Foamed structure of the molded parts

The baffle plate now presented is lightweight, dimensionally stable and resistant to temperature and oil. The production from technically foamed plastic together with the suitable choice of material improves the specific properties. The component protects the power electronics from damage in the event of overheating in the event of a voltage flashover caused by defective battery cells by means of controlled pressure relief and reduces the risk of fire. At the same time, it reduces noise in the vehicle, as it fills the space between the cover of the battery housing and the battery cells.

Mu-Cell process for a perfectly designed baffle plate

The development department at Pöppelmann K-Tech selected a polyamide with a glass fiber content of 35 percent as a suitable material and suggested production using the Mu-Cell process, which produces particularly lightweight, dimensionally stable components. For this purpose, a blowing agent is introduced into the plastic melt, which leads to the formation of microcellular structures. In addition to significant weight savings, dimensional stability is also improved, as the injected gas means that the distortion of the component is only minimal compared to conventional injection molded parts. The high dimensional accuracy is important in further processing, as the punctures for the screw connection must fit with millimeter precision due to the very limited installation space in the vehicle. Another advantage of the process is that the technical foaming of the plastic melt means that less material is required per component overall. In high-volume series production, this reduces greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain and leads to greater conservation of resources and climate protection.

In this project, the client benefited from the extensive plastics expertise of the specialists from Lohne, who ensured the heat and oil resistance of the baffle plate, among other things, by selecting the perfect material. Another criterion was Lohne's expertise in lightweight construction, as every gram saved in the design contributes to the vehicle's greater range.