Cable entry system developed with flame retardant materials

The halogen-free system offers users in the electric and electronic industry a flexible and efficient solution for new installations and retrofitting of cables and hoses, as well as pneumatic and hydraulic lines in enclosures and control cabinets. The systems make use of no fewer than five different Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) from KRAIBURG TPE: a PA adhesion-optimised THERMOLAST K compound for the system inlay seal, in addition to flame retardant and custom-engineered TPE materials for sealing elements.

“The KDSClick cable entry system was our first TPE project, so that we needed a competent partner who would provide us with optimal support, from the choice of a suitable material for the application, mould design, colour matching all the way to series production,” said Jörg Nowastowski-Stock, Head of Product Management at CONTA-CLIP. “The specialists at KRAIBURG TPE were committed to fulfilling our requirements from the very beginning and were instrumental in the fast implementation of the project.”

One of the challenges of the system was to ensure an absolutely reliable seal of the frame mounted on the control cabinet in accordance with IP 66 protection, as required in process and industrial automation. The frame consists of glass-fibre reinforced PA 6.6 and a TPE compound. It was necessary to find a TPE material that enables excellent adhesion to polyamides and is soft enough to adapt to different surfaces in order to seal the system. CONTA-CLIP decided to use an adhesion-optimised TPE compound from KRAIBURG TPE that is processed with the polyamide of the inlay in a two-component injection moulding process. The THERMOLAST K material features excellent adhesion and ensures a reliable seal even on painted or rough surfaces.

The system also includes seal elements of different sizes, which enclose the cables, hoses and lines. In close cooperation, CONTA-CLIP and KRAIBURG TPE optimised the design of the seal elements to achieve IP 66 protection. The slotted elements are designed for easy installation and exact enclosure of the cables without deformation.

The flame retardant THERMOLAST K materials used for the KDSClick system are self-extinguishing in accordance with UL94 and are rated as non-dripping (Category V0). In addition, the TPE compounds developed for the electric and electronic market are halogen-free in accordance with IEC 61249-2-21.

“The modular cable entry system from CONTA-CLIP is an outstanding example of the innovative commitment of our advanced Thermoplastic Elastomers,” said Dr. Thomas Wagner, Product Management EMEA at KRAIBURG TPE. “This project also emphasises our extensive development competence and our consistent customer orientation in support of high-end applications.”