Amphenol's Unique Raceway Attachment Improves Airplane Wire Installation
Body Structure Uses Solvay's KetaSpire® PEEK for Strength, Chemical Resistance, and Long-lasting Performance
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Amphenol Pcd, a leading manufacturer of interconnect products for military, commercial aerospace and industrial applications, has developed a unique raceway attachment which significantly improves wire installation during airplane construction. The raceway attachment features a body structure made of KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK) resin from Solvay Specialty Polymers for high strength, excellent chemical resistance, and exceptional long-term performance in hot-wet environments.
Amphenol's novel attachment for aircraft wiring installation is a high-strength tool-less option that improves efficiency, minimizes error, and speeds installation, according to Victor Muller, Commercial Air Business Manager for Amphenol Pcd. "KetaSpire® PEEK delivers a high level of performance in terms of heat and chemical resistance that is required in this demanding aerospace application," said Muller. The custom-designed raceway attachment is currently specified on Boeing's 777 airplanes.
The body structure made of KetaSpire® PEEK resin holds the wire harness assembly securely and is attached to a rail which is situated on the airframe. The injection molded body structure is a three-part assembly that includes a body, pin, and adapter that are snap-fit together. The entire structure made of Ketaspire® PEEK measures 3.5 inches by 2.0 inches by 2.5 inches (8.9 cm by 5.1 cm by 6.4 cm). The newly designed raceway attachment is installed in multiple locations throughout the airplane during construction.
Along with KetaSpire® PEEK's performance attributes, the lightweight material can reduce part wall thickness and provide additional weight savings.
KetaSpire® PEEK is one of the industry's most chemically resistant plastics and offers excellent strength, superior fatigue resistance, and a continuous-use temperature up to 240°C (464°F). Glass fiber-reinforced and carbon fiber-reinforced grades provide a wide range of performance options for demanding applications.
About Solvay Specialty Polymers                                                                                      Â
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1,500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds – for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire and Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
As an international chemical group, SOLVAY assists industries in finding and implementing ever more responsible and value-creating solutions. The Group is firmly committed to sustainable development and focused on innovation and operational excellence. Solvay serves diversified markets, generating 90% of its turnover in activities where it is one of the top three worldwide. The group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 29,000 people in 55 countries and generated 12.4 billion euros in net sales in 2012. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE is listed on NYSE Euronext) in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR).
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Joseph Grande
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