The new PowerTOP Xtra connector by Mennekes relies on KRAIBURG TPE

Waldkraiburg, April 2, 2009. Safe and sure handling wherever the task calls for top performance. This is the promise made by the CEE-compliant PowerTOP Xtra plug, a promise based in part on KRAIBURG TPE compounds. No matter whether you are connecting heavy-duty machinery at a major construction site or welding generators in dry dock, the details of this three-phase AC plug are thoroughly convincing. That is due to a new design incorporating products made by the TPE compounding specialists at Waldkraiburg. The TPEs in the THERMOLAST® K product group ensure ideal tactile characteristics in the areas where the connector is grasped. Thus they offer superb grip and high impact resistance, even under the toughest conditions. As opposed to rubber, however, they enable fast and economical manufacture in a co-injection process. This manufacturer of standardized industrial plug connectors, active in markets all around the world, is capitalizing on a further competitive advantage. The compounds have been UL tested and certified to meet the requirements of the US market.

Safely in hand: KRAIBURG TPE compounds optimize tactile properties

Thanks to their superior flow and bonding properties, the compounds made by KRAIBURG TPE permit manufacture in a two-component injection molding process. Mennekes profits from this in the form of a leaner and cheaper production process since the TPE can be molded directly onto the polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) surfaces in the plug case. That eliminates manual assembly and saves time, effort and expense. Over and above that, parts molded in situ – such as the gaskets in the cap and the front section of the PowerTOP Xtra – cannot be dislocated and lost. This is a major advantage when compared with conventional connectors since it simplifies installers’ work and ultimately shortens construction time. The compounds can be worked in a thermoplastic process but are nonetheless just as flexible and elastic as rubber. With their soft-touch properties, typical for TPE, they make for perfect tactile effect in the areas where they are grasped. Even under adverse conditions – moisture, snow or dirt – those who use this industrial plug have everything firmly in hand. “With the new TPE solution in PowerTOP Xtra we are offering our customers a safe, user-friendly co-molded product, one that is also economical, thanks to a fast and efficient production process,” said Thomas Tigges, Plastics Project Manager at the Mennekes company. What’s more, the compounds blended by KRAIBURG TPE meet UL standards, an absolute must for entering the market in the USA. Underwriters Laboratories test products and their constituent components primarily for safety aspects such as flammability. In this way Mennekes can rely on certified materials right from the manufacturing stage.

About KRAIBURG TPE

KRAIBURG TPE (www.kraiburg-tpe.com) manufactures thermoplastic elastomers based on HSBC (hydrogenated styrene block copolymers) and markets them all around the world. In addition to custom solutions, the company offers under the THERMOLAST® and HIPEX® brand names a broad spectrum of standardized compounds to cover a wide range of applications. The company produces at sites in Germany, the US and Malaysia. KRAIBURG TPE also maintains sales offices in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, China and India.

Please direct your questions to:
KRAIBURG TPE GmbH & Co. KG
Lars Goldmann
Friedrich-Schmidt-Straße 2
84478 Waldkraiburg, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)8638.9810-278
Fax: +49 (0)8638.9810-11278
Email: lars.goldmann@kraiburg-tpe.com
www.kraiburg-tpe.com