How Plastics Wear Against Metals

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Testing Thermoplastic Composites against Steel
How do plastics wear against metals? In tests mating thermoplastic composites and AISI 1141 cold-rolled steel counter-faces, the highest composite wear factors (greatest wear) resulted with the smoothest range (8-12 µin.) of metal surface finishes.  This result, contrary to what might be expected intuitively, is attributed to the adhesion-and-deformation friction mechanism of metal/plastic combinations.  The 12 to 16 µin. range yielded the lowest wear factors, and the 50 to 70 µin. … Read more

Beam Clamps and Pipe Hangers

How Plastic Wears Against Plastic

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Wear of Plastics Against Plastics
Wear characteristics of one plastic against another plastic vary widely, even among those materials with good natural lubricity. When an application calls for plastic-to-plastic bearings, shafts, gears and other parts, the combination must be chosen carefully.
Plastics and the Laws of Nature
Because plastics are not rigid bodies, they do not behave according the natural laws of friction.   It is these deviations which cause some of the unexpected results when plastics are run against metal.  … Read more

What is CNC machining?

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Today, it seems like every machine that once operated without the benefit of CNC machining has now been retrofitted with servo motors and some kind of programmable controller or computer. So how did parts get made before CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinery arrived on site?
Well, once upon a time, or shall we say 50 years ago or more, transistors did not exist. Then, in the early 60’s, transistor radios became more and more must-have gadgets.  … Read more

30 Inspirational Quotes About Plastic Engineering

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Let’s face it, the world of plastic engineering can often be challenging.  With so many different plastics and grades available, sometimes our projects don’t quite work out the way we want them to.  Too much choice isn’t always a good thing!
Yet, when I look back at the history of tooling and engineering, I am truly inspired by all the work that has been accomplished.  Looking forward, I’m also excited about all the new technologies coming into play today.  … Read more

Why You ABSOLUTELY MUST TEST High Performance Plastics

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Many customers come to Craftech with a need for fasteners made from high performance plastics that can stay strong even when exposed to multiple stress factors.  These stress factors include high and low temperatures, large torque or loads, and exposure to acidic or basic vapors, to name a few. While Craftech is always ready to provide guidance and support to engineers looking for the right high performance plastic, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of testing plastic parts in your application and environment.  … Read more