Polyolefin Spotlight

Angles & U-channels

GEHR Poly-Pro® is a chemically resistant, FDA grade and USP Class VI thermoplastic. Angles sized 2" x 2" x 1/4" and U-channels sized 2 1/2" x 2 1/4" x 3/16" plus 2 1/2" x 3 1/4" x 3/16" are available.

GEHR HiPro® 30% glass filled homopolymer PP is used in applications found in the chemical processing and wastewater treatment industries were chemical resistance, higher temperature performance and low cost are desired. It is also ideal for valve and pump applications, as well as, slow motion load bearing rollers in chemical baths, sleeve bearings, shoulder bearings, etc. It is ideally suited for higher temperature chemical applications where cost is an issue.

GEHR HDPE is chemically resistant and FDA grade. It’s temperature range is from -58 F to + 194 F.

For more information, contact Bill Shields, GEHR Plastics USA, 24 Creek Circle, Boothwyn, PA 19061, 800-PVC-GEHR/610-497-8941, Fax: 610-497-8901, E-mail: info@gehrplastics.com, Web: www.gehrplastics.com.

Stock Tank Couplings

Fabricated and molded tank manufacturers are finding there is no longer a need for trips to a machine shop because economical heavy-duty tank couplings, designed for their application, are now available. IPW tank couplings are easy to install and are sized to fit standard hole saw dimensions. They have a shoulder that gauges installation depth and provides for guaranteed square installations on flat surfaces. The shoulder also provides better weld strength and easy installation on round tanks. The shoulder and the low profile design, combined with thick cross sections, practically eliminate couplings shearing off from side impact. The thick cross-sections prevent the splitting commonly seen with FPT threaded couplings. IPW features sizes 1/2" through 4" from stock in natural HDPE, black HDPE, natural PP and black Type II (copolymer) PP. Eurogray PP, PVDF, PVC and CPVC materials and sizes 1/8" to 24" are now available on request. IPW provides full couplings when interior piping is needed and for vertical installations on domed tanks.

For more information, contact Phil Holt, Industrial Plastic Works, 6220 Enterprise Drive, Knoxville, TN 37909, 800-966-1450, Fax: 865-637-4540, E-mail: sales@ipw.us.com, Web: www.ipw.us.com.

Hex Rod

Plastic Products, Inc. (P.P.I.) offers hexagonal rod machined to close tolerance (+/-.005”) starting at sizes of 3/8” across the flats. Hex rod is available from engineered materials including Nylon, Delrin®, UHMW, Polypropylene, Polysulfone, P.E.E.K., Noryl®, UHMWPE tape, Ultem®, Teflon® and many more. P.P.I. can supply hex rod in lengths of 5, 8 or 10 foot. Other lengths can be quoted upon request. P.P.I. is also one of the largest stocking distributors of plastic rod on the east coast and can supply rod in a large variety of materials cut to any length.

For more information, contact Lee Raxter, Plastic Products, Inc., P.O. Box 188, Bessemer City, NC 28016, 800-752-7770/704-739-7463, Fax: 704-739-5566, Email: lraxter@plasticproducts.com, Web: www.plasticproducts.com or www.HexRod.com.

Multi-Hinge

The Multi-Hinge, from Allen Company, is now available in a rainbow of colors. Allen Company offers the HDPE Multi-Hinge in over 100 standard colors or can match your color sample. The Multi- Hinge is also available in seven other formulations including high-impact acrylic and PVDF (Kynar®).

This hinge is available in two configurations. It can be assembled for either flush or 3/8” off-set mounting by simply reversing one leaf. This allows the fabricator to choose the best combination to meet their needs for appearance, rigidity and heat or chemical resistance.

These heavy-duty hinges are suitable for a variety of commercial and industrial applications.

The PVDF formulation is easy to weld and is ideal for applications requiring high purity, resistance to corrosives and higher temperatures. All hinges can be fastened either by heat welding, solvent welding or mechanically fastened.

Many formulations are in stock. Call for samples. Handles are also available in polypropylene, PVC, HDPE and PVDF.

For more information, contact Dave Anderson, Allen Company, 5700 Baker Road, Minnetonka, MN 55345, 952-829-1831 Fax: 952-829-5721, E-mail: sales@allencomfg.com, Web: www.allencomfg.com.

Random Copolymer Polyolefin

TECAFINE®PP (polypropylene) is a random copolymer polyolefin engineering plastic providing excellent chemical resistance and high purity. FDA compliant with better mechanical properties than other typical polyolefin materials, it is light weight and unaffected by moisture. Ensinger’s unique processing technology provides unsurpassed quality in TECAFINE PP stock shapes. The material is resistant to organic chemicals, solvents, mineral acids and inorganic salts. It is also weldable and non-particulating making it suitable for high purity environments. These characteristics make it ideal for use in the food processing, semiconductor, and chemical processing industries.

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

Tubing & Profiles

Petro Extrusion Technologies, Inc. (PET) extrudes tubing and profiles in a variety of polyolefin materials including LD, MD, & HDPE, as well as polypropylene materials.

Tubing sizes range from as small as .020" ID up to 8" O.D. Tubing is available both in round and in square or rectangular shapes. In addition to their custom capabilities in most polyolefin materials, PET offers a line of STOCK size polypropylene tubing, extruded using homopolymer grade PP. Sizes range from 1/8" ID up to 1" ID. Available in 100' coils, these PP tube sizes are available off-the-shelf, ready for immediate shipment. In addition to the stock PP tube line, Petro also offers custom size tubing in PE, PP or EVA materials.

For more information, contact Robert Petro, Petro Extrusion Technologies, 800-229-3338, Fax: 908-789-0434, E-mail: rpetro@petroextrusions.com, Web: www.petroextrusions.com.

Flame Rated Polymer Sheets

The standard (ASTM E 84 Class A or B Fire Rating) applies to the King StarBoard® product family, used in a broad range of products from marine components to indoor/outdoor cabinetry to healthcare furnishings; King ColorCore® and King ColorBoard®, frequently used for signage and playground equipment; and King PlastiBal®, the company’s restroom partition sheet.

While King Plastic Corporation has been running FR material over the years they were never fully satisfied with final product. The products were either too heavy, had poor physical properties or were too expensive or sometimes all three. But they have now developed a FR formula that improves drastically on these issues and is finally something they are proud to offer across many of their product lines.

According to ASTM International’s published standards, “This fire-test-response standard for the comparative surface burning behavior of building materials is applicable to exposed surfaces such as walls and ceilings. The test is conducted with the specimen in the ceiling position with the surface to be evaluated exposed face down to the ignition source.” Additional details are available at astm.org.

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

8' x 20' Sheet

Röchling Engineering Plastics is one of the leading plastics manufacturers worldwide and features the most comprehensive product line of engineering plastics within the U.S. and Canada. Röchling is strongly committed to support and assist their clients to grow their business, pursuing new markets and new products by offering innovative products such as their MegaSheet™.

Röchling offers the MegaSheet in the following grades: Polystone® M (UHMW), Polystone® G (HDPE) and Polystone® P (polypropylene) in thickness from 3/8” - 4”. The sheet measures an incredible 8’ x 20’ making it the largest sheet available anywhere in the world. It can be used as one huge sheet or cut to a variety of size options. One-piece bedliners with no seams, 20’ long dock fenders that are flat and stress relieved and seamless hopper liners that eliminate material flow problems are now possible. With full cutting capabilities in-house to handle this huge sheet, they can help you achieve yields that are significantly better than those of standard sheet sizes often up to an incredible 40% yield advantage over standard sheet sizes.

Next to their standard and premium grades they offer a wide range of specialty products such as Matrox™, their premium material for the lining and mining industry, Polystone® M MDT (metal detectable UHMW) or Polystone® M XDT (x-ray detectable UHMW) which are both great solutions for applications in the food processing industry.

For more information, contact Birgit Moecks, Röchling Engineering Plastics, 903 Gastonia Technology Parkway, Dallas, NC 28034, 704-884-3506, Fax: 704-922-1835, E-mail: birgit.moecks@roechling-plastics.us, Web: www.roechling-plastics.us.

Thin Gauge UHMW

As the manufacturer of the DuraSurf™ family of value based UHMW solutions, Crown Plastics has been helping engineers solve problems for the materials handling, agriculture, transportation, recreation and appliance industries for over 35 years. Employing their exclusive continuous compression process, Crown Plastics offers DuraSurf UHMW film ranging in thickness from .003- 1/4” in continuous rolls from 1/4” to 24” widths or die-cut sheets. The continuous compression process produces a smoother, more consistent UHMW material and allows for special lengths with no scrap or waste for larger custom orders.

DuraSurf thin gauge pressure sensitive tapes and materials can be applied in areas where mechanical fastening is undesirable due to cost or application demands. Applications include automotive “buzz, squeak and rattle” needs, conveyor beds and side guides, package-handling surfaces, board sports, gaskets and countless friction and wear areas.

For more information, contact Peter Ellerhorst, Crown Plastics Co., 116 May Drive, Harrison, OH 45030, 800-368-0238, Fax: 513-367-4004, E-mail: petee@crownplastics.com, Web: www.crownplastics.com.

Enhanced Performance Grades

Laminations, Inc.’s olefins family offers a range of textures, colors and grades with improved UV and flame resistance. Its products are recognized for consistently low internal stress that affords dimensional stability and flatness in fabrication.

The company’s Lamcorr Division offers high performance fluoropolymer and olefin products including two flame retardant polypropylene grades. LAM FRP-3 carries an FM 4910 listing for semiconductor clean room use. LAM FRPP meets UL V-0 flammability criteria and is used in many chemical processing and storage applications.

Laminations, Inc.’s early focus on playground structures led to its development of Polytone UV HDPE in a spectrum of UV resistant solid colors. It is also available in combinations of solid color inner “cores” sandwiched between exterior surface layers co-extruded in contrasting colors. Milling the exterior surface can create letters and patterns in the contrasting core color, making it a versatile option for signage and decorative applications.

Another UV resistant grade, Boat Board, has widespread acceptance for marine applications and in outdoor furniture and cabinetry. Other olefin sheet products include cutting board; Polymar HDPE used widely in school and institutional lavatory and gym structures and LamPro homopolymer and copolymer polypropylene sheet.

For more information, contact Gary Borgia, Laminations, Inc., 101 Power Blvd., Archbald PA 18403, 800-233-4701, Fax: 570-876-0166, E-mail: gary.borgia@laminations.com, Web: www.laminations.com.

PP Stock Shapes

Plastifab Industries offers a comprehensive product line of standard stock shapes in Low Density, High Density and Polypropylene commonly known as polyolefins.

Polyolefins find proven applications in markets such as medical, chemical, toys, sporting goods, oil and gas and food processing. LDPE, HDPE and polypropylene rods are available in sizes ranging from 1/8” to 16” diameter in natural and black. Polyolefin heavy wall tubular bar is offered with a minimum ID of 2” through and OD of 22”.

Semi-rigid polyolefin tubing is a mainstay in oil, hydraulic fluid, water and beverage transfer, oil and gas and is available in Diameters as small as .170" inside in natural and a wide selection of colors. Welding rods are available in LDPE, HDPE and polypropylene and are used in conjunction with sheet and plate to fabricate tanks, tank liners and boxes for corrosive environments. Polyolefin standard stock shapes are typically manufactured from FDA-approved resins and meet USDA, NSF and Canadian Department of Agricultural requirements for direct food contact.

For more information, contact Sal Sorice, Plastifab Industries, 7777 Transcanadienne, Saint Laurent, Quebec, H4S 1L3, Canada, 800-361-4774/514-325-9840, Fax: 514-325-5222, E-mail: sales@plastifab.ca, Web: www.plastifab.ca.