Munich-based chemical Group WACKER has had parts of its silicone production successfully certified to the automotive standard IATF 16949, meaning the company can now supply its two component silicone rubber formulations for electromobility applications.
The certificates apply to selected company parts at the Burghausen site in Germany and Zhangjiagang in China. With the successful certification, TÜV NORD CERT is attesting that WACKER’s quality management system fully meets the requirements of the IATF 16949 standard. The certified production plants manufacture two component silicone rubber formulations that cure by an addition reaction at room temperature to form silicone elastomers. Known as SEMICOSIL®, ELASTOSIL® and WACKER SilGel®, among others, they serve as heat-conducting gap fillers, silicone adhesives and potting compounds.
Silicones have become indispensable materials in electric vehicles. Potting compounds of silicone rubber reliably protect the onboard and control electronics against vibrations, moisture and dirt. Thermal gap fillers improve the thermal management of the electric-vehicle battery and power electronics, which produce considerable amounts of heat in operation or during charging and must therefore be reliably cooled.
With the electromobility revolution, WACKER is chalking up strong demand for such silicones. “The automotive industry is a key industry and will remain so, not only for Germany,” says Robert Gnann, president of WACKER SILICONES. “Demand for high performance materials, which also include our silicones, is growing steadily. For WACKER, it is just the right time to perform IATF certification. With our innovative silicone portfolio, we will boost the automotive industry in achieving its goals of productivity, efficiency and quality.”
“Our customers require not only high-quality products, but also a reliable partner who is capable of offering individual tailor-made solutions that fully meet the industry’s strict guidelines and processes,” says Duke Cho, who heads both the subsidiary Wacker Chemicals Korea and the business unit Industrial Solutions of the WACKER SILICONES business division. “The certification demonstrates that we are fully capable of meeting these challenges and requirements in production and quality management. Our business in the field of electromobility will profit significantly from this.”
Potting compounds, silicone adhesives and gap fillers for eMobility
Silicone elastomers are indispensable for meeting the technical demands of the future in automotive engineering, particularly in the field of electromobility. Whether in electric motors, power electronics, displays, fuel cells, batteries or sensors, silicones from WACKER protect the sensitive electronics and aid thermal management. In this way, they provide a reliable, economically viable solution for supporting core industry trends such as the electrification and connectivity of cars as well as autonomous driving.
Thermally conductive silicones from WACKER are preferably used for thermal management in electric cars, since they effectively dissipate the heat. They maintain the same material properties even at temperatures between -50°C and +180°C – and up to +230°C for special grades. Depending on the design, thermal gap fillers, silicone encapsulants and adhesives as well as thermally conductive pastes are suitable for efficient cooling of the component. Potting compounds and gap fillers from WACKER are used among other things for thermal connection between the battery modules and heat-sink system or for protection and for cooling the power electronics.
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