UHMW (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) plastic is the choice material for conveyors and packaging machinery. Its unique properties, ease of fabrication, and low-cost make it the optimal selection for this industry. Its ability to handle abrasion, impact, corrosive cleaning solutions, and wet environments enables UHMW to stand up to extensive wear and tear. Additionally, its dampening properties reduce conveyor noise and vibration. Made in large sheets for big or long parts, UHMW machines easily and can be extruded into complex profiles with thick or thin cross-sections. All these attributes make UHMW a great option for machine builders and maintenance personnel that are concerned with price, extending the life of initial installations, and repairs.
Slippery Plastic Smackdown!
Slideways frequently fields quote requests for parts made of Teflon™, the brand name for PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). Once learning more about the application, we usually determine a UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) part is needed. Teflon has a place in packaging machinery, but it is not the go-to material until some specific operating conditions are met.
Ultra-High Molecular Weight (UHMW) is the highest quality polyethylene (PE) available, engineered for extreme performance and a wide range of applications. Because UHMW plastics resist so many different kinds of abuse we use it for machining plastic components and chain guides destined for high-wear operations such as commercial and industrial conveyor systems.
Virtually every manufacturing and distribution operation utilizes conveyor systems to move parts and finished products from one location to another and from one process to the next. Regardless of the products being conveyed or the processes with which the conveyor system interacts, all conveyor systems have the same basic components: belts, rollers, guides, bearings, and drives, to name a few. These are the components that provide the power and motion that enable the conveyor system to function.
A proprietary, new high performance ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene compound incorporates solid lubricants to offer a lower coefficient of friction for significantly improved chain and belt performance in a wide range of conveyor and other material processing systems.
If you need conveyor chain and belt tracks, Slideways has been the leader in heavy-duty, high-reliability material handling system components for over two decades.
