Australian manufacturer Cut to Size Plastics says its Wearply plastic composite weighs less than aluminium but has up to 10 times the specific strength of 1020 steel.
Cut to Size says its Wearply can withstand millions of stress cycles at 1400 bar (20,000 psi) without fatigue failure.
That makes it ideal, the company says, for a range of solutions, including vibratory conveyor, feeder, screening and materials handling, insulated rail jointing, automotive suspension components, flexible couplings, and electrical motor, generating and transformer products.
The enormous strength-to-weight ratio is derived from epoxy resins reinforced with continuously aligned, non-woven filaments, according to the company’s managing director, Laurie Green.
Green says this structure allows plies to be laid so reinforcement is oriented to give greater strength and stiffness in the direction, or directions, in which it is most needed.
“This advanced engineering material is winning the attention of machinery designers globally for its superior performance in a huge range of applications, from vibratory machinery in minerals and primary production processing to its hygienic, highly resilient high insulation properties in food and beverage plant and electrical applications,” Green told ABHR.
“The same qualities that make it suitable for advanced aerospace and medical applications – such as helicopter blades and MRI equipment – mean it can be employed with confidence in automotive, rail, marine and high-precision tasks where reliability is vital.”
Cut to Size says the product has 50% greater compression strength than 1020 steel, high impact strength and low notch sensitivity.
The company says the product has a high resistance to fatigue, which makes the material suitable for helper, guide and drive springs in swing and screen technology.
The Wearply is rated for a dry service temperature up to 177oC, and is designed to have good chemical and corrosion resistance, and improved electrical resistance.
Contact: (02) 9681 0450
Email: pat@cuttosize.com.au