Top UHMW Qualities and Applications

By Anna Alexis

Being sturdy is the name of the game when it comes to industrial uses of UHMW-PE. The term UHMW-PE stands for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Its molecular weight ranges between 3.5 to 7.5 million. This makes it very tough. It is highly abrasion resistant and has a very low coefficient of friction. In fact, it has the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic available today. Industries which need high abrasion resistance find it ideal. It doesn't react to most of the chemicals and its inertness makes it an ideal material to be used in packaging industries for food and healthcare items. It is acceptable under FDA and USDA guidelines.

Industries like conveyor, wire & cable, fiber, defense manufacturers, and healthcare segment use it widely. It has a long life and better protection against wear & tear, degradation, and decay. This means more value for money. The final product of the UHMW-PE is of high quality and offers great consistency.

Some of the Unique Qualities of UHMW-PE are: 

Great Abrasion Resistance:  UHMW-PE is very tough. Its high molecular density makes it impenetrable in most circumstances. This makes it an ideal product for applications where wear and tear of products is a big concern.

Very Low Coefficient of Friction:  The final UHMW-PE products are very smooth and provide very low friction. This makes it an ideal product for industries where low friction is a necessity. High strength makes them more durable too. This brings down the cost of repair or replacement.

No Moisture Absorption:  It has no moisture absorption and hence it is a suitable product for underwater applications and places where moisture degradation is higher.

Self-lubricating:  It is a self-lubricating material and requires no additional lubrication. This gives a great advantage to this product in the manufacturing industry as regular greasing and oiling can be avoided.

Higher Heat Tolerance:  UHMW-PE products have a very high-temperature resistance. This makes it suitable to be used in adverse temperature conditions.

Conductive:  UHMW-PE is also used in electronic and semiconductor industries. It is possible to manufacture UHMW in conductive or anti-static forms.

High Chemical Resistance:  UHMW-PE has superior resistance even to the most aggressive chemicals. Its chemical resistance is better than HDPE, Steel, and Nylon.

Some of the Top Applications of UHMW-PE products

Use in the Conveyor Industry
UHMW Conveyor Components deliver the highest performance. UHMW is sound reducing and hence the operation is smooth. UHMW has a low coefficient of friction and therefore you get better performance and low resistance. It is easy to install, has low maintenance and very long life. It is a great product for high-speed applications like the conveyors. All kinds of shapes are sizes can be obtained through UHMW Custom Extrusion and this makes it very easy to use.

Use in the Defense Industry
UHMW is very tough. It offers great strength and production while being lighter than other material. This makes it a highly sought after product for the defense industry. It is used in both the personal and vehicle armors.

Use in the Cable and Wire Industry
UHMW is tough and very strong. The wire and cable industry needs strength and reliability in the used materials and the UHMW products offer just that. They have low stretch, high strength, and low weight. This makes them easy to carry and provide high strength.

Use in the Healthcare Industry
Apart from being used as packing material for food and healthcare items the UHMW products are now also being increasingly used in medical procedures. UHMW products are FDA and USDA approved and biologically inert.

Use in the Manufacturing Industry
The manufacturing industry is the biggest consumer of the UHMW-PE products. It is possible to acquire various shapes and sizes of UHMW Tubing and UHMW Custom Extrusion is a commonly used method. The UHMW products have a long work life and offer great abrasion resistance. This makes them a favorite of the manufacturers across various industries.

To explore more about UHMW-PE and its applications, visit: http://www.spiratex.com/products_category/ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene