Materials & Chemicals

Metal Clad Wire

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:13:51 GMT

Custom manufactured, high reliability clad composite wire, rod, and ribbon that can be formulated with properties to meet specific OEM design require- ments is now available. Anomet Precious Metal Clad Wire combines one or more precious metals with a core material, is clad rather than plated to eliminate flaking and bonding issues, has a smooth finish, and is extremely ductile and formable.

Custom designed to feature properties such as high conductivity, strength, temperature- and corrosion-resistance, or bio-compatibility, this metallur-gically bonded wire costs one-tenth the amount of pure precious metal. Available in sizes from 0.002” to 0.125” O.D. and as ribbon up to 1” wide, Anomet Precious Metal Clad Wire can be bonded to a core material with 2% or more cladding thickness and permits the design of smaller conductors than solid wire. Applications include medical connectors, implantable devices, micro-switches, and other high-reliability components. Anomet Precious Metal Clad Wire and Ribbon are priced according to construc- tion and quantity. Samples and price quotations are available upon request.

Magnetic Thermoplastic Compounds

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:36:30 GMT

Lehvoss North America has introduced LUVOCOM® Detectables, a new line of magnetic thermoplastic compounds that target food processing machine components. These new materials offer weight and cost reduction while maintaining contamination-free processing of foodstuffs. Magnetizable plastics have been in existence for quite some time and are typically injection molded into complex molds and then through a secondary operation magnetized to replace permanently magnetized sintered powder magnets. Up until now the only other option has been to use soft-magnetic plastics used as an alternative to sintered ferrites. In those applications where hard-magnetic or soft-magnetic powders and steel fibers are compounded into the plastic, the downstream detection of smaller particles is not always reliable.

In the food-processing industry a large amount of stainless steel – but to an increasing extent plastics as well - is used in the manufacture of containers, molds, housings, scrapers and other parts. These components don’t always come into direct contact with foodstuffs, but when worn or damaged through typical manufacturing operations may contaminate the food with fragments and particles of various sizes. This problem has increased industry demand for all plastic parts that come into contact with food directly or indirectly be detectable and compliant with food industry standards and specifications.

Through a combination of soft-magnetic components with impact-resistant polymers, Lehvoss has succeeded in producing a range of compounds that are reliably detectable by current food processing industry detection methods. The presence of fragments or particles of injection-molded, extruded and otherwise fabricated plastic parts can be observed through metal or x-ray detection systems. Contaminated food or parts can be apprehended and reliably rejected, even when the foreign particles are only millimeters in size.

The advantages are clear: expensive and heavy stainless steel and other metals can be reliably substituted by the new detectable plastic materials, with a further advantage of lower energy consumption through weight reduction in the production chain. Furthermore, the materials are easy to process, the additives are already well dispersed, and the molded parts have an excellent surface finish. Coloring is also possible, which is important as it provides another means of identification through color coding according to food type. The LUVOCOM Detectables product line is available in many thermoplastic polymers tailored to meet engineering requirements of the end use application

High-Performance Silicone-Free Gap Fillers

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:10:09 GMT

Laird Technologies, Inc. announces the release of two new Tflex™ series thermal gap fillers. The Tflex™ SF800 and Tflex™ SF200 are the latest addition to Laird Technologies’ thermal gap filler line . The introduction of these two new products expands Laird Technologies’ silicone-free gap pad selection. Tflex SF800 is a high performance gap pad with exceptional wetting characteristic, while Tflex SF200 features extremely low contact resistance for effective heat transfer.

These products are naturally tacky on both sides and require no additional adhesive coating, allowing for exceptional thermal performance. Both the Tflex SF800 and Tflex SF200 are offered in a variety of thicknesses to suit virtually any need. The SF800 has thermal conductivity of 7.9 W/mK, while the SF200 offers thermal conductivity of 1.8 W/mK or 2.0 W/mK, depending on thickness. These silicone-free gap pads are easy to handle in all available thicknesses while their natural tack allows for the pad to be held in place during assembly. Tflex SF200 is available with differential tack for easy assembly and rework.

“These new products are not only great solutions for silicone sensitive applications, but they are also effective in applications where silicone pads are traditionally used,” said Jane Lacy, Laird Technologies Product Manager. “They are ideal for a variety of applications including automotive, consumer products, medical devices and laser equipment.”

Alumina Powders

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:08:11 GMT

A full line of high-purity alumina polishing powders offered in two grades and seven sizes for finishing optics from a ground to highly polished surface is available from Meller Optics, Inc. of Providence, Rhode Island. Meller Microlux Alumina Powders come in two grades and seven particle sizes from 0.05 to 3.0 µm for producing surface finishes to 10-5 scratch-dig on a variety of hard and soft optical substrates.

Ready to mix with de-ionized water, these alumina abrasives are an economical alternative to diamond abrasives for many optics grinding, lapping, and polishing applications. For aggressive grinding and lapping, Meller Alumina Powders are offered in a Microlux-R version which features large agglomerated particles that break down under pressure for final polishing and are 99.98% pure. For fine grinding and uniform polishing, Microlux-RZ powders are 99.99% pure and deagglomerated with controlled particle sizes.

High Performance Engineering Plastic

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:51:59 GMT

Ensinger Inc. has developed a revolutionary new high performance engineering plastic for the food industry. Designed to increase productivity and safety, TECAFORM® UD Blue is the first material available that addresses all three methods of quality control (optical, metal, and x-ray detection) typically used in the industry to keep food products free from foreign particulates.

TECAFORM UD Blue is a porosity-free acetal co-polymer in an FDA compliant blue color. Specially formulated to be both metal and x-ray detectable, the blue colorant is also easily visible to production line optical scanning equipment. This versatile food industry material is FDA, USDA, 3A Dairy, and European agency compliant.

Thermal Insulation Ceramic Blankets

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:01:44 GMT

Cotronics’ 370R REACH compliant ceramic blankets are made from alkaline earth silicate wool and were specifically designed for use in applications that require highly efficient thermal insulation and compliance with strict safety requirements and regulations. 370R blankets are thermally stable to 2730ºF, flexible, resilient and have excellent non-wetting characteristics, low heat storage and extremely low shrinkage.

Cotronics’ REACH compliant, high temperature, ceramic blankets are designed to replace noncompliant, RCF blankets. Applications include: furnace and boiler linings; chemical reactors, ovens, door seals, reusable steam and gas turbine insulation; mold wraps and investment castings, expansion joint packing, high temperature filters, fire protection, sound absorption, non contaminating brazing and sintering separators, melting furnace back up insulation, aluminum ladle and trough covers and more. REACH compliant, ceramic blankets offer excellent resistance to chemicals and splashes of molten metal, oil and water. Not recommended for use with HF, H3PO4, NaOH and KOH. An Insulation Thickness Selector guide is available to calculate the required thickness the ceramic blanket should be. Cotronics’ 370R Ceramic Blanket rolls are available in five thicknesses: 1/4”, 1/2”, 1”, 1 1/2” and 2”.

Resin Impregnated Carbon-Graphite

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:27:32 GMT

Metallized Carbon Corporation offers its Metcar Grade M-400 resin impregnated, carbon-graphite material. This material is recommended for machine parts that must run submerged in water, water based chemicals, or organic chemicals with low friction and long wear life. This self- lubricating material is non-porous, high in strength, and heat resistant to 500 F. This material is recommended for such parts as mechanical seal faces, submerged bearings, pump vanes, pump end plates, packing rings, and rotary joint rings.

Metallized Carbon Corporation can supply Metcar Grade M-400 parts that are machined to meet customer size specifications. Metcar Grade M-400 material is also available in 56 standard blank sizes so that customers with access to machining facilities can machine M-400 blanks to fabricate their own Grade M-400 finish parts. Metcar Grade M-400 is also approved for use in potable water and in food contact applications. All Metcar standard plain bearings, thrust washers, pillow blocks, and flange blocks can be supplied with grade M-400 bearing material. Bearings manufactured from Metcar materials are self-lubricating, non-galling, dimensionally stable and have high compressive strength.

Boasting excellent lubricating qualities and long life, these materials are completely homogenous and provide continuous lubrication for their service life, making them an excellent candidate for bearings, bearing assemblies and mechanical components for operating submerged in liquids.

Epoxy Bonded Wear Compound

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:01:25 GMT

KALPOXY NS is a non-sagging epoxy bonded wear compound suitable for repairing almost any surface, including piping and pumps. This two component wear compound contains more than 70% fine grain silicon carbide (SiC) particles combined with DuPont Kevlar® fibers for excellent abrasion resistance, toughness and adhesive properties. KALPOXY NS is easy to use and is non-hazardous and non-corrosive, making shipping and storage safe and able to be airfreighted. The resin does not crystallize in freezing weather and both it and the hardener have very little odor, making it user friendly, even in confined spaces.

KALPOXY NS can be used in temperatures up to 230°F (110°C) and in corrosive situations with a pH range of 3.8 to 10.0.

Monolithic Fiber Modules

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 19:20:52 GMT

Morgan Thermal Ceramics announces the availability of its exclusive Pyro-Bloc® modules, ideally suited for furnace and boiler lining applications, that reduce the risks of hot spots and lining failures. They are the only monolithic fiber modules on the market and combine the insulating material advantages of high temperature insulation fiber with rapid furnace installation. Compared to standard folded modules, Pyro-Bloc® modules feature higher density, better tolerance compliance, superior resistance to erosion from high velocity gas, and significant installation advantages. They are ideal for applications such as stack, flare, and ductwork linings, as well as kiln car block and seals, burner blocks, and peep sights. Pyro-Bloc® modules have a much higher standard density than folded modules, making them ideal for applications with harsh conditions, and where a high velocity of air moving through the unit tends to abuse linings. The material’s higher density options, 12 and 15 PCF, are particularly suitable for resisting wear and tear damage in areas that typically sustain a significant amount of abuse, including walkways where personnel conduct cleanouts. In addition, the density of the 15 PCF Pyro-Bloc® module provides the best thermal conductivity available with modular systems. Pyro-Bloc® HS modules, offered in densities as high as 23 PCF, have been specifically designed for enhanced mechanical abuse resistance. Pyro-Bloc® module’s monolithic edge grain surface is more resistant to high velocity gas erosion than folded systems. Along with erosion resistance, the surfaces will more readily accept any required post treatments due to the grain of the fiber, which allows a deeper penetrating bond of the substrate. A number of treatments are available, with some improving velocity resistance by as much as 35 percent.

Morgan Thermal Ceramics provides superior quality control of the Pyro-Bloc® module’s density, because the density is not dependent upon the fiber manufacturer’s control of blanket density, thickness variables, or folding machine compression tolerances. Each Pyro-Bloc® module is made up of two sections of Pyro-Log® in edge-grain orientation, held in position with two stainless steel tubes mounted transversely through the modules and remote from the hot face. They are anchored to the furnace casing with patented SS-316 hardware designed for corrosive gas resistance and a specially designed tube support yoke, which allows the module cold face to conform to any discontinuity of the furnace shell, while still maintaining structural support and hardware integrity. The design provides a close-fitting lining against the furnace shell and offers an extremely tight seal. Pyro-Bloc® modules are easy to install. The monolithic fiber is easy to cut and fit around openings and modify in the field. It provides a superior finished surface for such special shapes as peep site frames, tube penetrations and burner tiles. The modules are especially ideal for corners, bullnoses, or transition sections. Pyro-Bloc® modules can be installed with far fewer through joints running from the hot face to the cold face compared to folded modules. The extra joints present in a folded system can increase shrinkage over time, creating opportunities for shrinkage gaps and shell damage. With Pyro-Bloc® modules, there is only one joint on either side of an individual module; folded modules typically require as many as eight to ten folds, each one a possible location of shrinkage. Overall, folded modules create about ten times the number of opportunities for openings from shrinkage, compared to Pyro-Bloc® modules.

Custom Radial Seal Rings

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:58:47 GMT

Metallized Carbon Corporation announces the availability of custom radial seal ring assemblies, also known as packing rings, used to prevent leakage of industrial blowers, pumps and other turbo machinery by sealing the clearance between a rotating or reciprocating shaft and the stationary housing. The carbon-graphite radial seal rings are manufactured by Metcar and meet the most stringent customer specifications. More than 150 grades of proprietary carbon/graphite material are available, and Metcar engineers work with customers to select the optimum grade for specific applications, based on the environment, shaft, housing materials, or rotational speed.

Metcar’s packing rings are ideal for sealing both liquid and gases for a wide range of applications, including aircraft turbine engines, blenders and mixers, furnace exhaust blowers, and oil free piston compressors, as well as ship propeller shafts, steam turbines, and water pumps and turbines. The carbon-graphite radial seal assemblies help solve serious leakage problems that occur when stuffing box seals fail due to wear, thermal degradation, chemical attack, and dimensional stability problems with leather, plastic, composite or elastomeric elastic seal ring materials.

Two types of radial seal rings are available. The “close clearance” version is a one piece, solid ring made to fit with close clearance on the outer dimension of the rotating or reciprocating shaft. If the shaft is expected to experience thermal expansion, the carbon-graphite ring comes in a version that is shrink-fitted into a metal retaining ring, providing the carbon graphite/metal assembly the same thermal expansion rate as the shaft.