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Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (PTFE) - Teflon®

Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (PTFE) - Teflon® are fluorinated polymers which have exceptional resistance to chemicals. PTFE has useful mechanical properties from cryogenic temperatures ranging from approximately -200oC to 260oC continuous service temperatures. It also has a high oxygen level.

PTFE has coefficient of friction lower than almost any other material.
PTFE has excellent electric properties, which remain constant independent of frequency and temperature.
PTFE is anti-adhesive, anti-sticking, i.e. other materials do not adhere to it.

Improved material properties can be achieved by the addition of selected fillers. These fillers extend performance characteristics and allow for wider applications.

PTFE Rods/ Bushes/ Tubes PTFE Sheets (Molded & Skived) PTFE Rope Gasket & Sealant Tape PTFE Gaskets - Envelope/ Milled/ Solid Rings - Piston/ Rider/ Segmented Bellows - Line/ Valve/ Stirrer Diaphragms for Valves/ Pumps Special Components for Valve/ Pumps - with & without inserts Pipes Molded & Machined components PTFE is mixed with fillers for the following reasons: Significant increase of wear-resistance Substantially enhanced resistance against creeping or deformation under load Significant increase of thermal conductivity depending on type of filler used Reduced thermal expansion Possibility of changing electrical properties of PTFE, if needed, by using appropriate fillers Selection of appropriate filler will also impact upon the wear behavior of the contra-rotating surface. Fillers: Glass, Graphite, Carbon, Bronze & MoS2, Bronze A combination of fillers can be produced with respect to application requirements.

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Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) has high resistance to corrosion from chemicals and abrasive environments such as sand and slurries when compared to other thermoplastics. It also has exceptional impact resistance, even at cryogenic temperatures, and is superior to stainless steel. Other advantages include: low moisture absorption, good electrical and thermal insulation, FDA acceptance for natural (virgin) grades, self-lubrication and chemical inertness (except in some acids).

In machined and fabricated part form, their uses include applications in material handling, agricultural, power transmission and food processing machinery, as well as in medical devices, shipping and recreational equipment. Some excellent uses are as wear strips, chain guides, chute and hopper linings, bushings and truck bed liners.

UHMWPE shapes offered include; sheets, rods, tapes, machined & extruded profiles.

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Acrylic
Acrylic is an optically clear, transparent material having outstanding weather resistance, high impact strength, and excellent thermoforming and machining properties. Formulations include: sheet, rod, tube, pipe.

Acrylic Sheets are offered in optically clear, transparent & translucent grades with variety of colours & surface finish. Most of the sheets are offered with laminated LDPE film / Kraft paper.

Cast Acrylic Rods are available in a standard length of 1 meter in optically clear transparent colour.

Cast Acrylic Pipe is unaffected by sunlight, resists aging and maintains good stability under variable condition of heat, cold, moisture and other exposure. Cast Acrylic Pipe will not warp, crack, craze or corrode. Because it is more optically perfect and fabricates and machines better, Cast Acrylic Pipe is half the weight of comparable glass, and has good shatter resistance and excellent durability.

Extruded Acrylic Tubing is offered in a standard length of 2 meter in clear transparent natural colour.
For any non-standard size of sheet/ rod/ pipe/ tube, kindly send your enquiry with sample, if any.

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Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate sheet is a virtually unbreakable transparent thermoplastic. It is excellent in applications where safety and security are essential. Formulations include sheet, rod and tube. Polycarbonate is available in UV-resistant and scratch-resistant forms. It can be used in many of the same applications as acrylic when impact strength is a factor. Some common uses are as safety shields, sight glasses, roofing and chair mats.

The performance characteristics of polycarbonates are high impact strength, water-clear transparency, good creep resistance, wide use temperature range, dimensional stability, abrasion resistance, hardness, and rigidity despite its ductility.

In addition to clear and coloured sheet, polycarbonate is available in plain and multiwall corrugated sheets, tubes & rods.

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PEEK® (Poly Ether Ether Ketone)
PEEK® (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) is a becoming the material of choice for engineers being the highest performance thermoplastic material currently available.

Salient Features:

High Temperature Performance Excellent Wear & Friction Resistance Excellent Dimensional Accuracy Precise Machinability & Thermal Stability High Tensile Strength & Tensile Modulus Chemical Resistance Fire, Smoke & Toxicity Resistance Hydrolysis Resistance Radiation Resistance Excellent Electrical Properties Extreme Inherent Purity Superior Insulating Property FDA Approved

1. Industrial Applications:	Compressor Plates, Valve Linings
2. Automotive Applications:	Engine & Transmission Components, Suspension & Steering Components, Bearing Cages, Pump Gears, Seal Rings, Thrust Washers & Seals
3. Food Processing Applications:	Distribution Valves, Food Scrapper & Professional Catering
4. Medical Applications:	Kidney Dialysis Machine Components, Medical Equipment Components
5. Electronic Applications:	Metal embedded Components, Wire/ Cable Sleeve
6. Aerospace Applications:	Light Weight Parts

PEEK® Formulations include rods (solid & hollow), filaments, tubing, films, and strip/ flats. Finished Components are produced against subject to specific requirements.

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Machining of Engineering Plastics
Engineering plastics have opened new horizons for machinery builders and design engineers.

Aside from mechanical property limitations, it has often been the case that manufacturing methods were the limiting factor for using engineering plastics. This was especially true for large volume parts made of cast nylon, acetal or PET, where other manufacturing methods such as injection molding could not be used. It was also true for complex parts, which needed machining on all sides for close tolerances.

Both high precision and large volume parts can be machined economically in small and medium sized lots.

For the machining of quality, high value products, specific characteristics of the plastics must be taken into account when choosing which machinery and tooling to use and how to use it.

Machines and Tooling

No special machines are required for machining. Normal woodworking or metalworking machinery can be used with tools made with high speed steel. Saw cutting of plastic with a circular saw requires the use of carbide toothed saw blades.

An exception to this is the group of glass filled plastics. Machining with carbide tools is possible, but the short tool life does not make it economical. For glass filled plastics, we recommend the use of diamond tipped tooling which, although much more expensive than conventional tooling, have significantly longer life.

Machining and clamping the part

In comparison to metals, plastics are poor thermal conductors and have a low modulus of elasticity. If machined inappropriately, the part can heat up and thermal distortions can occur. High clamping pressure and dull tooling also cause deformation of the part during machining. The result can be dimensional variations outside of the tolerance range. Satisfactory results can only be achieved if certain guidelines are followed during machining. These are:

The feed rate should be as high as possible. An optimal chip removal path should be established so that the chips do not come into contact with the part. The tooling should produce very sharp cuts. Dull cuts can produce heat, which can produce deformation and thermal expansion. The clamping pressure should not be too high, otherwise the part may deform and / or have indentations from the clamping tools. Because of the material's flexibility, the part must supported as fully as possible on the machine table. Smooth, high quality surfaces can only be achieved if the machines are vibration free.

Cooling during machining

Generally, the use of coolant during machining is not necessary. If cooling is necessary, compressed air is recommended. This has the added advantage of blowing the chip away from the workpiece, and it reduces the possibility of the chip wrapping around the part or the tool.

Conventional liquid coolants can also be used and are recommended for drilling deep holes and for tapping. This also allows for higher feed rates and therefore shorter run times. Coolants must be completely removed from the part after machining because the oil in the coolant might cause problems in later operations such as bonding or painting. Also the water could be absorbed by cast nylon and cause dimensional changes.

Drilling large diameter holes in round discs

Drilling large holes in high crystalline plastics such as cast nylon creates high temperatures on the drill. Plastics are poor thermal conductors, and the heat cannot be conducted away fast enough. The heat expands the material, which can lead to inner stresses in the material. The stresses can get so high that the workpiece could crack. Proper machining of the part can significantly reduce this possibility. It is recommended to rough drill the hole and finish drill it with two different tools. Rough drilled holes should have a diameter of > 1.375".

With very long workpieces, holes should be drilled only from one side. When drilling from both sides, a high-stress point develops where the two holes meet, and this can cause cracking. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to heat up the entire workpiece to about 250 - 300 ° F and rough drill the hole in this condition. The finishing of the hole and the rest of the part can then take place after the piece has cooled off completely and an equal temperature throughout the material has been achieved.

If these machining guidelines are followed, complex parts made of engineering plastics can be finish machined to the highest quality standards.

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