Joint Effort of Jiatai and Wigges Realizes Mass Production of PEEK Insulation Wire, Breaking Through 800V Electric Motor Insulation Bottleneck
China Daily Technology News August 6, China's leading manufacturer of magnetic wire Jiatai and British specialty polymer supplier Wigges have achieved successful mass production of PEEK insulation wire, breaking through the technical barriers of 800V electric motor insulation.
Prior to this, to solve the issue of battery life for new energy vehicles, BMW released its sixth-generation eDrive electric drive technology, which adopted an 800V platform as its core component, increasing charging speed by 30%, and allowing for an additional 300 kilometers of driving range in just 10 minutes. The 800V system has higher demands on insulation materials, electromagnetic design, and heat dissipation structures.
PEEK (polyether ether ketone) is a specialty engineering plastic that, owing to its2300V or above withstand voltage, self-extinguishing properties, and high-temperature chemical corrosion resistance, has become the core solution for addressing the 800V electric motor insulation challenge. Wigges, as the inventor of PEEK polymer technology, collaborated with Jiatai, a company specializing in precision wire manufacturing, since 2018, and upgraded to a global strategic partner in April this year. The two companies have integrated their material research and development systems and manufacturing capabilities vertically, driving the completion of PEEK insulation wire production from laboratory scale to automotive level.
According to reports, Jiatai's PEEK insulation wire has already won projects from multiple automakers such as Lotus, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BYD, with global top-tier automotive manufacturers accounting for over 80%. In response to global demand, Jiatai is currently launching manufacturing base projects in Germany, Thailand, and the United States.
Currently, PEEK insulation wire is leveraging its material properties to expand into three emerging fields. In the robot joint electric motor field, cooperative robots have reduced joint space by 50% compared to traditional industrial robots, requiring electric motor power density to increase by over 40%. Japan's FANUC seven-axis robot adopted PEEK insulation wire and achieved a power factor of 75% (traditional motors ≤55%), with torque output increasing by 30%; BYD's smart EH216-S flying robot main drive electric motor adopted PEEK insulation wire and successfully passed a 5000-meter altitude insulation test; Siemens' welding robot servo motor applied PEEK insulation wire and extended its average fault-free time to 26 months at an operating temperature of 150°C.