High flame retardant, chemical resistant, and impact resistant specialty plastics that meet the requirements of the FM 4910 specification.
A specialty line of plastic materials was created for the most flame retardant and fire-safe applications. These plastic materials fall under the FM 4910 specification and meet the UL 94 V-0 specifications as well. These materials have been used in high-risk applications like aircraft, spacecraft, and semi-conductor manufacturing and help avoid dangerous situations. CRP-1, LAM 2000, and other materials meet the stringent requirements for the FM 4910 specification.
We are proud to supply the full line of FM 4910 materials from SIMONA America. SIMONA America is an expert in providing a full product portfolio of materials meeting this stringent specification.
SIMONA® CRP-1, SIMONA® 2000, PVDF, PFA-M, E-CTFE, and FRP-3 are made by SIMONA America Industries and excel in these highly technical environments and applications. Some of these materials may also be available in ESD (Electro Static Discharge). If you are interested in these specialty materials, please call us at (866) 832-9315 and ask for Matt or Jeff for more information on these products.
What does FM 4910 mean?
CRP-1 The FM 4910 specification was created in response to requirements regarding the quantity of toxic smoke that can be emitted from some materials when exposed to high heat or flame. FM stands for Factory Mutual, the company that originally experienced a tragedy due to burned materials releasing toxic smoke. This led to the creation of the specification, and the materials that meet the stringent requirements are used in applications such as aircraft, semi-conductor, and highly chemical environments.
CRP-1 These materials are created to limit fire propagation, the spread of flame on the material, and smoke generation or the quantity of smoke generated by igniting the material. FM 4910 meets UL 94 V-0 flame test criteria and can withstand temperatures from 140 to 425°F. These materials also perform well in wet process applications and resist acids, bases, solvents, and oxidizers. Common applications include; tanks, vessels, and machine parts, and clean rooms, cabinets, enclosures, and view windows.
CRP-1
CRP-1 CRP-1 is a specialty PVC material. This material has exceptional impact strength and ductility as an FM 4910 listed material.
CRP-1 CRP-1 has demonstrated better chemical resistance, superior surface appearance, higher gloss and surface smoothness. It has better resistance to particle adhesion than other materials and its resistance to stains makes it easier to clean. Welding rods are available for welding joints together easily and efficiently. It is one of the FM 4910 materials that is easier and faster to weld than competitive materials. Although it has a lower density and weight than similar materials, it still maintains stiffness and a higher flexural modulus.
Common applications include semiconductor process equipment, chemical and fluid handling, cabinets with acid and alkaline exposure, electrical cabinets, fire safe componentry, and dry tool areas. This is the most common material we see used for clean room and other similar applications. SIMONA® CRP-1 upholds all the properties above and continuously performs very well.
LAM 2000
LAM 2000 is a specialty clear CPVC material designed to be transparent. It is most often used in the clean room processing applications as viewing windows or transparent doors. The excellent clarity allows for about 70% light transmittance without any haze in the material. Like CRP-1, the SIMONA LAM 2000® has excellent chemical resistance and stiffness. This material is RoHS and ITAR compliant, with no lead, heavy metals, or EPA reportable ingredients. Compared to other clear materials, this is the most cost effective clear material that meets the FM 4910 requirements and is categorized on the UL 94 V-0 list.
PVDF
pvdf1PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) is a fluoropolymer material that falls into this specialty material category. SIMONA manufactures two types of PVDF materials; SIMONA® PVDF homopolymer sheet made with Kynar® 740 and SIMONA® PVDF-C copolymer sheet made with Kynar Flex® 285.
PVDF PVDF products provide solutions for highly demanding applications in the chemical processing industry that effectively counteract damage due to corrosion, extend the life of service equipment, and improve operational safety. Common applications include semiconductor equipment, chemical process/storage, fluid handling, fire-safe componentry, and DI water systems.
The advantages for FM4910 applications include flame resistance, high purity, ease of machining, excellent weatherability, and UL 94 V-0 specification.
FRP-3
FRP-3 FRP-3 is a Fiberglass Reinforced Polypropylene. It meats the stringent Factory Mutual Cleanroom 4910 Fire test (FM 4910) and is used typically for walls and cabinets in clean rooms. It is also used for rinse modules, water transfer interfaces, alkaline and UPW modules, and dry tool areas. FRP-3 is an economical material that is very weldable and formable. Like the other FM 4910 materials, it is stiff, impact resistant, and has good mechanical and thermal properties. The difference between FRP-3 and materials like CRP-1 and SIMONA® 2000 is that FRP-3 has a poor resistance to high concentrations of acids, aromatics, aliphatic and chlorinated solvents. That being said, this material maintains good resistance to alkalines, UPW, and many solvents, which is why it is used for low acid exposure cabinetry.
CPVC – Boltaron®
CPVC CPVC (Chlorine Polyvinylchloride) is made by a SIMONA® owned division Boltaron®. CPVC is a heat and corrosion resistant sheet. Because of its excellent corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures, it is ideally suited for self-supporting constructions where high temperatures are a concern. The chlorination provides the extra heat resistance in the material.
CPVC Common applications include Wet Process Equipment, Chemical Delivery Systems, Cleanroom Cabinetry, Furniture, & Accessories, Quartz Cleaners, and Chemical Drum Cabinets. The primary usage is in Cleanroom environments. Advantages of this material are RoHS and REACH compliance, easy fabrication and formability, and flame retardant properties. It is FM 4910 Listed (1/4”-1” only) and meets UL 94 5VA Testing Criteria.
Black and White GP Haircell and Machine Grade Available
Natural and Black ABS Rod and Sheet In Stock
The machine grade (.125″- 6.0″) Absylux ABS sheet is smooth on both sides and is either Black or Natural in color (colors like straw, tan, ivory, and beige can be special ordered). Material is easily cut with common cutting tools, can be machined similar to woods or soft metals (brass), and is appropriate for CNC machining. Machine Grade ABS is FDA approved for use in food processing applications. ABS materials can be bonded with solvents or attached to itself with ultra-sonic or heat welding methods. It can be sanded, drilled, and worked like hardwood. ABS Rod and ABS sheet are very strong, tough, and applicable to be used in most general purpose applications. Good dimensional stability and machining properties are traits of ABS. This material is available in a wide range of sizes in both sheet and rod and custom formulations and sizes. Some common trade names for ABS include Tecaran®, Absulux®, Sustaabs®, and several more.
ABS is a material that is FDA compliant. It has good mechanical properties, very high impact strength, is bondable/weldable to itself, and cuts well with standard cutting tools. The material is paintable, machinable, and heat/vacuum formable as well. It is the same material as black drain pipe used in homes.
ABS is ITAR compliant, and ABS is RoHS compliant.
Machine Grade ABS compares favorably with other engineering and mechanical plastics. Because ABS is bondable, it is frequently used to replace machinable plastics that are not bondable, like Nylon, Acetal, and HDPE.
Question: How does ABS compare with Acetal and other materials?
Answer: It is a strong rigid plastic material that machines well, with a high impact strength. It is as dimensionally stable as more expensive plastics and is FDA compliant for food contact and yet is still bondable and paintable.
Formable ABS Sheet: .040″ – .250″ in 48″ X 96″
Black Haircell Surface one side: .060″ – .250″ in 48″ X 96″
White Haircell Surface one side: .062″ – .250″ in 54″ X 96″
Royalite R59: Specialty FR (fire retardant) with Haircell one side.
Properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.
The quick answer is: the opposite of single use plastic.
Performance plastics are a wide range of materials that are designed for use in mechanical, engineering, aerospace, food processing, and many other applications. These performance plastic materials generally have superior physical properties, and frequently are used to replace other materials like metals, wood and glass.
Most performance plastic sheets and rods are machinable, and can be used to replace other substrates that can not stand up to the same demanding applications that these performance plastics can. Performance plastics are the natural choice when considering replacement for traditional materials, such as bronze, stainless steel, glass, wood and copper, for not just one reason but rather a combination of features and benefits.
Nearly all Performance Plastic grades can be recycled.
Because of their cost-effectiveness as well as their reliability, durability, and special characteristics like resistance to chemicals and corrosion the high performance plastic materials are steadily replacing metals in the oil and gas industry. The constant development of new and better high performance plastics is therefore closely linked to the development and economic production of the range of available performance plastic materials. High performance plastics can be divided in amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers, just like all polymers.
Performance Plastics properties
Single Use Plastic properties
Long life – up to 50 years of service
Very short, often instant throw away
Wear Resistance
Very cheap
Self Lubricating
Little to no physical properties
High Heat Resistance
Very low melting point
Machinable
Very light weight
Can be Very UV Resistant
Deteriorates quickly
Very Long Life
Extremely short life
Tough and Durable
Considered disposable
Very High Impact Strength
Flimsy, low value
Why use a Performance Plastic?
Performance plastics are designed for repeated or multi-use applications and generate a smaller carbon footprint than glass, steel, or wood. High performance plastics are plastics that can perform well under extreme environments. Because most performance plastics are considered ‘self lubricating’, these materials can be made into parts that replace metals, and don’t require the continual maintenance and lubrication that metals require.
Over the past few decades Mechanical Plastics have increasingly replaced metals due to their strength-to-weight ratios, and resistance to wear have surpassed aluminum and steel, respectively. When certain additives are blended with thermoplastic polymers, this performance plastic can meet code and compliance requirements for smoke, flammability, and even toxic gas release. Several high end performance plastics can meet the stringent FM-4910 flame and smoke rating.
Performance Plastic materials are not ‘cheap’
As opposed to ‘single use’ plastics, the performance plastic materials are not inexpensive or ‘throw away’. Rather these high performance materials are designed for specific applications, and out perform most other substrates. Other characteristics of high performance plastics can be extraordinary resistance to wear and tear, high purity or particular electrical insulation. High performance plastics are plastics that can perform well under extreme circumstances. High performance plastics are best known for their temperature, chemical and wear resistance.
Performance Plastics offers high performance plastics for high performance applications, at economical prices, made by quality American made engineering plastics manufacturers. High-performance plastics are formulated to operate under extreme chemical, high temperature and heavy load applications or any combination of these. Most performance plastics are used where the highest demands are placed on thermal or chemical resistance, product mechanics, or on the self-lubrication of products. Several of our key North American suppliers are: Ensinger Plastics, Rochling Plastics, Z/L Engineering Plastics, Simona-America, Plaskolite, and many more.
In the performance plastic market, one size does not fit all. With over 50 high performance plastics, each with its own physical properties, several materials may be proper choices for your performance plastic requirement. Please feel free to call one of our certified and trained customer service personnel for assistance in choosing the best performance plastic for your application.
Yes, UV Resistant Recycled Plastic Lumber lasts and lasts
What happens to your ‘blue recycled trash’ materials? A common question regarding recycling is, ‘Does It Work’?
The answer is ‘YES’ it certainly works.
One of the most recycled plastic materials is HDPE. This is the material that laundry detergent bottles, milk jugs, opaque vitamin bottles and many more common household containers are made from. The HDPE is a FDA and NSF approved resin, and is the go to material for cutting boards, margarine containers, food storage containers, and many of your milky colored drinking cups.
So, what happens to these items after you put them into your recycle bin?
Your local recycling center sorts through your clean recyclables and segregates the materials by the type of plastic. HDPE has the recycle code of #2, and this can be found on the bottom of many of your plastic items. The other plastic items are sorted out based on the recycle number and type of material. This allows for better and more efficient reprocessing of these resins into new and re-purposed items.
The reprocessing of plastic scrap or discarded post consumer products generated a large quantity of plastic material. The HDPE recycling market is a fast growing area of the recycled plastic sector. The other common plastic that is recycled is PET, which has the code of #1, and this is the very clear water bottles and soda bottle material.
Once the discarded containers and other HDPE scraps are collected, they are sent to a recycle plant. This is where the containers are cleaned, sent to the grinder, and converted into small pieces that can be used in the manufacture of new products. This reprocessing of post consumer goods into a usable plastic lumber is the first step in the recycling process. Much later, after the very long life of the HDPE recycled lumber is over, it can be again reprocessed into another recycled HDPE product, maybe even another piece of HDPE plastic lumber. The cycle of using an already produced plastic product, and then reusing, recycling or re-purposing this material is as environmentally responsible as any consumer can be. This ‘closed loop’ recycling eliminates the use of other natural resources, and cuts the impact on our planet.
In a recent press release, HDPE recycled content from milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, shampoo bottles and other post consumer content are gathered. Then it is ground to usable sizes, and then reprocessed into Recycled HDPE Plastic Lumber. The only additive are the colorant and a UV stabilizer or UV resistant additive. The material is sent threw an extruded or molding process, and the result is a plastic boards that look like real wood, but will out last any wood product by 5 – 10 times, and not require the maintenance that we know is required with wood lumber. The premium recycled HDPE plastic lumber, made by Bedford Technologies, has a 50 year warranty.
That’s a long time, our UV Resistant Recycled Plastic Lumber will last.
Plastic lumber does not rot, splinter, require paint or sealants annually, nor any other regular maintenance. Perhaps a semi-regular washing down is all that would be needed to have this material continue to look like new.
What are popular items that are made from this recycled HDPE plastic lumber? The limit to uses is only limited by your imagination. Some of the most common HDPE plastic lumber products are: outdoor decks, outdoor furniture, docks for lakes and marinas, trellises, walkways, playground components, parking bumpers, sign posts and many more. All of these items outperform the lumber products previous used for these applications.
Call us for more information on the available sizes and colors of recycles HDPE plastic lumber, 866-832-9315.
Use the best available tools to narrow down the best plastic sheet material for your application.
What are the best methods to pick the proper plastic sheet material? Use the tools that the professionals use to find the best plastic material for your application.
Where To Begin
The process of picking the proper plastic material starts with determining the ‘must have’ physical properties needed for your application. Designing a part with the minimum performance factors in mind will help to eliminate an overly expensive part.
Critical factors to consider are:
Temperature requirements (short term and long term)
Chemical or Environmental Requirements
UV resistance (Will it be in direct sunlight)
Color or Transparency
Strengths (Impact and Compression)
Compliance Issues (Certification for FDA, NSF, Dairy, etc.)
Review The Plastic Property Comparison Guide
The first tool suggested is a chart produced by the IAPD (International Association of Plastic Distribution – https://iapd.org/) linked in picture below, and listed on this chart are the most common plastic sheet and plastic rod materials that are commonlyavailable. In addition, the chart compares the physical properties of these common plastic materials. Click on picture to access chart. Included in this chart is a relative cost comparison, which will assist in limiting the materials to proper plastics for a application without over-designing and using an expensive ‘over kill’ material. Some common plastic sheet materials can be very expensive. Materials like PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone) can be in the $100 per pound range or more.
Start Search With Temperature Resistance
After looking over the IAPD (International Association of Plastic Distribution) Physical Properties Chart above, now it is time to evaluate specifics for your application. The critical factors listed above are ranked by most important to least important. If your part needs to handle a continuoustemperature of 300 degrees F, this is a critical physical property. Picking a material that softens at 250 degrees is a recipe for disaster. Pick a material that can handle the temperature first.
Will Part Have Chemical Exposure
Next, look at environmental requirements. Parts exposed to chemicals are important to research. Find the chemical make up and the concentration of the chemical to insure the material you pick can handle this solution. Many plasticshave excellent chemical resistance as evidenced by evaluating the container the chemicals are stored in already. Acommon plastic that is chemical resistant is Polypropylene, the same material used for automotive batteries. While Polypropylene and HDPE sheets are excellent in chemical resistance, their temperature range is quite limited. Also,these two plastics can not be easily bonded or glued, and would require heat welding for assembly.
Does Your Part Live In The Sun
Most plastics do not handle long exposure to direct sunlight without an additional UV additive. The one exception is Acrylic, which is the most UV resistant plastic sheet available. Some plastics handle UV well if they have a carbonblack additive, or a extra UV package added at time of production.
How Critical Is The Color
The most common colors in many plastic sheets are Natural (white to tan) and Black. While other colors are available with a special run, this may require a large minimum order. Some plastics, like HDPE are available in many colors andtextures for use in marine, playground and food processing applications. In many plastic applications, a machined partis being made, and the color is the least important factor. If it is an internal part of a machine, no one really cares about the color of the part. Some clients look for materials in a specific color to help ‘brand’ their parts for easy replacementand identification.
Nylon with huge amount of stress, cooled too quickly.
How Much Stress Will The Part See
Strength is a wide range of physical properties covering many stresses a part may be exposed to. From impact to compression, expansion to tensile strength, all of these can be critical in designing a plastic part. There are otherfactors in the ‘Strength’ realm, like Notched Izod and water absorption. If your part will be exposed to crushing pressure, pulling apart force or impact, these are critical things to consider prior to picking your plastic part.
PTFE is asoft and slippery plastic, but will ‘cold flow’ under high pressure, and High Pressure Laminates like G-10 FR 4 sheetcan withstand some of the highest pressures. The Notched Izod tests for materials that break easily if a scored mark has been made in the surface. Acrylics break very easily if scored, but UHMW will not break at all under the same test.
What Agency Approval May Be Required
In many applications a part may require approval or testing to meet a third party certification. One such common application is for materials in food processing applications. Common requests included UL ratings, Fire Ratings, Military specifications and many more. Food contact is a popular request, covering material that is either FDA (Foodand Drug Administration) or NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) approved. These agencies insure that materials are rigorously tested and comply with their requirements for safety. Some common materials used in food processing that meet the FDA certification are Acetal Copolymer – Acetal Homopolymer, HDPE, UHMW and Nylon, plus many others. Once these steps have been completed, several materials should present themselves as meeting your criteria andphysical property requirement. Unfortunately there is no one perfect plastic that works in all applications. However, for almost every application, there is a material that will work, and work better than most other substrates.
If you are still in need of assistance in identifying an appropriate plastic material, contact an experienced Plasticologist at Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc. – call 866-832-9315
People in the plastics industry have known for over 50 years that Polycarbonate Sheets are tough. This clear plastic sheet material is commonly used to replace window glazing. The best known property for this polycarbonate sheet material is that it is break resistant, or in many cases, considered unbreakable. This is a great benefit for areas where window glass is broken easily.
Recently some cities have passed ordinances to change out the plywood window coverings on abandoned homes, and they are installing clear polycarbonate sheets instead. This is a very attractive replacement, and is a big step in fighting the blight of abandoned homes.
Polycarbonate is produced under several trade names, including Plaskolite Tuffak® GP, Covestro Makrolon®, SABIC Lexan®, Cyrolon®, Zelux® and many more. These materials are available in sheets, plate, slab, bar and rod.
Read more on this material below.
Excerpt from AZCentral, The Arizona Republic:
Property owners and banks in Phoenix had begun outfitting windows with sheets of polycarbonate, a thin, nearly indestructible plastic that mirrors the appearance of glass.
And last month, the city became among the first in the U.S. to make polycarbonate windows a matter of municipal law.
Phoenix now requires all window and door openings visible from the street to be secured with the material if the structure has been unoccupied for more than 90 days. The 90-day provision is also new, replacing the previous deadline of 180 days. The measures were the result of an abandoned buildings task force that Gallego spearheaded.
No one likes living next to abandoned buildings with boarded up doors or windows. So the city of Durham started replacing the plywood eyesores with a clear, durable plastic.
The city is working to reduce the number of abandoned houses by helping owners fix them up. But for houses that still need boarding up, the city has found that plastic not only improves the overall appearance of a neighborhood, it may reduce crime by discouraging squatters and making it easier for police to see inside vacant buildings.
“I can’t stress enough how the elimination of the boards has a tremendous positive impact on neighborhoods and communities,” said Faith Gardner, housing code administrator of the city’s department of neighborhood improvement services.
Read more here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article20778429.html#storylink=cpy
These communities have fought back against vandalism and crime, as well as enhanced the value of local homes by changing from Plywood to Clear Polycarbonate Sheets. Tuffak GP is a super tough glazing grade clear Polycarbonate Sheet material is the same kind of material that Police Officers use for face shields and banks are using for bullet resistant glazing.
The premier manufacturer of Polycarbonate Sheet in the USA is Tuffak® PG made by Plaskolite and made from Covestro® (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) resins, and they produce Tuffak® GP Polycarbonate Sheet. Polycarbonate is also available in rod and thick plate for machined parts.
Consider using Polycarbonate sheet for your next glazing material.
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