The new glass-fiber reinforced grades of the ULTEM resin family deliver high flow, custom colorability and high strength, and are well suited for thin-wall components like fiber optics and electrical connectors.
Low-viscosity ULTEM 2120, 2220 and 2320 resins exhibit flow characteristics that make it possible to create miniaturized components with complex geometries. For injection molders, the flow properties of these materials offer the flexibility to lower injection pressures or mold thinner walls at the same pressure. The resins maintain the existing color range of existing resins and can be custom-colored for connector identification and product branding.
The resins are available as ISCC Plus certified renewable versions. In addition, they do not contain per and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) intentionally added during the manufacturing process and are not expected to contain unintentional PFAS impurities.
Even with glass fiber loadings of ten, twenty and thirty percent, respectively, ULTEM 2120, 2220 and 2320 resins exhibit low viscosity, enabling compact designs with thin walls that expand available space within or surrounding the part. These materials demonstrate higher spiral flow properties of up to 36 percent.
In addition, high flow can reduce processing time and production cost. By delivering potential reductions in injection pressure of up to 35 percent, the resins can help customers overcome molding equipment limitations. Improved flow can also permit processing temperature reductions that may cut energy costs and shorten cooling times up to ten percent for faster throughput. Finally, high flow helps to mitigate issues such as premature solidification of the resin (freeze off) and visual defects.
The ULTEM 2X20 resins can be custom colored to provide critical identification of the type and speed of fiber optic and electrical connectors, or to enhance the appearance and brand identity of components.
