Letting the engine breathe properly

  • Swirl control actuator housing made from PBT
  • Manufactured using laser transmission welding
  • Highly durable in hot and humid conditions
  • High dimensional stability
Cologne

Polybutylene-terephthalate (PBT)-based compounds that offer not only high hydrolysis stability in hot and humid conditions but also good laser transparency for laser transmission welding are a specialty. This is because these two material properties are usually mutually exclusive. LANXESS, however, now offers a number of PBT compounds that successfully reconcile the two properties. One example is Pocan B3233HRLT (hydrolysis-resistant, laser transparency), which is already used in a range of large-series applications and can be employed to manufacture, for example, housings for mechatronic actuators for swirl control. An automotive manufacturer based in the south of Germany is equipping several of its diesel engine series with these actuators. The actuators are developed and manufactured by Sogefi Air & Cooling SAS in Orbey, France. The company is part of Sogefi S.p.A., an Italian corporate group that is among the world’s leading providers of filter systems, flexible chassis components and air intake and engine cooling systems for vehicles.

Cost-effective production process

“Our PBT compound has been chosen because it withstands the high temperatures under the hood in a car, even in very humid conditions,” says Jean-Marie Olivé, an application development expert in High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit at LANXESS. “Our material is also characterized by its low warpage and high dimensional stability, properties that make it ideal for the complex geometries of these compact housings.” And even when the material is dyed black, it still offers a high level of transparency in the wavelength range of lasers usually employed for laser transmission welding of plastics. “This ensures stable and efficient welding of the housing components,” says Olivé.

Excellent test results

The outstanding resistance of Pocan B3233HRLT to hot and humid environments is demonstrated in the SAE/USCAR-2 Rev. 6 long-term test, which is conducted in accordance with a standard set by the American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and considered to be among the world’s most demanding tests of the hydrolysis stability of plastics. A finished part is exposed to strong temperature changes at relative humidities of up to 100% over numerous cycles. Olivé: “In specimen tests conducted in similar conditions, our compound fulfills the requirements of Class 3 and so can withstand temperatures up to 125 °C.”

Laser transmission welding – the latest trend

Laser transmission welding is a joining method for components made from thermoplastics. It is ideally suited to the cost-effective and gentle production of very small components with complex geometries, making it perfect for the trend toward miniaturized electrical and electronic functions. The procedure uses the energy of laser light. A laser beam passes through a laser-transparent component and is absorbed by a second component – usually black-pigmented – underneath. The absorption creates heat, which melts the surface of the second component. In turn, heat conduction softens the surface of the first component, allowing a strong weld seam to form between the two components. In the case of the actuator, the laser-transparent part is made from Pocan B3233HRLT with laser-transparent black coloring, while the absorbing housing half is made from Pocan B3233HR.

Optimized combustion process

Swirl control actuators are part of the air management systems in combustion engines. They are responsible for controlling the air supply to the intake module and, at the same time, ensuring sufficient air turbulence. They help to optimize combustion processes and so play a key role in ensuring that the engine is highly efficient, which is ultimately reflected in high fuel economy and correspondingly low consumption figures.

Information for editors:
All global LANXESS news releases and their accompanying photos can be found at http://press.lanxess.com.
Recent photos of the Board of Management and other LANXESS image material are available at http://photos.lanxess.com.

 

Press releases PIAE

PRESS RELEASE

Letting the engine breathe properly

Swirl control actuator
PRESS RELEASE

LANXESS launches hollow-profile hybrid technology

Hollow profile hybrid exhibits
PRESS RELEASE

LANXESS at the VDI “Plastics in Automotive Engineering” congress

HPM stand at PIAE 2021 Mannheim

MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC

PRESS RELEASE
Modular plant for water purification usimg Lewatit TP 108 DW ion exchange resin. Operatot De Watergroep, Belgium

LANXESS’ ion exchange resin for mobile water treatment unit for PFAS removal

November 19, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
refrigeration lubricant, synthetic ester lubricant Everest ESR 220, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and refrigeration systems

LANXESS launches environmentally sustainable refrigeration lubricant Everest ESR 220

November 13, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Since August 1, 2013, specialty chemicals Group LANXESS is steering its global business from the LANXESS Tower in Cologne.

LANXESS significantly increases earnings in the third quarter of 2024

November 07, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
LANXESS Headquarters in Cologne

LANXESS signs contract to sell Urethane Systems business to UBE Corporation

October 03, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
LANXESS corporate headquarters in Cologne

LANXESS signs new sustainable credit line for EUR 800 million

September 26, 2024