Identification systems in fibre-reinforced polymer

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 27, 2001

Glass fibre-reinforced Victrex Peek polymer has been selected for the casing on a range of identification systems for production monitoring and control from Baumer Ident

The identification systems of Baumer Ident are suitable for use in many different branches of industry and have also been developed for the severest of environmental conditions.

Glass fibre-reinforced Victrex Peek polymer has been selected for the casing on a range of these data carriers as it provides the necessary combination of mechanical properties at high temperatures, microwave transparency, resistance to chemicals and consistent ease of processing.

The various identification systems are known collectively as Auto-ID, and are used, not only for identification or sorting, but also for production monitoring and control.

The data transfer of RF identification systems is based on proven microwave technology.

In the automotive industry in particular, with its highly automated production lines, there is a huge demand for an optimised flow of data and materials for the assembly of a vehicle with, for example, the interior fittings, engine, accessories and colour required by the customer.

To achieve this, a data carrier is fitted to the chassis at the start of the production line and runs through the entire production process together with the developing vehicle.

The data are read automatically via several meters at the appropriate stations in order to provide the necessary components, working operations or paints.

After a vehicle has been produced, the data carrier is dismantled, and paint, grease and other deposits are removed.

After cleaning, the data carrier is now attached to another chassis for the production of a new vehicle.

Due to the numerous processes in the production of a vehicle, many high quality characteristics are required of the casing.

A fundamental prerequisite for the functioning of the RF system is that the casing is compatible with microwave technology.

Peek polymer's inherent transparency to microwaves makes it therefore tailor-made for the part.

The plastic casing is exposed to very high temperatures during welding operations on the chassis close to the data carrier or in the stoving ovens of the painting line.

The material must provide therefore extremely high heat resistance, which presents no problems when using glass fibre-reinforced Peek polymer with its heat distortion point of 315C.

In end-use performance testing, the data carriers have been exposed to temperatures of up to 250C over several hundred cycles, and have remained completely undamaged.

A further important characteristic of Peek polymer is its exceptionally high resistance to the aggressive cleaning media that are used to remove the layer of paint and other deposits from the data carriers.

The casing is the size of a pack of cards and is made of two halves screwed together.

The two halves of the casing must be extremely flat and must show no creep under the pressure of the screws.

These properties are necessary so that the seal integrity of the casing is guaranteed to protect the electronics, even after repeated use at high temperatures and after exposure to aggressive media.

Victrex plc has its production, sales and technical headquarters in Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, Great Britain.

In the year 2000 the company had a turnover of more then ?58 million and exported 98% of its Victrex Peek polymer production to OEMs in the automotive, medical, industrial and telectronics sectors in Europe, North America and the Asian Pacific.