New system for joining plastic and metal parts
plastics application researchers at BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany, have developed a new way of joining molded plastic components and sheet metal.
The plastic and metal parts are joined together by mechanically pressing a collar protruding from the metal component into the plastic component. An undercut on the collar ensures that the metal remains firmly anchored in the plastic component. The process involves no heat and is suitable for both un-reinforced and reinforced polymers.
The new "collar joining" system has a number of advantages when compared to an over-molded assembly. For instance, it gives designers more freedom to optimize the strength of the plastic component-particularly important for high-stress applications. As a result, hybrid parts can be made smaller and lighter, while delivering the same functionality. Another advantage is that parts are less prone to warpage than ones produced in an over-molding process. The mold tool is also easier and cheaper to build, and higher production rates are possible.
"Our new assembly system is simple, reliable and cost effective", says Dr. Ulrich Endemann, head of application research for hybrid parts and one of the system's inventors. "Even if you take into account the investment cost for a press or assembly robot, collar joining-for large volume production-is cheaper than current assembly methods."
The success of hybridization lies in the ability to combine the advantages of two materials in a single part to achieve both technical and economic advantages not obtainable from a single material alone. Hybrid components offer great cost-reduction potential, making their use attractive in highly competitive industries such as the automobile manufacturing.
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