What Are Common Plastics Used in Material Handling/Conveying
Material handling and conveying is a speedy process. For a business to operate at its full ability, it’s necessary for handling and conveying to occur as fast as possible. This speed is only possible if your systems are made of the proper materials, such as plastic. There are many common plastics used in the material handling and conveying process.If you’re interested in learning more about the most common plastics used in material handling and conveying, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about products used in this process and why plastics are an excellent choice for handling and conveying in the workplace.
Common Plastics For Material Handling/Conveying
Plastics are a common material used in material handling and conveying. This product comes in many shapes and sizes, from thick and durable to thin and pliable. Many types of plastic come in handy for handling and conveying materials. No matter which portions you are creating, plastic can come in handy.Let’s talk more about plastic selections for material handling and conveying. These are the most effective for your material handling and conveying process, helping machinery run smoothly and ensuring the movement occurs efficiently from one end to the other.
HDPE
HDPE, or high-density polyethylene, is an excellent addition to the material handling and conveying process. It’s a versatile product and offers features such as low moisture absorption, high tensile strength, impact resistance, and chemical and corrosion resistance. This product also does not splinter and rot. It keeps out mold and other growths, ensuring you won’t need to make as many repairs over time. It will stand strong against any harsh chemicals in cleaning products. HDPE is ideal for conveyor systems, bottling lines, and material handling wear strips. It will help items move from one place to another in the conveyor and handling line without falling apart after a short period. It’s a quality product.
UHMW
UHMW is another excellent choice in material handling and conveying. It is versatile, durable, and well worth your money. The value of UHMW in the workplace cannot be overstated. It has a low coefficient when considering friction, chemical resistance, and excellent impact strength. It also possesses inherent lubrication. If you invest in virgin UHMW, you will find it possesses a high molecular weight. This structure permits the material to be resistant to moisture absorption and abrasion. There are many uses for UHMW. Some of the most common include conveyor systems, chute liners, valves, fittings, wear strips, thrust washers, and star wheels. There is no limit to what you can use UHMW for in material handling and conveying.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane is a unique product with various hardness, stiffness, and density levels. It is a quality product that is tear and abrasion resistant, allowing it to withstand long and strenuous workdays. You will also find polyurethane to be able to be adhered to substrates, able to bear loads and flex without issue, and resistant to compression. It will handle substantial strain and wear and tear in a material handling and conveying system. If you want a variable plastic that can be fabricated as UL, FDA, RoHS and is able to handle extreme force, go with polyurethane. It’s ideal for conveyor systems, wire harness fixtures, and bottling lines.
ABS
ABS is another durable plastic selection, ideal for material handling and conveying. It is impact resistant and built to last. It has low moisture absorption rates, is heat resistant, and is practical for many purposes. Thanks to the heat resistance, it’s easy to use thermoforming and sonic welding on materials like epoxy, wood, ceramic, and aluminum. It’s also simple to form ABS to screws, nuts, bolts, rivets, and spring steel fasteners. It is excellent for creating packaging materials and electrical enclosures for your machinery. If you want durable plastic that is resistant to heat and moisture, go for ABS. It is made to last against a variety of circumstances.
Polycarbonate
Last up is polycarbonate. This material is transparent and solid. It has many quality traits, including impact resistance, toughness, low moisture absorption, flame retardance, dielectric properties, and more. It’s thirty times stronger than acrylic and two-hundred times stronger than glass. It’s also lightweight, coming in about six times lighter than a typical pane of glass. One of the best parts of polycarbonate is that it is an excellent insulator. It’s practical for use in heavy equipment glazing, machine guards, and conveyor systems. It’s a solid choice for the material handling and conveying world. For plastic with impact resistance and toughness, go with polycarbonate. It will withstand the strain of this machinery and move product along.
Why Use Plastics For Material Handling/Conveying?
Many people assume metal and other similar materials are the main components of handling and conveying systems. However, plastic plays a vital part in this process. There are many excellent reasons to add plastic to each of these items.
Here are a few excellent reasons to use plastics for material handling and conveying:
● They can increase employee safety on the job
● They reduce the noise in the operating system
● They keep items on a conveyor belt contaminant-free
● They push everything forward and ensure it remains productive.
It’s a critical addition to machines that need to complete these processes.
Plastic is excellent for machines with many moving parts. They offer versatility and durability to prevent repairs and wear and tear over time. There are many places for plastic in the industry today.
Final Thoughts
Plastics are an excellent addition to your machinery for the material handling and conveying process. The most common selections for this job include HDPE, polyurethane, UHMW, ABS, and polycarbonate. Whether you need this product for conveyor belt systems or protecting walls, we have you covered.
We hope this information was helpful! If you are interested in obtaining plastic for your handling and conveying purposes, contact Laird Plastics. We specialize in providing versatile and durable solutions. Our team has fifty distribution locations, ready to serve you in any way we can.
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