LANXESS has developed a series of laser weldable polyamide, PBT Durethan LT and Pocan LT (laser transparent) materials. Recently, three new compounds were added to the product range. Dr. Claudia Dahling, a process plastics expert at LANXESS, said: "These three new materials have good laser welding characteristics, and are safe to operate, excellent performance, and a wide range of applications. Potential applications include electric vehicle drives and driver assistance system components, and Internet of Things devices. "
High hydrolytic stability and excellent welding performance
Pocan B3233XHRLT (currently Pocan TP155-002) is a new 30% glass fiber reinforced PBT composite material that exhibits good laser transparency and is very resistant to corrosion in hot and humid environments.
Currently, there are few such materials on the market, because standard hydrolytic stabilizing additives usually cause the laser transparency of PBT materials to decrease significantly. The American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has passed long-term tests to verify the excellent hydrolysis resistance of the new generation of Pocan HR products. Dähling said: "Our products have reached 4-5 standards in USCAR testing, which are the two highest levels."
Flame retardancy and laser transparency
Most flame retardants will reduce the laser transparency of thermoplastics. Therefore, PBT, polyamide 6 and polyamide 66 compounds on the market rarely have good laser weldability and high flame retardant properties. However, they are essential raw materials for battery system components of electric vehicles.
Dahling added: "We provide corresponding compounds based on polyamide 6, such as Durethan BKV30FN04LT. These materials have a halogen-free flame retardant package and pass the UL 94 flammability test with a small sample thickness test to achieve the highest V-0 classification. . "It can be safely processed in a stable process window, leaving almost no deposit on the tool. Moreover, the tracking resistance is up to 600 volts (IEC 60112 comparative tracking index CTI A), making it an ideal component for high-voltage batteries and plugs.
Can be tailored to suit thicker walls
The third new LANXESS material that can be used for laser welding is Pocan TP150-002. This 30% glass fiber reinforced PBT compound is optimized for extremely high laser transparency. The transmittance reaches 13%, which is about twice that of most other laser-transparent PBT products (measured at 980 nm using the LPKF TMG-3 equipment, the sample thickness is 2 mm). Dähling said: "We can tailor materials according to different designs and provide cost-effective laser welding components to meet thicker wall requirements."
HiAnt service—supports all aspects of laser welding
LANXESS provides HiAnt services to customers to support the development of laser welding components. Services include: (1) Use CAE tools to design components on the basis of materials. Dahling said: "We reduce distortion through simulation. For example, to make the connection process safer and more stable." (2) According to customer standards, a wide range of component testing services, such as performing dynamic tests on larger components, Requires climate testing. (3) The service also includes technical support for injection molding, welding and sampling to start mass production.