolon TC product family, which are already used for heat sinks in LED lamps, for example. These products are thermally conductive but also available as electrically insulating versions, so they can contribute to the efficient thermal manage- ment of batteries. “Enduros [motorcycles] have to be ready for all wind and weather conditions, but above all must withstand the toughest mechanical demands. In these off-road motorcycles, too, the trend is towards electric drive,” says Covestro. One of Covestro’s customers in this area is
Californian electric bike specialist Alta Motors, a leading manufacturer of such machines. The company’s Alta Pack battery for its motorbikes is equipped with a jacket made of the extremely impact-resistant PC-PBT blend Makroblend. Also building up its offering in polycarbonate
grades for E&E, but only for automotive, is com- pounder and distributor Albis Plastic. Top of its list of new products is Alcom LDDC for lighting applica- tions, which the company says was created in response to the latest developments in user interface design. “The product can be used to create high-gloss lacquer surfaces that can be back-lit in any colour, resulting in exceptionally high-quality symbols and displays on seamless functional surfaces in any colour imaginable,” Albis says. “Newest developments resulted in the transpar-
ent, deep black types without light scattering as well as light diffusing, deep black types with maximal light scattering,” the company adds. They
22 INJECTION WORLD | October 2018
are respectively designed for components with a wall thickness of 1, 2, and 3 mm. The deep black transparent types are suited for example for applications with underlying LCD displays, while the light scattering materials are, for example, used for components that are coated and subsequently labelled using laser engraving, or for backlit components fabricated using the IMD process with decorative film. Two light scattering products in deep white were also developed for display applications with white housings: Alcom LDDC PC 1000 UV 18041 WT1078-12 and Alcom LDDC PC 1000 UV 18045 WT1048-18, which differ in their light transmission levels. A further grade, Alcom LB PC 1000 17164 WT1162-17, was developed especially for applica- tions that are exposed to temperatures above 100°C and need to guarantee superior reflection over a period of several thousand hours. It still exhibits nearly 96% reflection even after 2,000 hours of storage at 115°C.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.ascendmaterials.com �
www.eurostar-ep.com �
www.dow-dupont.com �
www.lanxess.com �
www.polyplastics.com �
www.dsm.com �
www.covestro.com �
www.albis.com �
www.victrex.com
www.injectionworld.com
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