On the occasion of the “Plastics in Automotive Construction” Conference of the German Association of Engineers (VDI), Mannheim, Germany
BASF is expanding its assortment of polyamide grades that have been optimized for the use of water-injection technology (WIT) in injection molding. The new WIT grades are Ultramid® A3HG6 WIT Balance and Ultramid® A3WG7 WIT. Thanks to water-injection technology, hollow plastic parts, for example, for medium-carrying lines that require a very good inner surface, can be produced by injection molding. These two materials are now available in commercial quantities.
Resistant to water, oil and salt
Owing to its improved hydrolysis resistance, the polyamide (PA) Ultramid® A3HG6 WIT Balance is particularly well-suited for components that carry coolant or that come into contact with water. At the same time, the content of PA 6.10 in this material also translates into high stress-cracking resistance to calcium chloride, thus taking into account the more stringent requirements made in terms of resistance to road salt. Particularly in Asia, calcium chloride is often spread on icy roads.
In contrast, BASF recommends its new Ultramid® A3WG7 WIT, which is reinforced with 35% glass fibers, especially for tubes that convey oil such as those employed for dipsticks, or else for other components that have to meet high demands in terms of oil resistance, stiffness and dimensional stability. Both materials lend themselves very well for WIT processing. In the meantime, the hydrolysis-resistant basic product of the WIT series, namely, Ultramid A3HG6 WIT, has become the material of choice for many WIT applications such as cooling water pipes.
