Polyolefin Spotlight

Value & Performance
Even as the cost of many engineering materials is on the rise, engineers can still find value and excellent performance with general industrial polyolefins such as Ensinger TECAFINE® PP polypropylene. It is a random copolymer polyolefin providing excellent chemical resistance and high purity. The material exhibits better mechanical properties than other typical polyolefin materials, is light weight, weldable and unaffected by moisture. Other typical characteristics include corrosion resistance, high rigidity and permanent heat stability. The material is easily fabricated and machined and is suitable for contact with food. Ensinger’s unique processing technology provides unsurpassed quality.

If high levels of dimensional stability are required, engineers can look to Ensinger’s TECAPRO® MT family. TECAPRO MT is a homopolymer polypropylene that has been specially designed to offer stability in high heat environments. This results in a product with exceptionally low residual stress, and facilitates the fabrication of dimensionally stable parts with varying cross sections, thus reducing the tendency for parts to warp after undergoing repeated steam sterilization. This in addition to its low density makes TECAPRO MT easy to machine into lightweight components often used in medical technology. TECAPRO MT has been thoroughly tested for biocompatibility according to ISO 10993 and USP class VI.

For more information, contact Bruce Dickinson, Ensinger, 365 Meadowlands Blvd., Washington, PA 15301, 800-243- 3221/856-227-0500, Fax: 724-746-9209, E-mail: esales@ensingerusa.com, Web: www.ensingerplastics.com.

Sheets, Slabs & Massive Shapes
King Plastic Corporation is a leading manufacturer of quality polymer sheets, slabs and massive shapes - including several products pioneered by the company. Its polymers are made in the USA and sold worldwide through a network of top plastics distributors to customers who fabricate products in the marine, signage, parks & recreation, retail, food processing, healthcare, industrial and other markets. They partner with distributors to provide innovative solutions for diverse markets, and manufactures to the highest quality you can trust from the leading plastic manufacturer in America since 1968.

King Plastic manufactures over 20 product brands: King StarBoard®, the original marine-grade polymer sheet; King StarBoard AS, anti-skid marine-grade polymer sheet; King StarBoard XL, the lightweight marinegrade cellular sheet; King StarLite® XL, the lightweight marine-grade cellular utility sheet; King StarBoard ST - The polymer building sheet that lasts a lifetime; King DuraStyle®, custom cabinet door program made with King StarBoard ST; King MediGrade®, antimicrobial polymer building sheet for healthcare applications; King ColorBoard®, colorful environmentally stabilized polymer sheet; King ColorCore®, multi-color engravable polymer sheet; King CuttingBoard®, polymer sheet for food applications with an advanced antimicrobial technology; King CuttingBoard XL, lightweight polymer sheet for food applications with an advanced antimicrobial technology; King CuttingColors®, solid, color-coded polymer sheet for food applications with an advanced antimicrobial technology; King PipeGrade® - PE4710 – PE 100 special black polyethylene material for the pipe industry; King Plasti-Bal®, heavy duty, waterproof and graffiti resistant polymer sheet; and King Plasti-Shield®, borated polyethylene neutron shielding.

King’s performance commodity products include: King KPC ABS, King KPC ABS FR, King KPC HDPE, King KPC LDPE, and King KPC PolyPro. King also manufactures HyPact®, super tough industrial polymer sheet; King MicroShield ®, antimicrobial polymer sheet with an advanced antimicrobial technology for protecting the product surface against stain and odor causing bacteria, algae and fungi; and King FlameShield, flame retardant material with ASTM E-84 Class A or Class B Flame/Smoke compliance and CAN/ULC Canadian compliance.

For more information, contact Michael Fabbri, King Plastic Corporation, 1100 N. Toledo Blade Blvd., North Port, FL 34288, 941-493-5502, Fax: 941-497-3274, E-mail: sales@kingplastic.com, Web: www.kingplastic.com.

Polyolefin Extrusions
Petro Extrusion Technologies, Inc. has been extruding polyolefin materials such as LDPE, MDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, and PP for 30 years.

Specializing in stock and custom thermoplastic extrusion in both tubing and profiles, PET offers extrusion of tubing sizes from 1/32" up to 8" in diameter, in all stock polyolefin materials. PET also offers tool design capabilities, to extrude tubing in round, square or triangular shapes.

PET extrudes in homopolymer and copolymer poly - propylene materials, as well as some filled specialty grades of polypropylene.

PET offers custom capabilities in both tubing and profiles, and has devel-oped many dies over the course of its 34 years in business. They have over 50 stock colors available, along with customer cut length and angle cut capabilities.

In addition to custom capabilities in tube extrusion PET offers a line of stock six LDPE channel profiles.

For more information, contact Mike Patterson, Petro Extrusion Technologies, Inc., 205B Hallock Ave., Middlesex, NJ 08846, 800-229-3338/908-789-3338, Fax: 908-789-0434, E-mail: sales@petroextrusions.com, Web: www.petroextrusions.com.

Plastic Bending Bars
Laramy Products offers an inexpensive, precision tool that heats thermoplastic sheet for forming bends. It handles materials up to 1/2” thick. The combination of a variable temperature controller plus two heating surfaces results in adaptability to a wide range of materials, sizes and thicknesses.

The exclusive Laramy replaceable heating element allows inexpensive repairs without the need to purchase the entire bar.

The units are available in two sizes to heat 4-foot and 8-foot sheet. The entire unit consists of two heating bars, two base supports and a stepless heat controller.

The Laramy Sword is an optional attachment to the bending bars allowing a sharp, nonradius bend to be made on polypropylene and polyethylene. The result is a sharp attractive bend with a reinforced inner joint.

For more information, contact Sherry Stahler, Laramy Products Co., P.O. Box 1168, Lyndonville, VT 05851, 802-626-9328, Fax: 802-626-5529, E-mail: laramy@together.net, Web: www.laramyplasticwelders.com.