Required Properties of Charging Gun Materials
Material is a core element of product design, directly determining the final presentation of the design, and different products have significantly different material requirements. For charging guns—devices that connect electric vehicles to charging piles and are crucial to user safety—material selection must balance safety, stability, and practicality, requiring designers to consider multiple dimensions comprehensively.
As high-frequency electrical connection devices, charging guns must both ensure electrical safety during charging and adapt to complex outdoor environments. Therefore, their materials must meet multiple strict requirements:
First, the shell material must have excellent insulating properties, while meeting high CTI (Comparative Tracking Index) and high glow wire standards. Especially in fast-charging scenarios, high-voltage currents impose higher electrical safety requirements on materials, which must effectively avoid risks caused by leakage and electric arcs.
Second, considering that charging piles are mostly deployed in open spaces, charging guns are long-term exposed to sun, rain, and alternating high and low temperatures. Thus, materials must have superior weather resistance to resist UV radiation and oxidation, preventing aging and embrittlement after long-term use and ensuring structural stability.
Low-temperature toughness is also critical. Charging guns need to maintain good impact resistance in extreme low-temperature environments of -40℃ to avoid material cracking caused by low temperatures, which would compromise protective performance.
Processability cannot be overlooked either. Materials with high fluidity can be easily molded through processes like injection molding, adapting to the complex internal structure and refined appearance of charging guns. They also need to meet designers’ needs for color customization, allowing adjustments to the exterior color based on product positioning and usage scenarios.
In addition, materials must balance safety, water resistance, and durability, while having flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant properties. All these properties must undergo repeated testing and comply with national industry standards before being put into production.
Beyond the properties of the material itself, charging gun design must also integrate user experience: the appearance should be simple and aesthetically pleasing, with technical parameters such as rain resistance, sun protection, and insulation strictly adhering to standards; the handle should conform to ergonomic principles for comfortable grip; and functions like temperature monitoring and locking mechanisms must be integrated—preventing accidental disconnection during charging while real-time monitoring abnormal temperatures. From material selection to functional design, every aspect ensures usage safety and comfort.
Bida’s newly developed grade PA6-G30(GPZ01)-BK001, a glass fiber-reinforced nylon, is an excellent material that meets the aforementioned multi-dimensional performance requirements for charging guns, providing a perfect solution for the design and manufacturing of charging guns.
