Thermoset Use in Home Appliances

Thermosets, or thermoset composites, are molding materials specified towards a variety of home appliance products and applications. Thermoset materials including BMC and Phenolic are selected as a material of choice in these applications for their high heat and chemical resistance properties. Many home appliances and cookware products incorporate heating elements or electrical connections to power the products. Thermoset molded parts in appliances are used for both safe handling as well as internal component protection to keep a product assembly dimensionally stable without disfiguring.

Whether the product is a large home appliance such as washer or dryer, oven range, or even tabletop cookware, these products all incorporate thermosets to help manage operating temperatures and/or insulate electrical current. Washers and dryers rely on thermosets’ electrical insulating properties to protect high current parts on the electrical control boards. Oven ranges utilize the heat resistance to remain dimensionally stable at elevated operating temperatures as well as chemical resistance to keep strong aesthetics when exposed to aggressive cleaning products. Cookware such as grills or countertop cooking appliances also utilize thermosets for handles and knobs to insulate high heat, allowing users to safely handle products without safety concerns. Many thermoset materials are UL rated for flammability resistance with a V0 or 5VA UL rating and will not disfigure or melt when exposed to elevated temperatures of 400-500F. Most engineered thermoplastics would degrade quickly or even melt under such elevated operating temperatures.