LSR Overmolded LED Connector Sheath

As a specialized LSR product from our facility located at No. 54, Neihe Lane, Fankou Street, Echeng District Economic Development Zone, Ezhou City, Hubei Province, China, this overmolded sheath leverages the inherent advantages of LSR to outperform alternative protection solutions such as heat shrink tubing, epoxy potting, and plastic snap-on covers. Unlike assembly-added protection components, our overmolding process eliminates gaps between the sheath and connector substrate, preventing ingress pathways that commonly cause connector failure in outdoor and industrial LED applications. Our core focus on custom LSR molding allows us to produce these sheaths in custom geometries to fit any standard or proprietary LED connector design, matching the specific requirements of your lighting assembly.

Technical Specifications

Material Properties

All our LSR overmolded LED connector sheaths are produced from 100% cured, injection-molded liquid silicone rubber with the following base material properties:

Physical Performance

Finished LSR overmolded sheaths meet the following baseline performance standards (custom adjustments available for special use cases):

Process Parameters

Our overmolding process adheres to the following controlled parameters to ensure consistent part quality:

• Injection temperature: 160°C – 180°C
• Mold clamping pressure: 50 – 120 bar (adjusted for part size and complexity)
• Cure time: 30 – 90 seconds (depending on sheath wall thickness)
• Post-cure: 4 hours at 120°C for low-volatility applications
• Adhesion: LSR formulations are tailored to bond with common connector base materials including ABS, PA66, PBT, copper alloy, and PC, eliminating delamination under thermal cycling.

Product Advantages

1. Seamless Ingress Protection

The overmolding process bonds LSR directly to the connector substrate, creating a monolithic structure with no gaps, seams, or assembly tolerances that can allow water or dust ingress. This delivers consistent IP67-level protection when properly designed, outperforming multi-component assembled protective solutions that are prone to seal failure over time. This seamless construction also prevents wicking of moisture along connector pins, a common cause of LED system short circuits.

1. Excellent Thermal and Mechanical Stability

LSR maintains its elastic and insulating properties across a wide temperature range, making the sheath resistant to cracking in cold outdoor environments and softening or degradation in high-heat applications such as high-power industrial LED lighting. The flexible LSR material also absorbs mechanical shock and vibration from transportation, installation, and long-term operating conditions, reducing stress on connector pins and internal wiring to extend the service life of the entire LED assembly.

1. Superior UV and Weather Resistance

Unlike thermoplastic and organic rubber materials, LSR is inherently resistant to UV radiation and ozone degradation, making the sheath ideal for long-term outdoor exposure. It will not yellow, crack, or become brittle after years of outdoor use, maintaining protection and appearance for the full service life of the LED system. This weather resistance eliminates the need for additional UV-stabilizing coatings that can add cost and wear over time.

1. Customizable Design Compatibility

Liquid silicone injection overmolding supports complex geometries, tight tolerances, and small to large production runs, allowing us to match almost any LED connector design – from small PCB-mounted connectors for indoor LED strips to large power connectors for high-bay industrial lighting. We can adjust hardness, wall thickness, and material grade to match your specific assembly and performance requirements, with no expensive tooling modifications for minor design adjustments.

1. Electrical Safety Reliability

Our LSR materials have excellent dielectric properties and consistent insulating performance even in high-humidity environments. They are free of conductive contaminants that can cause short circuits, and maintain stable insulation resistance across the full operating temperature range of LED systems.

Applications

LSR overmolded LED connector sheaths are suitable for a wide range of LED lighting applications where connector protection is critical:

• Outdoor LED Lighting: Street lighting, landscape lighting, architectural facade lighting, and billboard LED displays, where the sheath protects connectors from rain, snow, temperature fluctuations, and UV exposure.
• Industrial LED Lighting: High-bay warehouse lighting, factory machine work lighting, mining lighting, and petrochemical facility low-power LED lighting, where the sheath provides protection from dust, vibration, oil mist, and moderate chemical exposure.
• Marine and Offshore Lighting: Boat deck lighting, offshore platform LED lighting, and port navigation LED lighting, where the sheath resists salt spray corrosion and constant high humidity.
• Automotive and Transportation LED Lighting: Automotive exterior lighting, traffic signal LED lighting, and railway platform lighting, where the sheath withstands constant vibration and temperature extremes.
• Harsh Environment Indoor LED Applications: Swimming pool LED lighting, bathroom LED mirror lighting, and food processing facility LED lighting, where the sheath provides waterproof protection and meets basic food-safe material requirements.

Selection Guide

Hardness Selection

• 30–40 Shore A: Recommended for applications requiring maximum flexibility for on-site assembly and vibration absorption, ideal for small, low-power connectors.
• 40–60 Shore A: General-purpose hardness suitable for most LED connector applications, balancing flexibility and structural protection.
• 60–70 Shore A: Recommended for large connectors and applications requiring high mechanical puncture and abrasion resistance, ideal for heavy-duty industrial use.

Size Specifications

We produce custom-sized LSR overmolded sheaths to match your connector dimensions, with common outer diameters ranging from 5 mm to 50 mm and wall thickness from 1 mm to 5 mm. Tighter tolerance requirements can be accommodated based on your design specifications. Please provide your connector 2D/3D drawings for accurate quoting and sample production.

Material Grade

• General-purpose grade: Suitable for standard indoor and outdoor LED applications with no special regulatory requirements, offering a cost-effective protection solution.
• Low-volatility grade: Post-cured to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, suitable for enclosed LED fixtures and indoor applications where air quality is a concern.
• Food-contact grade: Compliant with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 for food processing facility LED lighting applications.
• Flame-retardant grade: UL 94 V-0 rated for applications requiring enhanced fire safety performance.

Quality Assurance

Xiangchu (Hubei) Rubber Co., Ltd. operates a quality management system certified to ISO 9001, with strict in-process and final quality controls for every batch of LSR overmolded LED connector sheaths. Our quality testing includes:

• Incoming material inspection for all LSR raw materials to verify hardness, viscosity, and purity before production
• Dimensional inspection of finished parts to ensure compliance with customer drawing tolerances
• Adhesion testing to confirm no delamination between LSR and the connector substrate after thermal cycling
• Dielectric strength and insulation resistance testing for electrical safety verification
• Water ingress testing for pre-production validation of new designs

Our production facility is located at No. 54, Neihe Lane, Fankou Street, Echeng District Economic Development Zone, Ezhou City, Hubei Province, China. For inquiries, custom quotations, or sample requests, please contact us at:

• Phone: +86 18071171144
• Email: churubber@163.com