The housing and rim of the recently-introduced Philips 25 watt MasterColor®
Integrated PAR38 metal halide lamp retain their good looks and strength,
thanks to Arnite® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) from DSM Engineering
Plastics. The Philips lamp has proven popular in retail and industrial
settings because it lasts two to three times longer than similarly-rated
halogen lamps, and it uses 65% less energy to create more light output than
halogen competitors. In addition to the material, DSM Engineering Plastics
provided product and tool design consultation for the lamp, as well as
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) end-product testing.
“Working in tandem with Philips, we evaluated a number of materials for this
lamp,” said Francis van Vehmendahl, Lighting Segment Development Manager for
DSM Engineering Plastics. “Arnite PBT offered the best mix of electrical,
strength, heat ageing and aesthetic properties. We were also able to offer to
Philips both safety standards testing, as well as local production assistance
for Philips’ European and Asian manufacturing sites.”
The pure white housing and rim, made of Arnite TV4 240 S, 20% glass filled
PBT, strongly resist discolouration across the lamp’s average 10,500 hour
life. This can be especially important in retail settings, where the lamps may
be open to view in high-tech fixtures that add their own aesthetics to display
areas.
At the same time, when confined in recessed or enclosed retail and industrial
fixtures, the Arnite housing retains its strength despite any normal heat
build-up from either the light capsule or the lamp’s integrated ballast. This
can save time in relamping, helping to make the lamp strong enough to be
unscrewed even when socket and lamp base have built up considerable friction
over many months and years of service.
Other Arnite characteristics valuable for the Philips lamp application include
its dimensional stability, especially in damp or humid industrial settings;
and its easy mouldability, important for the intricate geometry of the tabs
that mate the housing to the base and for the fit between the housing and the
lamp rim.
Arnite is a brand of high-performance engineering plastics based on PBT, PET
and blends, which combine high strength and rigidity with excellent processing
characteristics. As a result, Arnite PBT and PET are well suited for a broad
range of automotive, electrical/electronic, appliance and industrial equipment
applications. It has found use in electrical connectors and switchgear;
automotive lamp bezels, exterior fittings and gear housings; and consumer
appliance housings and plumbing components.
