Case Study - High-Temperature Plastics

The Challenge

Upgrade product so it can withstand harsher and more demanding operating conditions.

The Solution

Evaluate and select a high-temperature resin whose electrical properties exceed those of the engineering grade resin currently being used and can withstand the harsher environment.

The Steps Taken

Evaluate operating environment

Operating temperature

Exposure to solvents

Electrical environment

Mechanical stresses

Evaluate Resin Properties

Electrical

Mechanical

Thermal

Chemical

Flammability

For this application High-Temperature Plastics were evaluated due to their superior properties. Some of those properties are as follows:

High-temperature resistance, operating temperatures as high as 500°F.

Excellent electrical properties

High-radiation resistance

Excellent water/chemical resistance

High-wear resistance

Good fire resistance without additives

For this application electrical resistance was the key criteria. Consequently a polyetherimide was chosen that had a dielectric strength of 710 volts/mil. This compared well against the engineering resin (polycarbonate) previously being used that had a dielectric strength of 380 volts/mil.