PEEK: A high-performance thermoplastic for special applications
dr Dietrich Mueller GmbH | 30.03.2020/XNUMX/XNUMX
Precision turned and milled parts made of the high-performance plastic PEEK (polyetheretherketone) are used in many areas, for example as gears, pistons and much more.
Ahlhorn, March 30.03.2020th, XNUMX – The high-performance plastic polyetheretherketone at the Kunststoffhaus
In industry, very special properties of machines and equipment are often required. In order to meet these, the right material must be used. Since no material can meet all requirements at the same time, it is important that materials are developed that meet as many of these requirements as possible. When it comes to heavy-duty use, metals sometimes seem like the most obvious solution - but often a high-performance plastic such as PEEK is the better solution.
PEEK at Kunststoffhaus Ahlhorn
The plastic house in Ahlhorn specializes in the production and processing of plastic. The company's range also includes polyetheretherketone. This plastic is characterized by a number of special properties that set it apart from other plastics and metals.
The material is completely temperature-resistant up to a temperature of 260 °C. Above 280 °C, hydrolysis only sets in and the melting temperature is only reached at 335 °C. Like many other types of plastic, the material is very resistant to chemicals, is also resistant to radiation, and is very resistant to abrasion and wear. Under heavy use, polyetheretherketone gives off hardly any toxic components and hardly develops any smoke.
Due to these favorable material properties, polyetheretherketone is used in many areas. These include, for example, pistons and seals in vehicles and aircraft, insulation in various areas, medical devices such as handle parts or membranes, parts of production equipment in the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries, components in dental technology, semiconductor technology and parts of musical instruments such as about strings.
In order to be used in these areas, the PEEK must be processed accordingly. On it is the Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH in Ahlhorn, which also operates the plastics store. At the Kunststoffhaus, the high-performance plastic PEEK is manufactured by alkylating bisphenol salts and shaped into simple shapes such as rods or plates. Precision milling, turning and water jet parts are then produced from this. Under the brand name Sonophan PEEK, Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH offers membranes for the construction of loudspeakers and microphones.
Although this plastic (PEEK) is very robust in many respects, it can be processed comparatively easily in various ways and processed into the desired products. Above all, turned and milled parts, as well as water jets and the use of threaded bushes are possibilities for further processing of PEEK. With CNC milling, large parts in particular can be manufactured for industry. The advantage here is that the plastic only has to be clamped once and several work steps can be carried out.
With waterjet parts, the main advantage is the lower temperatures compared to dry processing. Even if the water jet efficiently removes the material with a pressure of 6000 bar and a speed of 1000 m/s, the water cools so much at the same time that hardly any heat is generated that could negatively affect the material. Other ways to shape PEEK into a desired shape are by stamping, sawing, and drilling.
