Why Designers Continue To Replace Metal Parts With Engineering Plastics

Mechanical engineers and designers are increasingly replacing existing metals parts with components made from engineering plastics. A common misconception is that this trend is based purely on reducing the initial cost per part, but the reality is quite different. Engineering plastics are often more expensive than metals, but provide benefits such as improved performance, longer part life, and reduced downtime. This long-term, “overall cost of ownership” approach is driving a strong market for engineered plastic solutions.


Here are a few of the product features and benefits that are driving the trend towards increased use of engineering plastics.

Wear Resistance
In high-wear applications, many plastic materials will outperform brass & other metal bearing materials. Plastics such as Nylon, UHMW, PTFE, Acetal and Turcite® offer natural lubricity to increase wear resistance and extend the part life of bearings, rollers, gears, and seals.

Lightweight
When replacing metal parts, plastics will typically reduce the part weight by 30% to 50%.This can translate to significant energy savings when used in applications such as transportation, linear motion, and material handling.

Temperature Resistance
Plastics, ceramics, and composites have been developed which resist both extremely high & extremely low cryogenic temperature ranges with minimal loss of mechanical properties. Materials such as Celazole® PBI can continually operate at up to 750°F, while materials such as Kel-F® PCTFE can operate at -400°F.

Impact Resistance & Shock Absorption
Many plastics and composites offer excellent impact resistance. Materials such as Polycarbonate are used for impact-resistant glazing and shields. Nylon and Polyurethane will absorb impact shock and isolate stress points to protect surrounding components.

Insulation Properties
Many plastics have excellent insulation properties, reducing heat, and improving product reliability. Laminates such as G-10/FR-4, GPO-3 and LE Phenolic are used extensively in electrical and transportation industries to insulate from heat and electrical shock. Thermoplastics such as PTFE and Meldin® work well in high-temperature insulating applications.

Corrosion Resistance
Metals are inherently susceptible to corrosion from moisture, acids, and organic solvents. Many plastics were designed specifically to combat these problems. Materials such as PVC, CPVC, Polypropylene, and PTFE offer superior corrosion resistance at an economical price.

Medical Approval
Many plastics have been approved for use in medical applications ranging from heart pump valves to endoscopic instruments. Products meet FDA, USP Class VI, and ISO 10993 standards. Such materials include Radel®, PEEK, Ultem®, and Polycarbonate.

Fire Safe
Dozens of plastic materials have been developed to meet common aircraft, transportation, semiconductor, and UL ratings for flame and smoke safety. Specifications include FAR, FTA, FRA, ASTM, UL and FM. In the semiconductor industry materials meeting the FM-4910 specification have reduced or eliminated the need for costly fire-suppression systems, and thus have reduced overall equipment costs. In some cases, the use of these materials have even reduced insurance costs in high-liability applications. Common flame-retardant and flame-safe materials include: Kydex®, Boltaron®, Halar®, CP7-D, FRPP, Corzan® CPVC, and Kynar® 740 PVDF.

High Purity
Plastics have long been a crucial product used in the manufacturing of high-purity fluid & gas handling applications. Many plastics have eliminated the concerns of out-gassing, leaching, and other contamination in crucial high-purity systems. These products include: PTFE, PFA, FEP, Halar® and Kynar® PVDF.

Static Control
Several plastics and composites have anti-static qualities to prevent the build up of an electric charge. Products range from conductive materials 10^2-10^6, and static dissipative 10^6-10^10, to highly resistive materials 10^10-10^12.


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To learn more, contact Professional Plastics, Inc. or please visit www.professionalplastics.com

Polystone® M XDT - New X-Ray Detectable UHMW-PE Shapes

Polystone® M XDT (X-Ray Detectable UHMW-PE) is available from Professional Plastics, Inc.
Röchling Engineering Plastics continues to set trends and provide solutions in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries when it comes to product safety and quality assurance – announcing the first X-ray detectable UHMW-PE available in the market.

Repeated handling, cleaning and normal wear and tear of plastic component parts on food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing machinery increases the risk of a fragment breaking off and contaminating the product during processing.

The need for traceable plastics, especially machined parts for filling, sorting and packaging machinery is critical due to strict FDA regulations regarding foreign materials and contaminants. Since we introduced our line of Metal Detectable engineering plastics (Polystone M MDT (UHMW-PE) and Sustarin C MDT (Acetal)) more than two years ago, these unique products continue be an effective solution for plastic parts used in open product zone applications.

However moving forward, we quickly realized a demand for X-ray detectable plastic parts for today's high speed machinery as processors turn to X-ray inspection equipment especially for post-package inspection. Working together with one of the world's largest food processors and a leading manufacturer of X-ray inspection systems, our Polystone M XDT has proven to be detected with a particle size as small as a 3mm cube. Running at speeds as fast as 250 feet-per-minute, this product can be detected and automatically sorted to a product hold area for further inspection. It works effectively with various types of packaging including metal cans, plastic and composite containers and glass jars.

Applications: - Scraper blades - Mixer Components - Baffles - Filler plates - Wear plates - Pillow blocks - Pocket fillers - Volumetric fillers - Cups & Sleeves - Piston fillers - Hopper guides - Dividers

Polystone® M XDT can be detected as small as a 3mm cube.

Polystone® M XDT - the industry's first X-ray detectable UHMW-PE

Note:  It is the responsibility of the user to test and approve the detection of this product due to variations in x-ray detection systems and required sensitivity settings.

Polystone® M XDT is available in both sheets, rods and fabricated parts to your specifications.
Rods: .500" to 6" diameter (12.7mm to 152mm)
Sheets: 3/8" to 4" thick (9.52mm to 101mm)

Click here to order online or request a custom quote: http://www.professionalplastics.com/PolystoneM_XDT_X-RayDetectableUHMW


PROFESSIONAL PLASTICS, INC.
www.professionalplastics.com
sales@proplas.com

Tivar® H.O.T High Temperature UHMW-PE Shapes

Tivar® H.O.T. from Quadrant EPP is formulated to maintain key performance properties in an extended temperature range, Tivar® H.O.T.* will excel in a variety of industrial manufacturing environments where temperatures range up to 275° F, nearly 100° higher than competing UHMW-PE formulations.

Tivar® H.O.T. reduces the oxidization rate of the material at higher temperatures thereby slowing material degradation and extending wear-life in chemical, elevated temperature and thermo-cycling environments. In many applications, Tivar® H.O.T. will last up to 10 times longer in higher temperature environments and has excellent wear and release characteristics


Tivar® H.O.T. is also a great material for use in conveyor systems or other equipment that is frequently exposed to chemical washdowns in such industries as poultry/meat processing and packaging. It can be also be used in applications ranging from wearstrips for spiral conveyors in the baking industry to drag conveyor flights for moving bulk materials (corn) in grain elevators, or wearstrips for conveyor dryers in drying and dehydrating systems.


Tivar® H.O.T. is white and available in the following standard sizes: 48" x 120" (1220mm x 3050mm) sheets with gauges ranging from 1/16" (1.5mm) to 6.0" (152mm) and 48" x 240" sheets with gauges ranging from 3/4" to 3". Other sizes are available on request. It can also be extruded in a variety of standard and custom profiles.
 
Tivar® H.O.T Benefits:
•Inhibits oxidation, extends material wear-life
•Extended operating temperature range
•Abrasion, corrosion, chemical, and moisture-resistant
•Excellent release characteristics
•Meets FDA guidelines, USDA and 3-A Dairy compliant

Industries: 
Baking - Conveyor manufacturing - Food processing & packaging - Meat & poultry processing - Pet food manufacturing


Applications:
Chain guides - Conveyor components - Drying equipment - Machined parts - Wearstrips, pads and plates
 
Tivar® H.O.T. is available from Professional Plastics website at http://www.professionalplastics.com/TIVARHOT or call (888) 995-7767
 
Tivar® H.O.T. is a registered tradename of Quadrant EPP.
Tivar® H.O.T. is distributed by Professional Plastics, Inc.