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MUFFLER HOUSING UPGRADED USING HIGH HEAT POLYAMIDE
Echo, a leading manufacturer of commercial-grade lawn and garden power equipment sold worldwide, now uses Stanyl polyamide 4.6 from DSM Engineering Plastics for the company’s muffler covers on its string trimmers, chain saws, and hedge clippers. DSM’s Stanyl was chosen for the nylon material’s very high heat resistance, excellent impact strength, and dimensional stability needed to withstand the heat and vibration of Echo’s high-output small engines and the knocks of professional lawn care, as well as for the material’s ease of processing and economy. The latest generation of Echo engines have evolved both to minimize exhaust emissions and to retain Echo’s high-end power output. The resulting hotter exhaust and operating temperatures demanded a high-performance material that could stand the rising heat placed on the muffler cover part and still retain key mechanical properties like impact strength and dimensional stability. As a result of the engine redesign, competitive nylon materials used in earlier versions of the muffler housings began to fail, either breaking or deforming under the heat and stress of demanding professional use. “Stanyl high-heat polyamide has proven ideal for power tool parts that see the punishing heavy-duty use that Echo equipment does,” says Dave Weede, Account Manager of DSM. “Stanyl not only handles elevated temperatures, but unlike many other high-temp nylons, it retains almost all of its impact strength when hot.” Stanyl’s durable TW200F6 injection-moulding grade used in the muffler covers has a melt temperature of 295C and a deflection temperature under load of 290C, so it can hold up under the elevated heat and vibration of longer and more demanding professional use. Moulding trials and testing by an independent lab convinced Echo that Stanyl would perform better than other high-temperature polyamides in the muffler housings. “Our customers expect the best from Echo power tools, and we earn and keep their trust in part by choosing high-performance materials for the most durable, reliable professional equipment available,” says Steve Bly, Senior Vice President Operations of Echo. “Stanyl passed our tough standards for a material’s performance, processing, and economy for this demanding application.” As a plus, Stanyl’s excellent moulding characteristics resulted in net savings for Echo. “Not only were we able to improve the performance of Echo’s housings at higher temperatures, but we also provided Echo with added value and economy by working together to optimise processing of the injection-moulded parts and significantly improve moulding cycle times,” says DSM’s Weede, “Our core skill set is built around engines,” says Bly. “We rely on suppliers like DSM who can partner with us for material selection, processing expertise, as well as application development and design. In this partnership Echo gains special insight into the world of high-performance engineered materials, and DSM receives valuable understanding of our engine technology.” All Echo products are designed for commercial applications and include a chromed engine cylinder, dual crankshaft bearings, tried and proven engine air-flow dynamics, superior air filtration, and maximum durability.
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