Author: Skip Gerard

Wear of Plastics Against Plastics
Wear characteristics of one plastic against another 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

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

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

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