Case Study: Arcing Conditions in Interior Switches
Background
A prominent Automotive OEM came to Nye in search of a lubricant that would be compatible with their new window lift switch. They also used a Nye Rheolube® product to lubricate a fan switch and wanted to see if it would work in this application. Interior switches, such as window switches, often operate under arcing conditions in which a small burst of heat is produced that causes hydrocarbon greases to polymerize. This creates a tacky substance that leads to contact resistance and short circuits. Nye engineers began to investigate a solution to ensure the lubricant would not burn and carbonize under the arcing conditions of the switch.
Challenge
- Can the lubricant extend the life of the switch by achieving at least 10 years of life under arcing temperatures?
Solution
Uniflor™ 8512
A PTFE thickened, medium viscosity, completely fluorinated grease.
- Excellent thermo-oxidative stability
- Great material compatibility
- Improves life performance
| Product | Chemistry | Temp Range (°C) |
Oil Separation (24 hrs @ 150°C) |
Evaporation (24 hrs @ 150°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIFLOR 8512 | PFPE/PTFE | -50 to 225 | 6.8% | 1 % |
Results
As expected, the Rheolube® product did not meet the customer’s life cycle and temperature performance test requirements. However, Uniflor™ 8512 passed all of the customer’s testing requirements and was successfully implemented into the applications design.
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