ETS recordings · Paul A. Tres

Polymer material selection: the nylon pedal recall

Water absorption, a cheaper nylon 4-6, and accelerator pedals that stuck to the floor — a recall of a couple million vehicles.

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Water absorption is a very important topic. All polymers are sensitive to moisture, some before you actually make the parts, other times after you make the parts. A good example for after you make the parts is a project I've been involved a few years ago with CTS in Indiana, which they were supplying parts for a major Japanese OEM, accelerated pedals, and they choose a nylon 4-6 from a company which was promoting this heavily with lower cost,

and it turned out that it wasn't the best choice, because the humidity absorbed by the nylon and those pedals made the parts very sensitive. It would make them stuck into the floor. So we had a major recall, a couple million vehicles on that subject matter.

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