Tag Archives: AIN Plastics

How Sales Reps Help You Find the Right Plastic Material

Have you set down with a plastics sales person only to find your sales rep hits

you with question after question about your application? Why is that?

More Questions? I just want some plastic!

More Questions? I just want some plastic!

Good sales people will ask probing questions about what you need, but in our busy days this may sometimes seem annoying or even invasive to a customer.  If you’ve ever wondered “why is this sales person all up in my business, I just need some plastic,” rest assured there is often a valid reason for all those questions, not just nosiness on the part of your sales rep.

Some terms are standard to a market or industry; others may be subjective or open to interpretation.  Just like a game of catch phrase two people may describe the same thing but in a different way.  In this series of blog posts I’m going to address some frequent questions and terms; not as a vocabulary lesson but rather a basic overview as a communication tool to help when talking to a plastics sales representative.

Plastics-Triangle

The plastics triangle gives an overview of the basic types of plastics. For more about plastic types click here.

Plastics may often look and feel alike, but, in reality, there are nearly as many different varieties and formulations of plastics as there are uses of them.  A benefit of purchasing from a distributor is that they stock hundreds of types of plastics from numerous manufactures in their facilities so one of the things a sales rep can do is to help customers pin point which plastic it is they really need.

 

Question and Answer is the simplest form of two-way communication.

One of the best ways to identify the material a user needs is by asking questions, in particular regarding the application.  Often this will narrow down the possibilities tremendously.  The material request that probably makes anyone in the polymer/plastics business cringe most is- “You know it’s plastic, just the regular kind.”  By inquiring as to the intended use of the item (application) a competent sales person can at least direct the customer to a category of materials from which to choose.

Questions that help select the right plastic material…
What is the intended use of this plastic material?
Is the application Static or Dynamic?
Is the application Structural or Wear?
These are all snazzy terms used to define if an item is going to be stationary/immobile or if it will be moving.  The answer to this question will likely lead toward one of two classifications of thermoplastics; Amorphous or Crystalline. Looking at structural vs. wear means looking at the stress or friction a part might be under when its in use.

Friction is the resistance that one surface encounters when moving along another surface. A part that does not move, may still come into contact with one that does (mating parts or rollers are good examples). The friction may cause wear and it can also be a source of increased heat.

A particular set of properties might be more or less crucial to a given application, we do not engineer said applications but rather give you the best tools and guidance to do so!

Lin Poulin
Telemarketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

 

Citations for this blog post:

American Chemistry Council.  Professor Plastic: How Many Type of Plastics are There?  Post 2012/01/ Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products. Design and Fabrication Reference Guide
Ensinger. Ensinger essentials, Technical know-how for plastic applications
International Association of Plastic Distributors. IAPD, Introduction to Plastics, a Training Manual

A Look at Semicon West 2013

This month I attended the Semicon West show in San Franciso, California.  Semicon is the largest industry trade show for the Computer Chip market and all who service it.

Against a backdrop of declining Personal Computer sales and a flat year in the equipment that makes the chips for the PC’s, I was eager to see if this was going to be a good show.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the industry is not so much contracting as it is instead getting ready for the next “big thing” and there were a few I’d like to highlight here.

The “Internet of Things” Emerges at Semicon West This Year

An interesting concept floating around at Semicon West this year was the emerging “Internet of Things”.  Steve Wigley, VP of Marketing at LTX-Credence, presented in a session where he discussed this topic in some detail.  In a nutshell, more and more things are connecting to the internet!  Many of these “things” communicate thru Radio Frequency (RF) and as items become RF enabled they are void of the need for wires to pass the data around. So look for fewer wires and more devices around your home and office!

Drevil_million_dollars

Yes, I’d like one trillion sensors please.

One Trillion Sensors!
The term “Trillion Sensors” was also knocked around throughout Semicon West. The term highlights the number of sensors needed to collect the data that is estimated will be computed in our world soon.
Tech giant companies including the likes of Intel are talking about putting as many as 20 billion connected devices into use in the next 5 years.  The number of chips to handle this would be huge, but the number of sensors generating the data is downright mind-boggling. From the perspective of what I do, I can certainly see that these technologies will in crease the need and use of lightweight materials such as DuPont™ Vespel®, and Quadrant Engineering’s PEEK which are currently staples in chip production equipment.

One good example of this emerging technology is your vehicle. Today your car talks to you and tells you when it’s time for a lube job, oil change, or tire rotation.  The next generation of vehicles will have additional sensors that will determine if things like the alignment of your wheels is correct and, if adjustment is needed, the sensor will handle it directly with the factory. It made me think about how technology is changing the face of customer service as well.

Connecting Us for Better Health Care?

Semicon also featured displays showing how circuits can be printed right onto our skin. These breakthroughs in technology show how circuits on skin can hold a variety of possibilities, from monitoring the bodily functions of patients without the use of so many chords and connections to machines, to immediately reporting changes in a patient that may be helpful in a recovery room setting where seconds can make a big difference in survival.

Driving much of this development will be the new “sensors” (see photo on right) designed to gather data.  Each sensor will run through a processor which will take the information and that, in turn, will drive an action like sounding an alarm at the nurse’s station for example.

Semicon West Speaker Looks at Dollars and Market Value. The Message – Mobile Devices Rule!

I have heard it said that mobile devices are now used more often to access the web than traditional computers and Semicon West offered proof of that this time around. In fact, I think I read it in an article I saw on my iPad. A speaker at Semicon noted a new milestone that occurred the week of the convention when the dollar value of semiconductor revenue from mobile devices surpassed the revenue from traditional PC and Notebook computers. So, I it certainly appears the trend toward smaller and more powerful technology will  continue its evolution in coming years and I expect we will see much more of that at next year’s Semicon West.

If you are looking at your calendar for next year. I say be sure to put Semicon West 2014 on it folks. From what I saw at Semicon 2013, the 2014 show will be the dawn of even more new and amazing technology. Attendees will never be thinking “Oh its the same old thing at Semicon West.” On the plastics front, look for more lightweight materials like Semitron MP370 to become popular in the all important test sockets which ensure chips are as perfect as possible. If you haven’t heard of Semitron MP370 yet, check out the overview on our website by clicking here

I for one am already looking forward to seeing what’s in store for next year at Semicon West 2014. Of course I’ll be on the lookout for how plastics are being utilized in this field and I’m sure there will be a good showing of that I won’t want to miss learning about. Will I see you there? If you’d like to learn more about Semicon West, keep tabs on the news for 2014 by visiting their website www.semiconwest.org

Paul Hanson

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

paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com
Phone: 770.362.9712

www.tkmna.com

 

AIN Plastics “Get Framed” Event

IMG_0176

The Gabarron Center for the Arts in Manhattan was the site for the AIN Plastics “Get Framed” event.

Gabarron Carriage House Center for the Arts in Manhattan is not the place you might typically think of to go to when you want to find out about plastics, but on June 6, 2013 this Manhattan Art Gallery hosted the unveiling of a very special piece of acrylic at the AIN Plastics “Get Framed Event.”
Evonik ACRYLITE® OP3 with UV protection in a 101 x 150 inch 1/4 inch thick sheet is the largest UV sheet manufactured in the U.S. and it is the perfect material for large pieces of art or items in need of preservation and display. The AIN team has fondly named it “The Monster Sheet.” John Colleluori, Branch Manager for AIN Plastics Yonkers stated this ACRYLITE® material is available exclusively from AIN Plastics, and it is so special that we felt it deserved a true New York Gallery unveiling. AIN Plastics will stock these sheets for easy delivery to museums, galleries and preservation specialists. AIN Plastics President, John Shepherd noted, “Our unique product offering combined with the high service requirements of this industry makes it an attractive and profitable market for AIN’s distribution model.”
Over 80 people from the New York gallery, framing, and museum industry gathered at Gabarron Carriage House Center for the Arts and enjoyed an evening of hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Evonik brought in key specialists and provided educational demonstrations for guests. Werner Mashig, Evonik Product Manager for Lighting demonstrated ACRYLITE® LED material, an innovative way to illuminate art and photos with the use of ACRYLITE® LED. Using a simple channel frame with a single strip of LEDs placed at the edge of ACRYLITE® LED, images measuring up to 39″ can be uniformly illuminated. Evonik’s Bud Frega – was demonstrating the advantages of ACRYLITE® Optical mar resistant acrylic which is also chemical resistant so it can be cleaned with common household cleaners such as Windex®. Also at his table was ACRYLITE® non-glare (P99) which minimizes glare and reflection at any angle and ACRYLITE® framing grade (FF3) which is our premier acrylic glazing product guaranteed to be defect free. Evonik Adhesive specialist Andy Baumler was on hand demonstrating ACRYLITE® UV filtering (OP3) to show how ACRYLITE® provides the highest protection against damaging UV light as compared to other UV acrylics. Using a blacklight and two identical photos, the non ACRYLITE® photo was brighter indicating saturation of harmful UV rays while the ACRYLITE® side remained dark, showing a higher level of UV protection. Andy also spoke about ACRIFIX® Specialty Bonding Agents including solvent and reactive cements. In addition he was speaking about ACRIFIX® AC1010 which is a specially formulated cleaner that eliminates static charge.
John Collelouri noted the entire “Get Framed Event” was a collaboration brought about by the strategic partnership between AIN Plastics and Evonik CYRO. “We could not have created such a fantastic and successful event without the support of the entire branch staff, our marketing department and without our strategic partners at Evonik CYRO.” Antoinette Spages, Laura Torsiello and Kanika Mohal helped with finding the venue and lining up the presenters while Lisa Anderson developed marketing materials and promoted the event on our social media. Carolyn Hayduk assisted with gifts for event attendees. The entire Yonkers team dedicated themselves to delivering personal invitations created in Evonik CYRO acrylic Blue P-95 just for the event.
The evening provided an excellent opportunity for building new and stronger relationships with customers by providing education and a first hand look at the materials in use as well as the opportunity to ask questions and talk with industry professionals. It also provided a great opportunity to build a stronger relationship with an already strong strategic partner, Evonik CYRO.

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See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

 

To learn more about all the ACRYLITE® materials available through AIN Plastics visit the Sheet Plastics section of our website. You can also talk to someone directly by calling 877.246.7700.

www.tkmna.com

Plastics for Medical Device Applications, Where’s the Innovation?

I began working with Orthopedic medical device manufacturers in the late 90’s .  Back then we had the typical materials for the Orthopedic industry. Those included PPSU, PEI, PP, PE, POM-C and of course UHMW. The applications utilizing these materials were all pretty much the same: provisional trials for knees hips and shoulders, instrumentation handles, impactors, bearings and implants amongst other applications. In many industries we hear about new materials being developed on a regular basis, but in medical it almost seems time is standing still. Where’s the innovation for medical device applications?

Polymer Technologies for Medical Remain Virtually Unchanged

Not a lot has changed over the years on the Polymer side to really catapult plastics into a place up there with the Ti Eli’s and CoCr of their alloy counterparts.  Sure, we’ve seen a nice niche’ for Heat Stabilized Polypropylene used in Surgical Caddies and some filled materials primarily BaSO4 used in PPSU and PEI, so they are radio opaque and are visible under X-Ray. We’ve also seen some of the carbon fiber composites with a PAEK base adopted in a variety of roles from targeting guides to external fixation devices.

Let’s not forget about PEEK either, which has played a significant role in medical devices for the past 15 years.  Unfortunately the majority of the applications for that material are for implants.  Although there have been a variety of other applications using PEEK that are not of the implantable variety,  utilizing PEEK that is approved for 24 hour direct contact with the body has only begun to flourish over the last few years.  PEEK Classix which is approved for human implant up to 30 days has also seen a dramatic rise in popularity not only in Orthopedic, Spine and Trauma applications but dental applications as well.  But Implant Grade PEEK per ASTM  F2026 has really been the most popular of all of the medically approved PEEK variations with spinal cages being far and away the biggest reason for that.

The current state of medical plastics innovations leads to many questions. When is the next generation of FDA approved (Cl. VI/ ISO:10993) polymers going to debut? What will those breakthrough materials be?

Why has it been so long since we have seen innovations in polymer materials for medical use?
– Is it because of the fear of the liability risk?
– Is all the requisite testing that is involved in bringing that kind of innovative polymer to market holding up efforts?
– Have scientists not yet developed a material  that can compete in price and performance to a PEEK or PPSU?
– Will the next generation of polymer be a quantum leap supplanting current materials that have been mainstays in the market like a PPSU?
– Will it offer not only compressive and tensile strengths to compete with our alloy counterparts but the elastic modulus and lightweight performance that the market demands?  I for one, am hopeful that will be the case.

On Another Related Note, Let’s Talk About how the FDA may Be Impacting the Development of Materials for Medical Applications

In July/August of 2012 the FDA submitted new guidance for “Acceptance and Filing Reviews of Pre-Market Approval (PMA) Acceptance” for Medical Devices and in Dec 2012 / January2013 this new guidance was implemented.  With the new guidance the FDA has put greater emphasis on qualifying that all materials are safe and effective in the way they are used in the application. Plastics being a major component used in many surgical procedures are now required to be fully qualified where they may not have been in the past.   Some of the main concerns of plastics being used is not necessarily what the chemical composition or molecular chain is, but rather, what exactly is in them?  We know that PPSU is used in medical procedures and can have direct body contact of bone, blood and tissue .  The real question beyond that is what makes that material blue, brown or green?
– Are the compounds that turn that naturally amber PPSU blue,  safe and effective?
– Does that material meet the FDA requirements for percentages by weight and have those specific compounds and percentages been tested to show they are safe for the general public?
The onus of proving these things out  does not fall in the laps of the FDA it falls in the laps of the device manufacturers, the material suppliers, the shapes producers and the resin manufacturers.   The device market has good reason to be concerned as well.  They want to ensure they are putting out safe, reliable and effective products.  The last thing they need is a product recall or worse a class action lawsuit. We know that plastics provide many benefits including lighter weight, wear resistance, chemical resistance and more and as I see developments in other industries I look toward the future of new plastics for medical devices with great hope and I hope you will too.

Dave Piperi

Sales and Marketing Manager
Medical Materials
ThyssenKruppMaterials NA
AIN Plastics Division

To learn more about AIN Plastics and our materials for medical applications please visit our website or contact our Medical Technologies Group toll free: 877.770.6337.

email: david.piperi@thyssenkrupp.com

 

 

Machined or Molded Plastic Parts – What Are the Differences?

A plastic part by any other name would still be a plastic part, wouldn’t it? Yes it would. But the way those plastic parts produced; either by molding plastic parts or by machining plastic parts are dramatically different. Those differences in the process of making plastic parts can result in big differences in lead times, cost, and quality. Below are things to consider when looking at how to manufacture plastic parts and some answers that may help you to decide.

How Many Plastic Parts do you Need to Make?

MOLDED: Molded Plastic parts have been around since the first machine for the process was patented in 1872 by John Wesley Hyatt and his brother Isaiah so its easy to see how this became one of the standard processes for creating plastic parts. Mold machines are used to run mass produced plastic parts from tooth brushes to auto parts and everything in-between. Creation of the mold(s) costs thousands of dollars, requires time up front to make the mold(s) and the molds require maintenance over their life and storage when not in use.

MACHINED: Depending on the project, volumes from 25 to 5,000 parts can often be machined more cost effectively than molded. For small parts, you may have a lower final cost by using high performance screw machines that can run circles around expensive multi-cavity molds. This means shorter lead times than molded parts and little up front cost. Machined parts don’t require secondary machining to clean a part once it is ejected from the mold.

Will You Need to Make Changes to Your Part Design?

MOLDED: Parts made from molds require that the mold be made first which is more time and expense up front. In addition a mold will require maintenance over it’s service life and storage space when it isn’t in use. Changes to a mold are costly in terms of time and dollars to either change or make a new mold, depending on the changes needed.

MACHINED: Machined parts allow for shorter lead times and flexibility in making design changes because they are run directly from a CAD file. Overall, machining can be used to create very complex parts including parts with undercuts and thick walls and the materials are more homogenous across the length and width of the part.

How Important Are Tight Tolerances and Dimensional Stability?

MOLDED: Every plastic behaves differently. But in general plastic parts made from molds may not be as dimensionally stable as machined parts. There is more chance the parts will not be as homogeneous across the length and width of a part. The molding process is not ideal for large parts or where there are thick walls. Tolerances of +/- .005″ are typically the best that can be achieved in molded parts. This compares to +/- .001″ for machined parts.

MACHINED: Many of today’s high performance engineering plastics, such as DuPont Vespel, PEEK, PBI or others can take extreme temperatures of 250 or even 450 degrees and remain dimensionally stable. Many of these materials are also chemical resistant. Additionally machined parts have less internal stress and tolerances of +/- .001″ or better can be achieved.

How Large or Complex Are Your Parts?

MOLDED: Small to mid-size plastic parts can work well. Large volumes can be run fast. But large plastic parts with thick walls, or complicated undercuts can be an issue for mold design. Materials cooling at different  temperatures within a mold can result in more internal stress and a less homogeneous material. Undercuts can pose a mold design challenge with how to release the part from the mold. Plastic parts fresh from the mold may require secondary machining to remove flash, parting lines, or ejector marks, adding to production time and cost.

MACHINED: Large parts and parts with complicated undercuts can be made quickly and efficiently by machining processes. Thick cross sections will have higher, more consistent mechanical properties. Again, because there is no mold to be made, the up front investment and lead time is much shorter. Machining also handles threading extremely well and machined parts will have no parting line, ejector marks, or flash. The availability and selection of engineering plastics means many prototypes can be made in production-equivalent materials. Plastics are more often being found to be a good alternative to metals. They can often be machined on the same equipment and many high temperature engineering plastics offer features such as lightweight, flexibility, high strength, resistance to corrosion, excellent durability, high heat tolerance and chemical resistance. Some plastics, such as those for bearings even require little or no lubrication making them even more cost effective on the service end.

The moral of this blog – a plastic part by any other name is still a plastic part but how you get to create that part could make all the difference in the world. Molded plastic parts have their place, but before going down the path of investing in molds it may be worth a little time considering the questions in this blog and determining if molded or machined is the best option.

 

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.tkmna.com

Understanding Engineering Plastics

This week we decided to bring you a little bit of a different way of looking at engineering plastics. We hope you find this info graphic helpful in determining the differences between various types of engineering plastics and how factors like heat and chemicals can affect these materials.

Infographic-EngineeringPlasitcs07-13

Extruded or Cast Nylon – Material Testing Shows Differences

If you are a user of Nylon materials do you use extruded or cast nylon? Do you always use one vs. the other? Material testing shows there are differences between extruded and cast nylon materials that may warrant a good look at a Technical Data Sheet before you make your material selection.

The Top 5 Differences between the more traditional extruded nylon and cast nylon materials are:

5 – A cast nylon material inherently has less stress than extruded nylon

4 – Lower moisture absorption gives cast nylon a higher dimensional stability than extruded nylon

3 – The more crystalline structure of cast nylon gives it a higher strength than extruded nylon

2 – Cast nylon is available in smaller diameter rod than extruded nylon is when looking at premium bearing grades

1 – Cast nylon has a 20 degree higher operating temperature than extruded nylon

The table below shows a comparison chart between a typical cast nylon and a typical extruded nylon. In this case we are looking at Property Comparison of Nycast® 6pa – Natural versus Extruded Natural Nylon 6/6 

Property  Units  ASTM Test Method Nycast ® 6 pa Natural Extruded Nylon 6/6
Specific Gravity  g/cm3 D792 1.15-1.17 1.15
Tensile Strength  psi D638 10,000 – 13,500 11,500
Tensile Elongation  % D638 20 – 55 50
Tensile Modulus  psi D638 400,000 – 550,000 425,000
Compressive Strength  psi D695 13,500 – 16,000 12,500
Compressive Modulus  psi D695 325,000 – 400,000 420,000
Flexural Strength  psi D790 15,500 – 17,500 15,000
Flexural Modulus  psi D790 420,000 – 500,000 450,000
Shear Strength  psi D732 10,000 – 11,000 10,000
Notched Izod Impact  ft.lbs./in. D256 0.7 – 0.9 0.6
Hardness, Rockwell  R D785 115 – 125 115
Hardness,  Shore D D2240  78 – 83 NV
Melting Point  deg. F D789/D3418 450 +/- 10 500
Coefficient Of Linear Thermal Expansion  in./in./F D696/E831 6.1 x 10 (-5) 5.5 x 10 (-5)
Deformation Under Load  % D621 0.5 – 2.5 NV
Deflection Temperature:  264 psi deg. F D648 200-400 200
Deflection Temperature:  66 psi deg. F D648 400-430 N/A
Continuous Service Temperature  deg. F 230 210
Intermittent Service Temperature  deg. F 330 NV
Coefficient Of Friction: Dynamic  D1894 0.22
Water Absorbtion – 24 Hours  % D570 0.5-0.6 0.30
Water Absorbtion – Saturation  % D570 5.0-6.0 7
Dielectric Strength  500-600 400
Dielectric Constant 60 Cycles  3.7 3.6
1000 Cycles  3.7 3.6
100,000 Cycles  3.7 3.6

(The facts stated in the above table are based on experiments and information believed to be reliable. No guarantee is made of the accuracy, however, and the products are sold without warranty, expressed or implied, and upon the conditions that purchaser shall conduct their own test to determine suitability for their intended use.)

Although it may not always make sense to choose a cast nylon over an extruded nylon material, characteristics of cast nylons can ultimately mean longer wearing parts and in applications such as bearings, nylon wear pads, or gears, that can mean less downtime of equipment, less maintenance and improved operating costs over time.

 

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.tkmna.com

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

 

 

AIN Plastics Expands – New Branch in St. Louis, MO

After a year or more of research and hard work to expand, AIN Plastics is pleased to announce the opening of a new AIN Plastics Distributor Branch in the St. Louis Missouri area.

New Business Locations Don’t Happen Overnight

This week I had the opportunity to talk with Chris Urban, Branch Manager for AIN Plastics new St. Louis Area Distribution Facility. I asked him what it took to get a new branch opened up. Chris said they started with finding the right location, which turned out to be in the same building as the St. Louis area ThyssenKrupp Materials NA Facility (AIN Plastics parent company since 1993). Then came finding the right equipment which includes a brand new saw for custom cutting orders and finding just the right people with both customer service and previous plastics experience. Chris noted they wanted to hit the ground running from their first day of business. He went on to say:

“We have worked hard in preparation over the past year prior to our opening and we are very excited to see our hard work pay off. ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, AIN Plastics Division did a great deal of research regarding this project. St. Louis is an ideal location to further extend our distribution. From this branch we will be able to provide customer service and quick turn around on orders to Missouri and surrounding states.”

Chris also said he wanted to thank all the AIN people that came to St. Louis from other branches to support his team for the first few days. “Having the support of the entire AIN Plastics company has made starting the new branch a great experience for everyone. We feel truly supported and connected to everyone in the company.”

AIN Offers More than Materials – It’s about Value Added Services

I asked Chris about the services they will be offering. Chris says the new AIN Plastics distribution branch offers a comprehensive list of value added services including:

  • Close tolerance custom cutting of orders
  • Customized Inventory and stocking programs including just in time delivery solutions
  • A vast inventory of sheet and rod materials, some of them highly specialized
  • Professional team with years of plastics industry experience
  • ThyssenKrupp Nationwide Logistics for the best possible delivery

More Manufacturers are Choosing Plastic Due to it’s Many Benefits

Chris talked about how the selection of plastics is changing rapidly due to its value as a lightweight component in manufacturing, it’s ability to be reused and recycled, and it’s cost. Plastics are often an affordable material compared to more traditional resources such as metal, wood, or glass, and they often outlast and outperform those materials. Researchers are always developing even better plastics. “We have a team in place that can help customers sort through and not just find a plastic that will work, but rather the right plastic for their application.”

GPO, Materials for O&P, TeflonPlastics, Plastics, and More!

When it comes to what plastics the St. Louis AIN Plastics branch will stock, Chris gave me a short rundown and said this doesn’t come close to covering all the materials we have:

  • Industrial Plastics
  • High Pressure Laminates
  • Engineering Plastics including
    • ABS
    • Acetal
    • Cast Acrylic
    • Polycarbonate
    • Radel R
    • Semitron
    • Techtron
  • Composite Tooling products
    • RAMPF Styling, Modeling, and Tooling Boards
    • RAMPF Close Contour Paste and Casting Materials
    • Thermoform Materials
    • Epoxy Casting and Laminating Resins
    • Foundry and Pattern Materials
  • Plastic Tubing including Medical and Food Grade
  • FDA compliant plastics for medical and food service industries
  • Silicone
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • DuPont TM Vespel® (AIN Plastics is the Authorized Distributor)

Well, you get the idea, it’s a long list and that’s just the beginning. Chris says the best way to learn more is by visiting the website ainplastics.com or better yet by giving them a call at 877.246.7700.
The AIN Plastics Distribution Facility is located next to the ThyssenKrupp Materials NA facility:

59 Interstate Drive
Wentzville, MO 63385

Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

For more information regarding the new AIN Plastics St. Louis Area Branch

CONTACT: Christopher Urban

TEL: 877.246.7700

DIRECT: 636-698-6295

FAX: 636-327-4369

EMAIL: christopher.urban@thyssenkrupp.com

That’s it for this week’s news. Look for our other posts where we look not at ourselves, but at the world of plastics. What’s new, what works, why certain plastics are good in specific applications and more. IF you do want to learn more about AIN Plastics and our history check out the “About Us” page on our site.

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

 

39th Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium for Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP)

AIN Plastics Dick Cubero and Phil Andriano are on hand at this year’s 39th Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium for the AAOP (American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists).

O&P expert, Dick Cubero noted, “The Annual Meeting and Symposium of AAOP has become an important annual event for AIN Plastics. We get to sit down with orthotists and prosthetists from all over the country and focus on their needs and concerns for several days. It’s a great time to get to know each other better and to do some real problem solving.”

New Customer Service Features from AIN Plastics

Screen Shots of ainplastics.com new O&P sectionThis year AIN Plastics will be unveiling several new enhancements to their services for orthotists and prosthetists. One we are very happy to announce are updates to our website ainplastics.com. We have always had a section dedicated to our orthotic and prosthetic materials and now we’ve made enhancements that will help make finding material information even easier.

New Tables – For a quick reference, take a look at the tables, sorted by general material types: Polyolefin, Clear Plastics, Rigid Plastics, Flexible Plastics, and Metals. Each table contains a short description, typical applications, and basic test data for Flexural Modulus and Forming Temperature.

More In Depth O&P Material Information – For more in depth information on a material, we’ve added a “Learn More” which takes website users to downloadable .pdfs of technical data, MSDSs and other information currently available. New and improved materials can greatly benefit the professional orthotist and prosthetist as well as the end user of the product developed just for them. But the number of new advances can also be a daunting thing to stay on top of. Our goal is to continue to update the new O&P section of our website as we obtain new information so you always have one easy place to access it all.

New O&P Material Labeling

Label---OandP-2x4Coinciding with the website enhancements are new material labels featuring QR codes! These popular codes work similar to a barcode except you can scan them from a smart phone. The new QR codes will take users directly to the ainplastics,com site and to the particular material they are looking at. If you don’t currently use a QR code scanner on your smart phone, you can easily add one for free by going to your phone’s app store and searching QR. We think this will make access to technical data, MSDSs and more faster and easier.

New Print Guide to Materials for Orthotics and Prosthetics AIN Plastics also revised O&P Material Selection Guidetheir Guide to Materials for Orthotics and Prosthetics. This handy print reference has been a great desk reference for our customers for quite a few years but it was time for a refresh. We took a look and thought – Hey! what if this could also be a handy poster that could hang on the wall so it’s there for you even when your hands are full of plastics! Dick Cubero and Phil Andriano will be handing out these free guides throughout the show along with some shop aprons, and other goodies we think everyone will find useful.

 

Camie 100 Spray Lubricant and Camie 300 Spray Adhesive

Camie 100 and 300 Spray adhesive and Spray on lubricant

Last but not least, Dick Cubero wanted to let people know about a product that many of his customers have had excellent results with. Results have been so good that AIN is sending out free samples for O&P professionals to try. “Camie 300 Spray Adhesive and Camie 100 Spray Lubricant have quickly become the product of choice for many of the orthotists and prosthetists I work with. The adhesive can be used to temporarily position materials, but it also works well as a permanent adhesive in O&P applications like scoliosis jackets.” Dick also said, “The spray on lubricant has really helped to make working with materials easier in all sorts of O&P applications including reducing or eliminating glove marks often left while plastics are being worked and toughened.” He added many users like to spray Camie 100 on the blades of their scissors because it keeps glue from building up and sticking. For more detailed information on Camie 100 and 300 download a pdf of technical data here –  TDS – Camie 100-300 02-13

If you are at the Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium for AAOP I hope you made it to the AIN Plastics booth (#421). But if you are seeing this blog post after the show, it’s no problem. Our website is always available for your use 24/7 at ainplastics.com. The new guide is available as a .pdf download, but you can also contact Dick Cubero or Phil Andriano directly and they can get an original copy sent to you directly along with samples you might need. Of course they are also on hand to answer your O&P material questions whether it pertains to thermoforming, material selection or other related items.

email: dick.cubero@thyssenkrupp.com

email: phil.andriano@thyssenkrupp.com

 

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

www.ainplastics.com

See our photo Gallery of the show –