From Connectors to Solar Systems

Our thermoplastics solutions can help provide the thermoplastic resin with the correct electrical, mechanical, thermal and chemical resistance properties you need for your application. From commodity to specialty materials for electronic housings, connectors, cables, batteries and more, we can help you find an ideal material solution that meets your sustainability, regulatory and performance goals.

Batteries

Batteries

Batteries have a critical role in the electric and electrical markets, particularly in the context of traditional lead acid batteries used in automotive and other motive applications to more advanced systems that support renewable energy, backup power systems, and electric vehicles. As our way of life evolves, with a more technology and sustainability-focused environment, demand for energy storage solutions is increasing.   

Plastics play a key role in the manufacturing of batteries, particularly in the form of battery casings, cell carriers, separators, cooling pipes, connectors, and insulators. These plastic components help to reduce the weight and cost of batteries while also improving their durability and resistance to damage.

Materials to consider for battery applications include:

Connectors

Connectors

Connectors play a critical role in the electric and electrical markets, facilitating the transfer of power and data between different components and systems. Plastics are commonly used in the manufacturing of connectors due to their excellent insulating properties, which help to prevent electrical arcing and short circuits.

In addition, plastic connectors are lightweight, durable, and resistant to corrosion, making them ideal for use in a wide range of applications, including industrial automation, consumer electronics, and automotive systems.

Furthermore, plastic connectors can be designed and customized to meet specific requirements, such as being compatible with different voltages, current ratings, and environmental conditions. This versatility has made plastic connectors a popular choice in the electric and electrical markets, contributing to the overall reliability and efficiency of these systems.

Materials to consider for connectors include:

Cables

Cables

Cables are an essential component in the electric and electrical markets, serving as a conduit for transmitting power and data between different components and systems. Plastics play a crucial role in the production of cables, particularly in the form of cable insulation and jacketing.

Plastic materials like PVC, polyethylene, and polypropylene are widely used in cable insulation due to their excellent insulating properties and ability to resist electrical breakdown. Plastic jacketing is also used to protect cables from damage and to provide additional insulation.

Moreover, plastics contribute to the overall flexibility and durability of cables, allowing them to withstand bending, stretching, and other stresses. This versatility has made plastic cables a popular choice in a wide range of applications, including telecommunications, power distribution, and industrial automation.

Materials to consider for cable applications include:

Consumer Electronics

Consumer Electronics

Plastics have a vital role in the production of consumer electronics, serving as a lightweight, durable, and cost-effective material for a wide range of applications. Plastic materials like, HIPS, ABS, and Polycarbonate are just a few of the commonly used materials in the manufacturing of consumer electronics due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent moldability, and resistance to impact and wear.

Plastics are used in the production of various components of consumer electronics, including cases, covers, buttons, and connectors. They also serve as excellent electrical insulators, making them ideal for use in circuit boards, displays, and other electronic components.

Materials to consider for consumer goods applications include:

 

E-Motors

E-Motors

Electrical motors are used across a variety of consumer and industrial applications, but more recent technological advancements and adaptations in applications such as electric cars, electrified bicycles, or power tools have created new opportunities for plastics to improve efficiencies, optimize costs, or reduce weight. Components such as stators, rotors, brush holders, bobbins, structural frames, and spacers or motor gearboxes all make significant use of plastics.

Materials to consider for E-Motor applications include:

 

Housings

Housings

Housings are an essential component in the electric and electrical markets, serving as protective enclosures for a wide range of devices and systems. Plastics play a crucial role in the manufacturing of housings, providing a lightweight, durable, and cost-effective material for a wide range of applications.

Plastic materials like polycarbonate, ABS, PBT and nylon are commonly used in the production of housings due to their excellent resistance to impact, weathering, and corrosion. Plastics also allow for greater design flexibility with assembly simplification and component reduction, allowing manufacturers to create durable cost-effective housings with a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Materials to consider for housing applications include:

Lighting

Lighting

The lighting market has experienced significant change over the past 10-20 years, with most incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent technologies being replaced with LED. As a result, the use of plastics has also changed, with the historical use of high temperature plastics transitioning to more specialized materials to help deflect light (optics), diffuse light (lenses), or reflect light (reflectors).

Materials to consider for lighting include:

Power Management and Distribution

Power Management and Distribution

Whether a residential or industrial power system, system panels utilize a variety of components to effectively manage the distribution of power to tailored specifications. The system enclosures and panels themselves may be plastic but internally you will find switches, switch gears, breakers, terminal blocks, relays, programmable controllers, sensors, fuses, fuse holders, and cooling fans just to name a few items. Plastic materials are widely used in these component assemblies due to technical requirements that might include tight dimensional stability, specific electrical properties, high-temperature requirements, or specific flame retardancy attributes.  

Materials to consider for power management and distribution include:

Solar Systems

Solar Systems

Solar panels and associated componentry are a growing part of the electric and electrical markets, serving as a renewable energy source that can be used to power a wide range of devices and systems. Plastics play an important role in the manufacturing of solar panels, particularly in the form of encapsulant films, which are used to protect the cells from moisture, dust, and other environmental factors.

Plastic encapsulants like ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) are commonly used in solar panel production due to their excellent optical and mechanical properties- and ability to withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Solar panel systems require a variety of engineered polymers for supporting components such as brackets, inverters, combiner boxes, bushings, and gears. Certain applications may have unique flame or electrical requirements, while most must withstand the rigors of extreme weather exposure

Materials to consider for solar panel applications include:

  • Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA)
  • Polycarbonate + Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (PC/ASA)
  • Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
  • Polycarbonate (PC)
  • Polycarbonate + Polybutylene Terephthalate (PC/PBT)
  • Polycarbonate + Polyethylene Terephthalate (PC/PET)
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
  • Polyphenylene Ether + Polystyrene (PPE+PS)
  • Polyphenylene Ether + Polyamide (PPE+PA)
  • Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)

Related North American Suppliers

Alphagary Plastic Distributor
Americhem Engineered Compounds Plastic Distributor
Aurora Plastics Plastic Distributor
BASF Plastic Distributor
Braskem Plastic Distributor
Covestro Plastic Distributor
DSM Engineering Materials Plastic Distributor
INVISTA Plastic Distributor
Lanxess Plastic Distributor
LyondellBasell Plastic Distributor
Mocom Plastic Distributor
Plaskolite Inc. Plastic Distributor
RheTech Plastic Distributor
Röehm America LLC Plastic Distributor
SABIC Plastic Distributor
Solvay Plastic Distributor
Techmer PM Plastic Distributor
Teknor Apex Plastic Distributor
Washington Penn Plastic Distributor

Related European Suppliers

Alphagary Plastic Distributor
Borealis Plastic Distributor
DSM Plastic Distributor
Ecoplast Plastic Distributor
Invista Plastic Distributor
Kumho Petrochemical Plastic Distributor
LyondellBasell Plastic Distributor
Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation Plastic Distributor
Nevicolor Plastic Distributor
Sasol Plastic Distributor
Stora Enso Plastic Distributor
TORAY Industries Inc. Plastic Distributor
Trinseo Plastic Distributor
Wanhua Plastic Distributor
Have a Question?