Category Archives: Uncategorized

Plastics find Their way into Aerospace Applications

Many different Plastics find their way into Aerospace applications today.  The opportunity to reduce weight has been a universal driving force for years.  Each pound reduced translates to lower fuel costs, longer range, and higher efficiency throughout the life of the aircraft.  Metals range from 4-6 times heavier than plastics, so the opportunity to find weight savings is significant.

A recent article on 3D printing notes that jet engine parts are being made of highly specialized ceramic materials through the use of 3D printing process. In the project by CFM and GE the companies estimate using 15% less fuel, which they estimate will save $1 million per year, per aircraft! The companies also noted these new engines will greatly reduce carbon emissions. Read more… http://www.technologyreview.com/news/514656/a-more-efficient-jet-engine-is-made-from-lighter-parts-some-3-d-printed/

In addition to these technologies many plastics are taking their place in aircraft. Highly specialized plastics are being compounded to reduce the need for lubrication.  These plastic materials also offer significant options where thermal insulation is required, providing better results than more traditional metals. A few of the plastic materials we find being specified for aircraft use are:

These materials are fire rated for use in aircraft so specification into projects is easier. They also tend to provide high impact resistance, greater wear than traditional materials, and they are easy to machine and work with. All of these factors are making plastics the first choice for aircraft applications more often. For more information on aircraft and the use of plastic materials see our earlier post on this topic as well: http://ain-plastics.com/aerospace-utilizing-more-plastics/

Paul Hanson

Sales and Marketing Manager, DuPont™ Vespel®
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com
Phone: 770.362.9712

How to get a Rough Idea of a Plastic Material Type When you Don’t Know

Here’s a Helpful Hint if you Don’t Know the Plastic you Have…

There are literally thousands of plastics on the market today and figuring out what type of plastic you have when there is no label to tell you what you have can be a daunting prospect. The best way to learn is by working with known samples. But, when a known sample isn’t available you can sometimes determine the basics of what type of plastic you have on hand by using your nose and an open flame. Carefully hold a small sample of the plastic material to the edge of a flame until it ignites. Be sure to use safety precautions. (Give it about 10 second if it doesn’t start right away). Carefully take note of what happens to the material.

  • Does the material burn?
  • What is the smoke like?
  • Is there soot in the air?
  • Does it drip?

Extinguish the flame and carefully take note of any smell and refer to the table below to narrow down the possibilities as to what type of plastic you have.

Untitled 3

a Flame retardant   b Nondescript   c Inorganic filler   d Organic filler Ref: Materials Engineering, Penton/IPC, Cleveland, Ohio

It is important to note that the look and smell can vary based on a lot of factors like additives, colors, etc. which is why determining a type of plastic material can be tricky and why the table above is a basic guide only, but it can be a good starting point for determining what type of plastic material you have on hand when you don’t have any other information.

For more information about types of plastics you can also visit www.ainplastics.com. We have Technical data, MSDS sheets, and other information that may also help in determining what type of plastic material you have or need.

Typical Properties of Dupont Vespel® and UL Ratings for Plastics

vespelWhen customers ask us about DuPont™ Vespel® the most often asked question is about UL approvals. The properties of Vespel® are ideal for high heat applications. Does DuPont™ Vespel® meet UL ratings for plastics? If so, which DuPont™ Vespel® meets which UL approval?

DSC_1986_composite RodWhat Are the Different UL Approvals for Plastics and What do they Mean?

The UL 94 rating is specifically for plastics flammability. Underwriters Laboratories created this standard to give people a consistent standard to be able to communicate and compare different types of plastics and how they react to flame. The system goes from lowest being the least flame retardant, to the highest being the most flame retardant. The rating also gives information about the exact testing method used such as:

  • Was the material vertical or horizontal
  • How thick
  • Were colors added

All of these can vary how a material such as DuPont™ Vespel® will react when exposed to flame. In the selection of materials for high heat applications, electronics, or areas that have potential for fire, UL ratings and their purpose must be fully understood and considered carefully.

One possible example is the Boeing Dreamliner. Although it will likely take years to determine, the materials used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are being carefully looked at with an eye toward the UL ratings and whether or not selected materials were used appropriately with regard to their rating.

  • UL 94-5VA Surface Burn; Burning stops within 60 seconds, test specimens MAY NOT have a burn-through (no hole). This is the highest (most flame retardant) UL94 rating.
  • UL 94-5VB Surface Burn; Burning stop within 60 seconds, test specimens MAY HAVE a burn-through (A hole may be present)
  • UL 94 V-0 Vertical Burn; Burning stops within 10 seconds, NO flaming drips are allowed
  • UL 94 V-1 Vertical Burn; Burning stops within 60 seconds, NO flaming drips are allowed
  • UL 94 V-2 Vertical Burn; Burning stops within 60 seconds, Flaming drips ARE allowed.
  • UL 94 H-B Horizontal Burn; Slow horizontal burn test (H-B) are considered self-extinguishing”. This is the lowest (least flame retardant) UL94 rating.

UL Ratings and the Typical Properties of DuPont™ Vespel®
ASTM or UL test Property SP-1 SP-21 SP-22 SP-211 SP-3
– Filler Material Unfilled 15% Graphite 40% Graphite 10% PTFE, 15% Graphite 15% Moly
UL94 Flammability Rating V-0 V-0 V-0 V-0 V-0
PHYSICAL
D792 Density (lb/in³) (g/cm³) 0.051 1.43 0.055 1.51 0.060 1.65 0.056 1.55 0.058 1.60
D570 Water Absorption, 24 hrs @ 73°F (%) 48 hrs @ 122°F (%) 0.24 0.72 0.19 0.57 0.14 0.42 0.21 0.49 0.23 0.65
MECHANICAL
D638 Tensile Strength, Ultimate @ 73°F (psi) @ 500°F (psi) 12,500 6,000 9,500 5,500 7,500 3,400 6,500 3,500 8,200 –
D638 Tensile Modulus (psi) – – – – –
D638 Tensile Elongation, Ultimate @ 73°F (%) @ 500°F (%) 7.5 6.0 4.5 6.0 3.0 2.0 3.5 3.0 4.0 –
D790 Flexural Strength, Ultimate @ 73°F (psi) @ 500°F (psi) 16,000 9,000 16,000 9,000 13,000 6,500 10,000 5,000 11,000 5,500
D790 Flexural Modulus @ 73°F (psi) @ 500°F (psi) 450,000 250,000 550,000 370,000 700,000 400,000 450,000 200,000 475,000 270,000
D695 Compressive Strength, 10% strain @ 73°F (psi) 19,300 19,300 16,300 14,800 18,500
D695 Compressive Modulus (psi) 350,000 420,000 475,000 300,000 350,000
D785 Hardness, Rockwell E45-60 E25-45 E5-25 E1-20 E40-55
D256 IZOD Notched Impact (ft-lb/in) 0.8 0.8 – – 0.4
Poisson’s Ratio 0.4 0.4 – – –
THERMAL
D696 Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (x 10-5 in./in./°F) 3.0 2.7 2.1 3.0 2.9
D648 Heat Deflection Temp (°F / °C) at 264 psi 680 / 360 680 / 360 – – –
– Max Continuous Operating Temp (°F / °C) 500 / 260 500 / 260 500 / 260 500 / 260 500 / 260
C177 Thermal Conductivity (BTU-in/ft²-hr-°F) (x 10-4 cal/cm-sec-°C) 2.0 6.9 6.0 20.7 12.0 41.3 5.3 18.3 3.2 11.0
UL94 Flammability Rating V-0 V-0 V-0 V-0 V-0
ELECTRICAL
D149 Dielectric Strength (V/mil) short time, 1/8″ thick 560 250 – – –
D150 Dielectric Constant at 1 MHz 3.55 13.2 – – –
D150 Dissipation Factor at 1 MHz 0.0034 0.0106 – – –
D257 Volume Resistivity (ohm-cm)at 50% RH 1014 – 1015 1012 – 1013 – – –

How long before the material stops burning (It must stop within 10 seconds for approval) Remember that UL ratings do not tell you the operating temperature of a material. UL ratings only refer the the behavior of a material when it if exposed to a flame source. Material sample are held over an open flame from a Bunsen Burner. After being ignited and allowed to burn the material is removed and testers monitor:When considering use of DuPont™ Vespel® and it’s UL rating there are other important factors to consider:

  • If material continues to burn does it drip or run. If it does, the material cannot be UL approved

Learn more:

This article by Homi Ahmadi in Compliance Engineering’s online magazine gives a good description of UL approvals for the electronics industry.

For more in-depth information and the UL-94 ratings and how it relates to plastics beyond DuPont™ Vespel® check out the UL website. http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/industries/chemicals/plastics/testing/flame/

For more information on the DuPont™ Vespel® materials Download  our guides or view a brief video on how to machine DuPont™ Vespel®
http://ain-plastics.com/tag/machining-vespel/

DuPont Vespel® SCP Parts

DuPont Vespel® SCP Parts

DuPont Vespel® Motion Solutions

DuPont Vespel® Motion Solutions

Insulator Solutions

DuPont Vespel® Insulator Solutions

DuPont Vespel® Sealing Solutions

DuPont Vespel® Sealing Solutions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Hanson

Sales and Marketing Manager, DuPont™ Vespel®
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com
Phone: 770.362.9712

 

 

Fluorospar (Fluorite) & Other Rare Minerals in Molycorp Mine

Fluorospar (Fluorite) is the state mineral of Illinois and for many years it was big business. But the last U.S. Fluorite mine was in southern Illinois and it closed in 1995, pushed out by China’s mining operations and low prices. The Re-opening of Molycorp Mine in California to mine for rare earth minerals will once again mean the U.S. has an internal supply of much needed materials like Fluorspar (Fluorite).

Rare-Mineral MiningRare minerals like flurospar are used in the manufacturing of thermoplastics and numerous other industries. In the 1980’s and 1990’s China flooded markets with fluorospar. This caused prices to drop below the cost of mining in the U.S. causing the 1995 closure of the last U.S. fluorospar mine in Illinois. By 2008 China shifted to exporting products like fluorocarbons and fluoropolymers instead of the raw mined mineral and, although it has restricted many of its exports, it remains the biggest player. Currently, fluorospar is primarily mined and exported from: China, Mexico, Mongolia, and South Africa.

Rare-Mineral Shortages

Today, 95% of rare earth minerals are mined in China and obtaining minerals is becoming increasingly difficult. Technology that drives the Pentagon’s weapons program, the U.S. auto industry and renewable energy ambitions are all threatened by a lack of heavy rare earth minerals for which China currently enjoys the global mining monopoly.

This Is Where Molycorp Mine Is Changing Things for the U.S.

The largest construction project, Molycorp Mine, in the Unites States is about to change the overseas monopoly on rare minerals

Located in Mountain Pass, California, about an hour west of Las Vegas, the Molycorp Mine sits atop mineral deposits discovered in the late 1940’s by geologists looking for commercial-grade uranium. They found some of the world’s richest reserves of bastnasite, a mineral containing higher-than-usual concentrations of rare-earth elements like cerium, lanthanum and yttrium.

Rare-earth mining began at Mountain Pass in the early 1950s, and by the mid-1980s the mine supplied 60 percent of global demand and 100 percent of U.S. needs. But as Chinese production increased, operations at Mountain Pass dwindled and it closed in 2002.

Six years after the Mountain Pass closure, a group of private investors purchased the mine from Chevron. Molycorp is now giving the mine a $781 million overhaul, Molycorp is ramping up production at Mountain Pass, and looks set to produce 40,000 tons annually by the end of 2013. As the mine begins cranking out neodymium, lanthanum and other rare earth materials by the ton, the strategic vulnerability that’s caused so much concern should be eased. Read more in this Washington Post Article.

Heavy Equipment Manufacturers Utilizing Plastics to Lessen Downtime and Improve Efficiency

Heavy Equipment in MiningThe importance of such a mine has led Heavy Equipment Manufactures to design with the need for constant production of equipment and to decrease down time of equipment.   The advent of self lubricating thermoplastic bearings, which give reduction in weight and power output, have helped eliminate the need for lubricating systems and increased the overall production time of the equipment. Less weight also means less fuel needed to operate large equipment.

Other areas that mining truck manufactures look to for adding value is clean up time of trucks. Mud and dirt become caked on the wheel wells and the extra thousands of pounds creates more down time of equipment due to increased cleaning times.

By adding low coefficient of friction materials the mud and dirt become easier to clean which gets the trucks back in the mine, and working at peak efficiency.

When looking at the rare-earth mineral issue its easy to see how the impact of mining in the U.S. can affect industries from plastics, to large equipment, defense and much more.

 

Richard Winter
Director of Business Development

ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

Just added – We found this program regarding rare earth mining. Watch it now: http://video.ketc.org/video/2217713569

 

For more articles related to rare-earth minerals or the opening of the Molycorp Mine check out these links –

http://www.mineralseducationcoalition.org/minerals/fluorite 

http://minerals.usgs.gov/mineralofthemonth/fluorspar.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorite

http://www.theaureport.com/pub/na/14769

http://www.molycorp.com/about-us/our-facilities/molycorp-mountain-pass

New Information on AIN Plastics Website

new updates on ainplastics.comAIN Plastics is kicking off the new year with new information on our website! As a part of our blog here at ain-plastics.com we want to keep you informed on what is going at AIN Plastics that will be helpful to you.

This week we added new items to our website that include several downloadable .pdfs of material selection guides. All of these and more are available on our Literature Page:

RAMPF Group Board and Paste Products

Materials for Orthotics and Prosthetics

Each of these has new materials and products added that you’ll want to check out. In our recent guest blog Michael O’Connor noted improvements in plastics materials for orthotics and prosthetics have allowed many people improved mobility. He reminded us you don’t have to be an olympic level athlete to enjoy the benefits of the new materials for orthotics and prosthetics. FYI – you may want to be sure you contact one of our O&P specialists, Shawn Lynam, Dick Cubero, or Scott Moore so you can get one of these. The new design opens up into a handy poster / quick reference on types of materials for orthotics and prosthetics.

On our Composite Tooling side, RAMPF Group has developed some amazing products including a board made from recycled product. It’s a great addition to our green program (Green Scene) and it can be to yours as well. RAMPF also shared some applications that we’ve added to the brochure so you can see their product in action. In fact, keeping with green, one application is the building of prototype turbine blade model. Each of 5 models is an impressive 46 meters in length and each one uses RAMPF Close Contour Paste CP-6100. If you want to talk to someone directly, Randy Johnson is AIN Plastics Tooling Specialist. He brings many years of experience on the manufacturing side and he is available directly by phone: 513.267.6009 or by email: randall.johnson@thyssenkrupp.com.

If you just want to know more about AIN Plastics we also have a refreshed brochure entitled “Plastic Shapes for Industry.” In this brochure you get a brief look at the many, many plastic materials we keep in stock and ready to ship to you. Of course, you can can also subscribe to our blog, or give us a call. Did you know we have professional inside and outside sales staff ready to assist you? These aren’t just folks who answer the phone, these are dedicated professionals who know plastic materials because we know the best product is the one that is right for your application.

Because we are always updating and improving, anytime you are on ainpalstics.com you will also find the latest updates listed right on our home page.

This just in! We’ve just updated our Clearance Page too. http://ainplastics.com/ainp/Products/ClearanceItems/index.html Right now we have PVC, CPVC, PTFE HEX Rod, and Techtron HPV. All items are first come first served so they may not last long.

Until next time, I hope you find all of this information helpful in your quest to find that just right material for your application.

 

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

 

How Tribology Led to the use of DuPont™ Vespel®

Tribology is based on the Greek word for “rubbing, grinding”, or “wearing away”. It’s study has lead to advances in material selection for high load applications such as bearings. Plastic materials such as DuPont™ Vespel® have been key in reducing friction and adding cost savings in the long run.

Tribology is a highly pervasive occurrence that can cause parts to have a much shorter life. So pervasive that it became a study all it’s own. In 1964, Peter Jost, a lubrication expert was inspired during a conference and out of this he began an entire discipline around tribology. You can learn more about Professor Jost in this interview Today we have many lubricants that range from the natural to the synthetic. They can all help to reduce friction. Thanks to the world of plastics we also have some materials like DuPont™ Vespel® that provide vast improvements beyond lubricants These new polyimide materials allow engineers to create parts and machinery they never thought possible and to greatly improve the efficiency and life of those parts.

We can thank the discipline of tribology for longer part life.

We can thank the discipline of tribology for longer part life.

Just think, if you had asked for a 10 year / 100,000 mile warranty 20 years ago the sales person would have laughed for a very good long time. Now, it’s the standard thanks in part to the discipline of tribology and new materials like Vespel. Due to their properties materials like DuPont™ Vespel® have found their way into commercial transportation industries, medical, food processing and manufacturing of all types. They simply have a unique combination of properties that makes them highly durable even under the harshest conditions.

Plastic materials are making a big difference in our ability to reduce friction and cost due to reduced wear and less need for lubrication and maintenance.

DuPont™ Vespel® has been a marvel of the plastics industry for decades. Now the SCP family of materials has been added to help with extended part life in sealing and bearing applications. It is most noted for it’s ability to be used in non-lubricated high-friction environments because of it’s exceptional heat and pressure resistance capabilities. The SCP 5009 material in particular performs well with or without lubrication under conditions that would cause severe wear or destruction of most other plastics. SCP 5009 is often used in bearing applications because it will reduce or eliminate problems with abrasion, corrosion, adhesion fatigue, and wear that plague conventional options such as metal bearings. Addition of a lubricant can improve performance even more!

Technical Properties of DuPont™ Vespel® SCP 5009

 

Technical Data for DuPont Vespel SCP 5009

Technical Data for DuPont Vespel SCP 5009

(Technical data provided by DuPont)

Using DuPont™ Vespel® SCP-5009 shapes for seals, valves, bearings, bushings, and other components can mean savings due to lower replacement rates which leads to reduced maintenance costs. It’s also easy to machine. Most Vespel can be machined on the same equipment used for metals like brass. (See our video on machining techniques) and that can mean fewer rejects, higher productivity and reliability.

Key industries that have studied tribology and found that DuPont™ Vespel® SCP-5009 shapes can offer substantial processing, performance and metals replacement advantages include analytical instrumentation, medical devices, aerospace and energy and material handling.

In a comparison to metal ball, needle and roller bearings, a part made from high temperature material like DuPont™ Vespel® SCP-5009 has advantages that include:

• No external lubrication
• The ability to hold up in temperature where lubricants fail
• Perform in dirty environments including dusty or where lint is present
• They typically weigh less and are quieter
• Compared to porous metals, bronze and brass the wear life may be much greater
• Vespel holds up to high pressure and high velocity
• Creep resistance

In addition, SCP 5009 can perform at temperatures and velocities beyond that of other plastic materials.

SCP 5009 is just one example but it’s one that shows how, thanks to the discipline of tribology, plastics are becoming more mainstream in manufacturing and it’s not due to a short term gain of cheaper material. Rather tribology has given us a longterm view of parts that looks at longer life, less maintenance and improved performance. Therein lies the true value and savings.

For more information on any of the information in this blog feel free to contact me.

Kendall Montague
Sales & Marketing Manager – DuPont™ Vespel®
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

To ask me a question please comment on my post here or contact me directly:
Phone: (314) 502-0813
email: kendall.monatgue@thyssenkrupp.com

 

Read More:

Better Insulator Materials Take the Heat

When selecting an Engineering Plastic for insulator use the term “dielectric strength” is often of great consideration. But be aware, the term “dielectric strength” has multiple meanings.

In physics, the term “dielectric strength” has three meanings:
1) In an insulating material it is the maximum electric field strength that the insulating material can withstand without breaking down or failing and losing it’s insulating properties.

It can also mean…
2) For a given configuration of dielectric material and electrodes, dielectric strength is the minimum electric field that causes a breakdown of the properties.
3) The maximum electric stress the dielectric material can withstand without breakdown

Overall, dielectric strength is considered to be a natural property of a given material. It’s just a part of what it is. When a material’s dielectric strength is pushed past it’s limit the electric field of the material frees bound electrons. If the applied electric field is sufficiently high an event called an avalanche breakdown occurs. This happens very, very fast (within nanoseconds) and basically it causes the material to severely degrade or even completely destroy it’s insulating properties.

Dielectric-Strength-Test

Example of a Typical Dielectric Strength Test

What to look for in an Insulator Material
When looking at Engineering plastics there are several things that will affect the material’s dielectric strength. When an insulator is subjected to increasingly high voltages, it eventually breaks down and allows a current to pass. The voltage reached before break down divided by the sample thickness is the dielectric strength of the material, measured in volts/mil. It is generally measured by putting electrodes on either side of a test specimen and increasing the voltage at a controlled rate. Factors that affect dielectric strength in applications include: temperature, sample thickness, conditioning of the sample, rate of increase in voltage, and duration of test. Contamination or internal voids in the sample can also have an affect on the outcome of testing.

Another way to Look at Dielectric Strength…It is…
directly proportional to the thickness of the material
inversely proportional so it decreases as operating temperature increases
inversely proportional to an increase in frequency
inversely proportional to an increase in humidity

To see how dielectric strength compares let’s take a look at some common insulator materials:
(All Dielectric Strengths are given in MV/m)

DuPont™ Vespel® – 700
Ultem PEI – 830
PEEK – 480
Cast Nylon – 500

The Ultimate Insulator Material
When looking at materials that provide a high dielectric strength many engineers look to DuPont™ Vespel® This line of materials has been designed into many Electronics applications as an Insulator material due to their high dielectric strength combined with other properties.

Scientific Instrumentation, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Analytical Equipment, Ultrasonics, Communications, and Avionics are just a few of the places where you will find Vespel.  Recently DuPont extended their Vespel® line to include SCP-5000, with even higher dielectric strength than standard SP-1.

Do you have more questions about choosing the right Engineering Plastic based on electrical properties, feel free to call me directly. I’d be happy to assist.

Paul Hanson

Sales and Marketing Manager, DuPont™ Vespel®
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

email:  paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com
Phone: 770.362.9712

 

 

Fluorosint® 500 a Sacrifice Gasket Material and More

Taking a Closer Look at Fluorosint® Materials
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fluorosint® 500?

Do you have a part where precision is highly critical and it will be under high pressure? Fluorosint® 500 could be just the material you need.

Fluorosint® 500 is a PTFE enhanced with a synthetic mica. This enhancement means more  opportunities to improve efficiency without sacrificing wear resistance. It also makes an excellent sacrificial wear surface that can help to prevent catastrophic system failures.

In testing there are a few things that really stand out about this material. One is it’s CLTE (in/in/˚F) of 2.5×10-5. Fluorosint® 500 is also 1/3 harder than PTFE and it also has a deformation under load of just 1.10%, that is 9 times lower than virgin PTFE. In fact, the overall performance of Fluorosint® 500 is similar to that of aluminum. Lastly, this material has very low frictional properties so it mates very well with many other materials.

For a complete technical data sheet on Fluorosint® 500 click here to download.

Does this have you thinking about how you might use Fluorosint® 500? Here are a few of the most common uses. If you know of more – drop a comment on our blog!
• Split and one-piece seals
• Valve seats
• Shrouds
• Slide bearings
• Wear strips
• Sacrificial seals
• Abradable mating parts where the parts are allowed to “cut” their own running clearance
• Thrust washers
• A replacement for metal or aluminum seals and shrouds in compressors

To sum it all up – Fluorosint® 500 by Quadrant Engineering Plastics can be another great option to keep in mind if you need a material for a high load applications. It can have  some clear advantages over virgin PTFE and, like other PTFEs it possess chemical resistance. The next time you have a demanding application it maybe worth a look!

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

 

 

Fluorosint® 207 FDA Compliant for Seals and Gaskets

Taking a Closer Look at Fluorosint® Materials
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fluorosint 207?

When it comes to temperature and pressure resistance Fluorosint® 207C falls between  TIVAR® and Duratron® materials. It offers very good wear resistance and Fluorosint® 207 has a very low coefficient of friction.

Where this material really shines is in two areas. It works successfully where virgin PTFE may not. Even more importantly this material is FDA compliant so it’s excellent for food service applications. Basically if you need a seal or gasket material that is temperature resistant, chemical resistant, and FDA compliant Fluorosint® 207 is a great option. In addition this material has been shown to last longer than unfilled PTFE’s in wear applications and it works well against most mating surfaces.

Test Method Result
Tensile Strength (psi) 1,500
Hardness D65
CLTE (in/in/˚F) 5.7 x 10-5
COF 0.10
Limiting PV (ft-lbs. in2-min) 8,000
K-Factor 85
Deformation under load 5.00%
FDA Compliant Yes

 For a more complete look at test results you can download a technical data sheet.

Common Applications Include:

Seals
Mixers
Pumps
Appliances
Bearings
Valve Seats
Commercial Beverage Filling Systems

Is Fluorosint® 207 right for your application? Are you using it now? Let us know how it’s working for you.

Don’t forget to share! If you this information would be helpful to someone you know, please pass it along!

We’ll see you in the blogosphere again very soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

Join me for an introduction to the world of plastics!

Your Guide to Plastics Past, Present, and Future…

Lisa Anderson, Marketing Manager ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, AIN Plastics Division

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 6 months since I began working at AIN Plastics. Hard to believe because everyday is packed full of lots of projects and lots of things to learn about plastics. There have been new people to meet and old friends to reconnect with, and it’s all been really fun, so the time has truly flown by.

As I’ve gone through these months I developed a hunch. My guess is, when it come to plastics for manufacturing and specialty uses, a lot of you in many industries are in the same boat because there are so many material choices out there. So I’m inviting you to take the journey along with me to learn about plastics. What are plastics, what are the different types, why are they being used more and more, and what plastics will work for your applications. In fact, I hope you’ll share your applications and experiences as well.

While we are at it we’ll take a stroll through plastics history too. I’m a huge history buff so every time I hear about a plastic I like to dig in and find out how it all started. These days plastics seem to surround us, but it wasn’t that long ago we relied on other materials such as wood, metal, and glass for everything from IV ‘bottles’, to baby bottles, cooking utensils, sporting equipment. Hmmm – what were shower curtains before plastic? I’ll get back to you on that one, or if you know, please share! We love comments.

So let’s get started! Today I’d like to stay in the present and take a look at a helpful piece that came across my desk. As we all know there are literally thousands of types of plastic materials out there and more are hitting the market all the time, so anytime there is something that can help you to select the best one for the job we here at AIN will be sure to share it with you. After all, getting the right material helps everyone. The item that came across my desk is in regards to Materials for seals and gaskets.

So let’s start with a couple of questions –  
• Do you make seals or gaskets?
• Do you need your seals and gaskets to be Teflon®?
• Do you have a high temperature application?
• Do you need FDA compliant seal and gasket material?

The most common choices for seals and gaskets are UHMW – PE, Teflon, and PEEK. These are all great options, but another material called Fluorosint® has, until now been a little less known for seals and gaskets however, it is proving to give material specifiers another excellent option for certain higher temperature applications. Two Fluorosint® materials are FDA compliant giving you options for special applications in food or medical applications.

In selecting material for gaskets and seals temperature and pressure are the two biggest factors people generally consider. This chart easily shows where TIVAR® UHMW-PE, Teflon®, Ketron® PEEK, filled and unfilled PTFE, and Fluorosint® and Duratron® fit in as material options. Test results clearly show that Fluorosint® and Duratron® fit very well into a gap left for high temperature and high pressure applications. To make your selection even more exact, Quadrant (manufacturer of Fluorosint®) has developed several Fluorosint® materials (207, HPV, 500) and each was specifically developed with a certain application area in mind.

Below is a Material Selector Guide that covers all of these materials in two easy formats. One simply compares how a product does in relation to heat and pressure. The other compares Fluorosint® to Rulon®, another common material for seals and gaskets. You can also compare the FDA compliant materials.

Material Selector Guide for PTFE Seal and Gasket Material

From materials suitable for average heat and pressure to the highest, this chart will help you to easily cross reference common seal and gasket materials.

 

Chart comparing Rulon to Flurosint

Compare test results of Fluorosint and Rulon and see at a glance what material fits your application.

As we go forward I’ll be looking at each of these products on an individual basis. But, if you see something here you like and you want to know all the details right now, we do have more information available on our website: Fluorosint Product Information. You can also talk to one of people. We have a knowledgeable staff that can help with any questions you may have about seal and gasket materials. Just call 877.246.7700 and you will be connected with the AIN Plastics office nearest you.

If you are along for the journey that’s great!  If seals and gaskets aren’t your thing, no worries, I’ll be talking about all sorts of other materials as we go. In fact, you can sign up and get our posts in your mailbox so you don’t miss the latest.

I hope you find these charts helpful in your search for that just right seal or gasket material. We’ll see you in the blogosphere again very soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division