Germany’s Aventics, a manufacturer of pneumatic components and systems created out of the former pneumatics business unit at Bosch Rexroth, selected Kalix9000 high-performance polyamide (HPPA) resin from Solvay Specialty Polymers for production of one key component of its new AV pneumatic valve systems. The semi-aromatic HPPA delivers a combination of high mechanical performance, superior flow and excellent surface finish and is a replacement for metal and competitive engineering polymers for valve systems for the food, beverage, automotive, electronic, and industrial machine market.
Kalix9000 resin facilitates the miniaturisation of a modular construction with a reduction of part volume up to 45%, and a compact design with optimally positioned push-in fittings. Despite its lighter, thinner, and more-compact design, the part made of Kalix9000 resin withstands pressure up to 10 bar at temperatures ranging from -10°C to 60°C. Those demanding requirements led to Solvay’s development of a 60% glass-filled Kalix9000 grade, which exhibits high flow and is coloured in RAL 7035. It is also laser-markable and UL94 certified.
Aventics worked closely with Solvay Specialty Polymers throughout the product development cycle. The two companies collaborated on material selection, rheological simulation and mechanical simulation (Quasi static, Digimat). The cooperation also included extensive work on mould design, injection moulding and mechanical validation on the test bench.
