By assessing part geometry, material, parting lines, gating, venting and demoulding at an early stage. Critical mating, guiding, snap-fit and sealing areas are treated as function-critical characteristics.
Plastic Parts for the Electronics Industry
Contact position, insulation and assembly function
In connectors, housings, contact carriers, relay components or switch parts, a small feature can determine function: snap-fit hooks, guides, fits, creepage distances, wall thicknesses, ribs and defined clearances must be reproduced accurately in the mould and remain consistent throughout production.
Design is therefore not based on drawing dimensions alone. What matters is how the part is assembled, how contacts are guided, what forces occur during mating or latching, and which electrical clearances must be maintained reliably.
Material selection for mechanical and electrical requirements
Material selection depends on temperature, insulation, dimensional stability, flammability, media exposure, mechanical load and the assembly environment. Depending on the application, filled, flame-retardant, heat-resistant or tribologically modified plastics may be required; high-performance polymers may be considered for particularly demanding requirements.
BERGER also considers processing behaviour: flow, shrinkage, warpage, fibre orientation, venting and mould temperature control determine whether contact seats, thin ribs and snap-fit geometries remain dimensionally accurate throughout production.
Reliable overmoulding of inserts and contacts
Many electronic parts contain metal contacts, pins, sleeves or shielding elements. During overmoulding, these inserts must be positioned precisely, secured reliably and function-critical areas protected against unwanted overmoulding.
On the tooling side, insert concept, seating surfaces, shut-offs, length compensation, gating and demoulding are critical. On the process side, the melt flow must form around the insert without shifting it or compromising contact position, surface quality or function.
Designing small functional details for production
Electronic components are often produced over long production runs and in multiple variants. Cavity balancing, hot-runner design, venting, inspection characteristics and handling must therefore be designed so that relevant functional surfaces remain consistent not only in the initial sample, but across call-offs and throughout the mould service life.
BERGER therefore focuses on the characteristics that determine assembly, electrical contact and function – rather than on unnecessarily broad inspection programmes with no functional relevance.
Frequently asked questions in electrical engineering and electronics
Creepage distances, wall thicknesses, contact position, thermal behaviour and material selection are considered in the design. The plastic part is therefore assessed not only mechanically, but also in terms of its electrical function.
Yes. Key factors are precise positioning, secure retention, suitable shut-offs and process control that keeps insert position and bond consistent throughout production.
Yes, provided the mould, cavity filling, demoulding, handling and inspection concept are matched to the relevant function-critical characteristics. Small geometries require particularly robust process windows.
