Customer need
Applicable to internal brackets in washing machines, fan and motor brackets, handles and load-bearing structures in small appliances (e.g., hair dryers, food processors), insulating parts around electrical control boxes and heating modules, as well as transparent components such as water purifier filter cups and sight windows. Home appliance components are diverse, and different parts have significantly different performance priorities.
Production problem
Common challenges in the home appliance industry: structural brackets require rigidity and long-term creep resistance, with dimensional stability in humid environments; parts carrying electricity or located near heating elements must meet flame retardancy requirements in appliance safety regulations, which ordinary reinforced materials cannot directly substitute; light-colored or exposed parts demand high color and surface quality; water purification and visible components require transparency, water resistance, and resistance to common chemicals, while also considering resistance to stress cracking under long-term pressure.
Modification solution
It is recommended to match materials by component: for load-bearing brackets and motor brackets, select [PA6 black 30%] for a balance of rigidity and cost-effectiveness; for electrical peripherals, control boxes, and insulating parts near heating modules, select [PA66 natural halogen-free flame retardant], with UL94 V-0 as a common flame retardancy target, matched as needed; for light-colored internal parts or structural parts requiring color matching, [PA6 white base resin] can be selected as the base material; for transparent parts such as water purifier filter cups and sight windows, select [PA12 transparent], whose transparency, low water absorption, and chemical resistance suit water-contact and visible applications (water-contact or food-contact uses must be confirmed against specific certification documents).
Result
A single supplier covering structural, flame-retardant, light-colored, and transparent requirements across the entire appliance simplifies the supply chain; part-specific material selection avoids performance over-specification or under-specification caused by a one-material-fits-all approach; transparent nylon provides more design options for visible and water-contact components.
How we worked
- Part inventory: list material requirements for the entire appliance by structural parts, electrical peripheral parts, light-colored parts, and transparent parts.
- Part-specific material selection: PA6 black 30%, PA66 natural halogen-free flame retardant, PA6 white base resin, and PA12 transparent are assigned accordingly.
- Sample molding trials: multiple grades are sampled in parallel, with attention to dimensional stability, appearance, and stress cracking risk in transparent parts.
- Combined supply: after confirmation, multiple grades are delivered in volume together, simplifying the customer's procurement process.
| Item | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flame retardancy direction | UL94 V-0 target for electrical parts, matched as needed | |
| Transparent solution | PA12 transparent | |
| Recommended materials | PA6 black 30% / PA66 natural halogen-free flame retardant / PA6 white base resin / PA12 transparent | |
| Key focus | Rigidity, flame retardancy, appearance, transparent water resistance |
Service
Assists customers in organizing material lists by appliance component, providing part-specific material recommendations; supplies sample materials for each grade and supports mold trials; offers process advice on appearance, dimensional stability, and stress cracking in transparent parts; after validation, supplies multiple grades in combination for volume production, reducing multi-source procurement for customers.