PHILIPS LONG-LIFE PAR38 LAMP BENEFITS FROM HOUSING OF ARNITE^® PBT FROM DSM ENGINEERING PLASTICS

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.

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