Materials and applications – other plastics

What does grain texture mean?

  • It refers to a textured surface with an orange peel effect. For example ABS sheets may have one smooth and one textured side.

What material should be used in slide blocks in heavy-duty use?

  • PA (Polyamide) 6 combines good mechanical strength, rigidity, hardness and maximum elongation with good sliding characteristics.

  • PA (Polyamide) 6 G OIL contains oil as a lubricant. Because of its oil content, the material’s coefficient of friction is up to 50% lower and its wear‑resistance about five times greater than that of standard polyamides. This polyamide is best suited to applications in which the material is subjected to continuous wear.

  • PE 1000 is a pure polyethylene with the lowest coefficient of friction, the greatest impact strength and wear‑resistance, and the best dimensional accuracy of all the polyethylene plastics. This material is well suited to applications that require good wear resistance and low surface friction.

  • PE 1000 MoS² has molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) added to it, which considerably improves its wear‑resistance properties. It is recommended for applications entailing extensive wear, such as mechanical conveyors used in mechanical wood processing.

Which material is suitable for use in pump vanes?

  • Cotton phenolic laminate (PF) has great mechanical strength and therefore is suitable for applications in which good wear‑ and load‑resistance properties are required (it is also suited to environments with dust and other impurities). The material also has superior friction‑related and soundproofing qualities. Water, oil or grease can be used as a lubricant, when necessary. The product is resistant to weather and seawater, and because of its high service temperature (120 °C), it can be used as an alternative to asbestos.

What material should be used for a conveyor’s slide rails?

  • PA (Polyamide) 6 combines good mechanical strength, rigidity, hardness, and maximum elongation with good sliding characteristics.

  • PA (Polyamide) 6 G OIL contains oil as a lubricant. Because of its oil content, the material’s coefficient of friction is up to 50% lower and its wear‑resistance about five times greater than that of standard polyamides. This polyamide is best suited to applications in which the material is subjected to continuous wear.

  • PE 1000 is a pure polyethylene with the lowest coefficient of friction, the greatest impact strength and wear‑resistance, and the best dimensional accuracy of all the polyethylene plastics. This material is well suited to applications that require good wear resistance and low surface friction.

  • PE 1000 MoS² has molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) added to it, which considerably improves its wear‑resistance properties. It is recommended for applications entailing extensive wear, such as mechanical conveyors used in mechanical wood processing.

What is Teflon?

  • PTFE offers an ideal solution for numerous applications. It is commonly known as coating material for cookware. In industrial environments, PTFE is used for applications in which excellent resistance to chemicals and high temperatures is required. Typical applications include gasket and coating solutions.

  • Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has several good qualities, including excellent chemical strength and heat resistance. It is resistant to temperatures of -100°C – +260°C. It has a lower coefficient of friction than other polymers do, and its electrical conductivity is good. Because of its softness, PTFE’s wear resistance is limited. Therefore the material is best suited to applications with low load and speed levels. The material is best known under the trade name Teflon ®, registered by DuPont.

What is the difference between PA (Polyamide) and POM (Polyacetal)?

  • PA has better elongation and wear-resistance properties and it is not brittle

  • When it comes into contact with water, PA absorbs humidity and swells

  • POM has excellent dimensional accuracy and wear-resistance properties but it is prone to cracking

  • POM does not absorb humidity

What is extruded material?

  • Extruded material is slightly more cost-efficient than cast material but it is less suited to thermoforming.

What is cast material?

  • cast PPMA is of more constant quality and is easier to machine than extruded material, and it is also suitable for thermoforming

  • cast material is available in a wider range of colours and it comes with more coating options