Sponsored By

Application Spotlight: Lightweight connector uses new high-flow PBT

May 1, 2005

1 Min Read
Plastics Today logo in a gray background | Plastics Today

Product description: A plug-in connector for data media cables used in laptops, telephones, and other devices with an ISDN or DSL connection. This is the first production application of a new, high-flow PBT material with nanoadditives.

Molded parts: Single connector weighs just 1.5g. Volume production reaches several million annually.

Material: High-flow, 10% glass-filled PBT with nanoadditives (Ultradur High Speed B4300 G2—BASF)

Material advantages: Molders found it difficult to fill the small, intricate connectors with traditional PBT, which resulted in air traps in the thin connector ribs. This led to an unacceptable level of scrap, according to sources at BASF. Because PBT properties were needed for the application, molders trialed a higher-flow grade and found it shortened cycle time by 25%, reduced scrap, and eliminated tool deposits. To improve the processibility of PBT, developers created a nanoparticle additive with particle sizes between 50 and 300 nm, along with an admixture technique that ensures uniform distribution. Mechanical properties, shrinkage behavior, and dimensional stability under heat are unaffected by the additive, but melt flow changes significantly. In the case of a 30% glass-filled grade, the drop in melt viscosity is 50% at a melt temperature of 500°F. The material was introduced at K 2004 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Christophe Ginss, business manager for Ultradur, says the high-flow PBT will be able to replace syndiotactic PS (Questra—Dow), which has recently been taken off the market.

Mold:Eight-cavity tool

Molding machine: Arburg 320, with clamping forces between 500 and 600 kN and injection unit diameters between 25 and 35 mm.

More info: www.basf.de/ultradur

Sign up for PlasticsToday newsletter

You May Also Like