Weidmüller, the German electrical engineering major, is turning its attention to the advanced materials of chemical giant BASF so as to power the next generation of high-performance electronics.
Indeed, the company has chosen Ultramid Advanced N3U41 G6 from BASF for the PCB connectors and terminals of its new OMNIMATE 4.0 product family.
This is a major step forward towards faster, more automated and more robust electronics manufacturing for sectors like drive technology and power supply as well as energy distribution.
The collaboration is based on the high-performance PPA of BASF, which is formulated to endure severe thermal and environmental conditions while offering the flexibility to be coloured in industry-standard RAL colours like orange, blue and green.
The high temperature resistance of polyphthalamide – PPA makes it also ideal for reflow soldering, a crucial procedure when it comes to modern PCB assembly.
It is well to be noted that the Ultramid Advanced N3U41 G6 allows manufacturers to manufacture connectors and PCB terminals in customer-specific colours whilst retaining complete UL certification throughout all colour variants, which, by the way, is an important benefit for electronics manufacturers which require rigid colour coding for secure assembly and maintenance.
According to Andreas Stockheim from business management for PPAs at BASF, the company is indeed pleased that they could convince Weidmüller with their high-performance material as well as large range of colours available.
He went on to add that BASF, the market leader, offers its customers a comprehensive range of pre-coloured granules for this PA9T in addition to PPAs. Self-coloring is also available in UL-certified masterbatches.
Weidmüller adds that the material fits well with the automation-centric design philosophy of its OMNIMATE 4.0 platform. The PCB components of the company are designed to offer compact power transmission while at the same time meeting challenging high-voltage demands.
Wiring is also possible rapidly and without tools with snap-in connection technology, decreasing assembly time and increasing manufacturing efficiency.
Adds Head of Device Connectors at Weidmüller, Johann Klippenstein, that their OMNIMATE 4.0 product family is perfectly suited for completely automated wiring processes.
The high-performance PPA of BASF is ideal for this application, as the mechanical and electrical properties are maintained at a high level even when using small connectors. In combination with the very wide colour palette, they provide their customers with a safe solution that meets DIN standard VDE 60335-1 and can be flexibly adjusted to new requirements when it comes to high-performance electronics.
The material additionally addresses the increasing pressure on electronics manufacturers so as to produce smaller, tougher and even more heat-resistant components.
BASF’s laser-sensitive Ultramid® Advanced N3U41 G6 LS integrates non-halogenated flame retardancy along with low water absorption and high dimensional rigidity and superior electrical performance even under harsh environments subjected to moisture, dust and dirt.
With a comparative tracking index – CTI of 600 and a relative thermal index – RTI of 150°C, the material is intended to facilitate the growing miniaturisation of electronic components while not compromising on dependability or security.