EuroWire January 2016

News Technology

Ultra heat-resistant ETFE grade for wire and cable insulation

AGC Chemicals Americas Inc has introduced Fluon® ETFE C88AXMP-HT, an ultra heat-resistant grade that maintains performance characteristics at temperatures up to 200°C. C88AXMP-HT is a suitable material for industrial and automotive wire and cable insulation, as well as under-floor heating cables. The C88AXMP-HT grade is 20 per cent less dense than fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), which reduces the amount of product required for applications. In addition, the grade’s high melt flow rate provides fast, highly efficient processing line speeds. One product grade is suitable for all wire size cross sections (0.3mm 2 –10mm 2 ). “This new material expands design possibilities because it is so lightweight and remains stable at very high temperatures,” said Gary Eckrote, business director of AGC FluoroCompounds Group. “Manufacturers can now produce cables and wires with a much thinner insulation layer, which is important for vehicles and aircraft that require fuel efficiency and a low carbon footprint.”

Additional performance benefits of Fluon ETFE C88AXMP-HT include: ▲ ▲ Fluon® ETFE C88AXMP-HT, an ultra heat-resistant grade

• Improved

crack

and

abrasion

resistance

•

Enhanced mechanical strength

• Full range of compatible colour masterbatches • Tested to German automotive LV112 class F • Meets automotive FLUR specifications

AGC Chemicals Americas Inc – USA Website : www.fluorocompounds.com

Precision wire EDM Makino’s HEAT U3 features a split precision V-guide wire system, and four-sided work table, and is said to have the lowest wire consumption in the industry. Like the Makino U3, the U3 HEAT (High Energy Applied Technology) has five programmable axes. “This machine is fast, reliable and requires very little maintenance,” said technical equipment president Lou Olson. “It was designed to be user friendly.” The U3 and U3 HEAT feature a new cutting technology called HyperCut, designed for superior part accuracy and surface finish. HyperCut is capable of producing a 3umRz surface finish with three-pass machining, and represents a 20 per cent reduction in cycle time and 14 per cent saving in wire consumption when compared to previous technologies. Materials for steel and carbide have been developed and support both sealed and non-sealed flushing applications. The U3 HEAT also features Makino’s technology for wire EDM machining speed and accuracy in parts featuring poor or difficult flushing conditions. The U3 and U3 HEAT contain a comprehensive cutting condition library, with over 2,200 settings for many material types and flushing conditions from 0.004" to 0.012" diameter wire. These settings include optimised conditions for standard hard brass wires, high-speed coated wires and high-taper soft wires. The depth and versatility of the entire cutting condition library ensure that all applications can be machined at optimum productive levels. Makino – Japan Website : www.makino.com

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January 2016