Automotive
Keep on shining with Ultramid® Vision
The BASF product Ultramid® Vision has been used in a car interior for the first time. The semi-crystalline polyamide is employed in the window regulator module of a German automobile manufacturer. Compared to opaque standard polyamides, Ultramid® Vision displays very high light transmission with low light scattering. Perfect conditions for use with the illuminated symbols on the window regulators and for setting the exterior mirrors.
Spots on - light comes through unhindered
Thanks to its unique characteristics profile, the polyamide is ideal for semi-transparent and translucent components. Its high UV and temperature resistance, scratch resistance and chemical resistance make Ultramid® Vision an important building block wherever visual control or light design play a role. In multi-component injection molding process, it can be easily combined with other polyamide materials. This enables easy production of multifunctional components with transparent or illuminated areas - as the window regulator has demonstrated impressively.
In the 2K injection molding process used here, Ultramid Vision demonstrates good adhesion on the switch housing, which consists of glass fiber-reinforced polyamide. A further selection criterion was the homogeneous light transmittance. The requirement was to allow as much light to pass through as possible, with high color fidelity ot the transmitted light. Ultramid Vision B3K WT 15490 emerged as the right solution for the white symbols and Ultramid Vision B3K DLT UN for the red status displays.
As the material can be repeatedly exposed to aggresive media such as sunscreen, cleaning agents and solvents without sustaining damage, it is ideally suited for backlit switches or buttons. This essential advantage over amorphous, transparent materials also impressed the French interior specialist Valeo. The product was jointly developed to production maturity and will now be used by a large automobile manufacturer.
Due to its excellent properties, Ultramid Vision was a focus for us from the outset. The balanced characteristics profile in terms of machanics and processability in conjuntion with the high scratch reistance and UV stability were ultimately the decisive factors.
Beyond the uncolored base-grade Ultramid® Vision B3K UN, specially equipped products with diffuse light transmission at high transmission rate as well as products colored according to customer requests can also be manufactured. The Ultramid® Vision portfolio therefore offers designers and developers a broad range of possilities for realizing design features and ligthing elements in car interiors and various customer and industrial applications.