Customized Light Performance for Electromobility

Electromobility places high demands on functional plastic components – especially when technical precision and visual appeal must go hand in hand. For Phoenix Contact, a manufacturer of charging systems, Rowa has developed a specially designed masterbatch that is used in a new protective cover for vehicle charging sockets. The integrated light guide is designed to display the charging status via RGB color signals – a key comfort and safety feature of modern e-mobility.

Injection-molded components for demanding optical functions

Phoenix Contact manufactures components using injection molding and needed a solution for the new generation of vehicles that combined optical precision with economical materials. The light guide was not only required to transmit color-variable signals, but also to distribute them evenly and clearly across the entire component geometry. Phoenix chose Rowa as a partner to develop a solution.

Homogeneous RGB light guide in polypropylene

The central technical task was to develop a light guide that produces consistent illumination in polypropylene. PP is robust and widely used in the automotive industry, but poses a challenge in optical applications – especially in terms of scattering behavior, color rendering and uniform light distribution.

Lighting performance in a visually sensitive material

Achieving technically uniform light distribution in polypropylene is by no means trivial. The material tends to scatter light diffusely, which can result in light spots, color shifts or uneven illumination patterns – a quality disadvantage for visual displays in vehicle components. This required an understanding of polymers, dyes and light guidance.

Polymer-specific masterbatch

Close cooperation between the customer and the application technology team at Rowa Masterbatch enabled the relevant optical parameters to be analysed precisely. On this basis, the Rowalid PE-A220A LD masterbatch, specially tailored to polypropylene, was developed.

The formulation ensures 

• balanced light scattering across the entire light guide,
• clear, precise RGB color reproduction,
• stable signal quality even under changing environmental conditions,
• reproducible results in the injection molding process.

The precision of the supplied samples and the reliable, cooperative project management were decisive factors in the success of the project. The combination of technical expertise and implementation-oriented consulting contributed to the fact that the Rowalid PE-A220A LD masterbatch is now a key functional element in the new charging socket protective cover.

(Source: Rowa Group Holding GmbH)