Engineered Plastic Products

Acetals are thermoplastics with the chemical name “PolyOxyMethylene” (POM). Overall, acetal provides high strength and stiffness, enhanced dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, a low coefficient of friction, good wear and abrasion properties, good chemical resistance, and is easy to machine.

Acrylics are thermoplastics that are produced by the polymerization of acrylic esters. Acrylics are easily sawed, drilled, milled, engraved, and finished. They can be readily bent or thermoformed at low temperature. They offer high light transmittance and most acrylics have been UV stabilized for good weatherability. This makes them the best choice for light-transmitting applications.

HDPE offers excellent impact resistance, is lightweight, has low moisture absorption, and has high tensile strength. It is also non-toxic, non-staining, and meets FDA and USDA certification. This makes HDPE ideal for food processing.

Nylon 6/6 has the tendency to absorb moisture but is the least permeable to gasoline/mineral oil/fluorocarbon-refrigerant, the strongest, and most widely used, of all nylons. Its high crystallinity results in a sharp melting point, making its mechanical properties less affected by temperature.

Polypropylene copolymer is a little bit softer and more pliable than the homopolymer but has better impact strength and is more durable. It is also more stress crack resistant and is tougher at lower temperatures. It can run in the temperature range -20º to 180º F. PPC is very versatile and inexpensive. Its lower rigidity is ideal for use in automotive tanks to prevent cracking from road vibration, and orthotic devices.

Polypropylene homopolymer is the most utilized polypropylene. PPH is more rigid and stronger than the copolymer. It can run in the temperature range 30º to 180º F. It has good weldibility, has high performance in thermoforming, has good chemical resistance, and is also USDA, FDA, NSF, and 3-A Dairy compliant in the natural color. 

PTFE is an abbreviation for PolyTetraFluoroEthylene. This material belongs to the fluorocarbon family. It is known to be the most chemically resistant plastic available and has the lowest coefficient of friction of all solid plastic material.

Rulon® LR is the most widely used grade of Rulon®. It offers high wear resistance, low friction, good electrical properties, and chemical inertness. It can be bonded to nearly any surface to provide wear resistance and reduce friction. This makes Rulon® LR a great material for sleeves and flange or thrust bearings.

Rulon® AR has fillers that are ceramic in nature. This grade offers the best combination of flexibility (more flexible than Rulon® LR) and load carrying properties. It also has high wear resistance, low friction, good electrically insulative properties, and universal chemical inertness. It is commonly used for seals, piston cups, and some bearings. 

Rulon® J is an all-polymeic reinforced grade of PTFE. It runs exceptionally well against soft mating surfaces such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and other plastics. It provides the lowest coefficient of friction of the Rulon® grades as well as good wear and abrasion resistance. It is well suited for use in bearing and seal applications, but not for use in alkaline or oxidizing acid solutions.