DSM Engineering Plastics (Sittard / The Netherlands; www.dsm.com) has introduced a thermally conductive thermoplastic polyester to provide automotive electronics developers and designers with a lightweight solution to overcome heat management issues in components such as foglamp housings, lens holders and adaptive forward lighting frames (AFL).

The company said that “Arnite” PET XL-T combines high heat resistance (HHR) with low out-gassing, offering a new alternative to metals and other HHR materials. In use, it is claimed to show performance approaching that of more expensive HHR thermoplastics such as polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and polyetherimide (PEI) and does not suffer from moisture absorption issues that can arise with polyphthalamides (PPA).

The material is based on PET and is suitable for engineering applications. In another potential application, the material will offer weight and cost savings in LED lighting systems as they become more efficient and consume less power. It is also suitable for use in a range of automotive electronic components.