Metal-to-Plastic Conversion with ROTEC® HPPA
In recent years, a clear trend toward polymer-based solutions and the replacement of metal has been observed in the automotive industry. Technical polymers are used extensively in vehicles with internal combustion engines. In electric vehicles, this trend is further amplified by the urgent need to extend range and improve efficiency. From an economic perspective, there are additional factors that justify the use of polymer solutions in electric vehicles. Key supply chains must be restructured, and polymer suppliers must adapt to new requirements related to the shift from metals to plastics and weight reduction. This opens up new opportunities for high-performance polymers such as ROTEC® HPPA.
ROTEC® HPPA is a high-performance polyamide developed for use as a metal substitute. Its composition combines metal-like strength and stiffness with very low moisture absorption (up to 60% lower than that of PA6). It has very low thermal expansion (similar to that of aluminum and zinc alloys), making it well-suited for use in metal-molded parts. Flame-retardant (V-0 rating at 3 mm thickness) and UV-resistant variants have been developed for special applications.
ROTEC® HPPA can be produced using standard injection molding machines without the need for special tools or equipment, unlike some other high-performance polyamides. Here are the key benefits of ROTEC® HPPA:
- Lighter and More Efficient: ROTEC® HPPA has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which allows complex structural parts—with strength comparable to that of aluminum—to be manufactured using glass-fiber-reinforced ROTEC® HPPA, resulting in a 40% reduction in weight.
- Design Innovation: ROTEC® HPPA injection molding offers greater design flexibility than metal forming techniques, allowing multiple metal parts to be effectively integrated into a single part.
- Cost and time savings: Using ROTEC® HPPA eliminates the additional costs associated with extra production steps required when working with metal, such as drilling, finishing, and assembly. In addition, mold wear and maintenance are significantly lower than with metals.
- Lower total CO2 emissions: lower weight, lower carbon footprint in raw material production, and lower final fuel consumption.
The use of ROTEC® HPPA is not limited to replacing metal; it also includes the substitution of standard PA6 and PA66 composites, which are prone to failure due to moisture absorption, leading to a deterioration in their properties. This applies in particular to functional parts that must maintain their mechanical properties over a long period of time. Another application involves thin-walled parts with high stiffness, which cannot be achieved with PA6/PA66 compounds. The high strength-to-weight ratio of ROTEC® HPPA allows for the miniaturization and thinning of parts compared to PA6/PA66 parts.
In cases where greater weight reduction is required, carbon-fiber-reinforced composites could be a potential solution. The high cost and carbon footprint are the two main challenges associated with carbon-fiber-reinforced composites in the automotive industry. The use of recycled carbon fibers in ROTEC® PA composites results in a significant reduction in the carbon footprint and overall costs.
