Manufactured Product
Power Drill
Battery Charger
Application
Charger housing
Material Used
Ultramid® Nylon
Grade
A3XZG5
Housing for Power Tool Battery Charger Is
Injection Molded of Impact-Resistant,
Flame Retardant Ultramid ® Nylon Resin
Bosch Power Tools recently switched to Ultramid® A3XZG5 nylon resin to injection
mold the housing for its power drill battery charger. The battery charger housing
now has an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) temperature resistance rating of >80°C.
Previously, the housing was molded of a flame retardant ABS resin, and it had a UL
temperature resistance rating of 60°C.
The 7.2-12 volt capacitance charger can fully recharge Bosch’s nickel cadmium
batteries in one hour. During the high-current portion of the charge, internal temperatures require a heat-resistant housing material be used. Ultramid A3XZG5 nylon
resin has a heat deflection temperature (264 psi load) of 445°F. Its maximum service
temperature, for a few hours, is 356°F.
Ultramid A3XZG5 nylon resin is a non-halogenated flame retardant, impact-modified, glass fiber reinforced (25%), type 66 nylon, injection molding resin. The resin
has a UL 94 flammability rating of V-O (to 0.78 mm thickness).
Resistance to dimensional changes at high temperatures is important. The battery
charger housing has two halves, which are fastened together by four screws (one in
each corner). The bottom half of the housing fits tightly inside the lip of its top half.
The seal of the two halves must remain tight and not become thermally distorted.
Also, the slot where the battery pack is plugged into the top of the charger must
not change dimensions when the unit heats up. The coefficient of thermal expansion for A3XZG5 is 1.8x10-5 in./in. per °F and 3.6x10-5 in./in. per °F in the flow direction.
Bosch tests the battery charger housing's impact resistance by dropping the unit
from 6 ft. onto a concrete surface. The Ultramid® nylonhousing easily passes this
Material Selection Criteria
• Flame retardant
• High strength
• Dimensional stability
• Impact strength
• Heat resistance
Performance Benefits
• The battery charger
housing now has an
Underwriters
Laboratories (UL) temperature resistance rating of >80°C. Previously,
the housing was molded
of a flame retardant ABS
resin, and it had a UL
temperature resistance
rating of 60°C.
• A3XZG5 nylon resin has a
heat deflection temperature (264 psi load) of
445°F. Its maximum service
temperature is 356°F for
up to several hours.
• Resistance to dimensional
changes at high temperatures is important.
• The battery charger
housing has 2 halves,
which are fastened
together by 4 screws
(one in each corner). The
bottom half of the housing fits tightly inside the
lip of its top half. The
seal of the two halves
test. Ultramid A3XZG5 nylon has a notched Izod impact strength (D256, dry) of 3.8
ft.-lb./in. at 73°F and 1.9 ft.-lb./in. at -40°F.
The new Ultramid nylon housing is molded in the same mold that was used to make
the FR-ABS part. The easy flow and low melt viscosity of Ultramid A3XZG5 nylon
resin result in parts with good surface smoothness. The good molding properties of
the reinforced Ultramid A3XZG5 nylon also result in low shrinkage and molded-in
stresses.
must remain tight and not
become thermally distorted.
Also, the slot where the battery pack is plugged into the
top of the charger must not
change dimensions when the
unit heats up.
• Bosch tests the battery
charger housing’s impact
resistance by dropping the
unit from 6 ft. onto a concrete surface. The nylon
housing easily passes this
test. A3XZG5 has a notched
Izod impact strength (D256,
dry) of 3.8 ft.-lb./in. at 73°F
and 1.9 ft.-lb./in. at -40°F.
• The nylon housing is molded
in the same mold as was
used to make the FR-ABS
part. The easy flow and low
melt viscosity of A3XZG5
nylon resin result in parts
with good surface smoothness.
Customer
Robert Bosch
Power Tool Corporation
New Bern, NC
BASF Corporation
Plastic Materials
3000 Continental Drive - North
Mount Olive, NJ 07828-1234
Tel: 800-BC-RESIN (973-426-3923)
Fax: 973-426-3912
Molder
Goshen RubberCompanies Inc.
Goshen, IN
Palmer Plastics, Inc.
Englewood, OH
BASF Corporation
Plastics Applications Center
1609 Biddle Avenue
Wyandotte, MI 48192
Tel: 800-527-TECH
BASF SMART FAX
Data/processing information sent to you via fax
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Internet Site
http://www.basf.com/plastics
©1997 BASF Corporation
Ultramid is a registered trademark of BASF Aktiengesellschaft
10/97