Plastic Products for Heavy Equipment Applications
Products for Strenghth, Wear, & Impact
About Heavy Equipment Industry Plastics
In the Heavy Equipment industry, each machine is carefully designed to deal with tremendous weight. Engineers strike a delicate balance between component strength and weight reduction. Every machine must be made with the most powerful materials available while preserving efficiency. While metal and glass have traditionally been used, plastic can increase safety, efficiency, and reliability throughout the Heavy Equipment industry. Heavy metals wear and prove ineffective over time, and even reinforced glass can shatter. Polymershapes’ vast inventory of performance plastics from the most trusted global brands features innovative solutions that improve operator safety and comfort, reduce machine maintenance, and decrease equipment’s environmental impact.
Plastics such as acetal don’t require lubrication, which can reduce maintenance costs and maximize part life. Reducing lubrication is also good for the environment, since lubrication runoff can pollute water sources. With its strength and versatility, cast nylon can increase the lifespan of equipment, especially mechanical components that come under high stress, like sheaves and pulleys, preventing inconvenient and potentially dangerous failures. Many mechanical gears wear away and break over time. While a variety of plastics can extend their life, Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s Ketron® PEEK features improved dimensional stability in the most demanding high temperature environments. Plastics can also be used in external components, such as windows and windshields. Traditional tempered glass is susceptible to cracking, and when one pane breaks, every other pane must be replaced. SABIC’s hard-coated LEXANâ„¢ polycarbonate is up to 250x stronger than glass and can be thermoformed to fit openings in existing equipment.Â
Making Job Sites Safer with Leading Manufacturer Partnerships
Polymershapes works with heavy equipment leaders throughout North America to find long-term plastic solutions specifically engineered for the requirements of their applications. Our key objectives include providing plastics that improve the longevity of heavy machinery and make job sites safer. As any operator knows, metal-on-metal parts are abrasively loud. Using plastic parts significantly reduces noise while extending part life due to the material’s superior wear characteristics. Plastic is also significantly more lightweight than metal, which reduces the fuel needed to run equipment and aids companies in their sustainability efforts. Most plastic offcuts are recyclable for additional sustainability. To learn more about how performance plastics maximize safety, efficiency, and reliability in the Heavy Equipment industry, contact one of our experts today.Â
We Offer A Variety of Fabrication & Customization Services to Perfectly Tailor Your Plastic Needs
Polymershapes also offers in-house fabrication of many parts used throughout the Heavy Equipment industry. Utilizing Polymershapes for your fabrication needs can save you money and labor, or help with overflow work if your machine shop is running behind. Reach out to discuss how we can machine your outrigger pads, sprockets, flanges, gears, bearings, bushings, and more!
We Offer A Variety of Frabrication & Customization Services to Perfectly Tailor Your Plastic Needs
Polymershapes also offers in-house fabrication of many parts used throughout the Heavy Equipment industry. Utilizing Polymershapes for your fabrication needs can save you money and labor, or help with overflow work if your machine shop is running behind. Reach out to discuss how we can machine your outrigger pads, sprockets, flanges, gears, bearings, bushings, and more!
Features & Benefits
Lightweight
•Wear Resistant
•Low Friction
•Impact Resistant
•Low Moisture Absorption
•Easy Fabrication
•Self Lubricating
Lightweight
Lightweight alternative to metal which improves fuel efficiency and decreases energy consumption.
Wear Resistant
Increases part life and reduces failure, replacement, and overall maintenance requirements.
Low Friction
Reduce wear and noise from mating parts.
Impact Resistant
Decreases potentially dangerous part failure, improving operator safety.
Low Moisture Absorption
Maintains shape and performance in humid conditions.
Easy Fabrication
Simplifies customization and reduces installation costs.
Self Lubricating
Minimizes lubrication needs and maintenance labor.
Applications
Bed Liners
A bed liner is a smooth surface added to protect truck and trailer beds from damage and speed the unloading process. Polypropylene and HDPE are both strong and durable lining materials with low friction properties that promote material flow. If the liners ever need to be replaced, both plastics can be easily recycled. For trucks that hold highly abrasive cargo, UHMW-PE offers better wear properties.
Boom Components
Booms are designed to extend and retract with minimal resistance and maximum strength. Jerking motions or material failure could have a devastating impact on operator safety. Materials like cast nylon and acetal feature incredibly high strength and dimensional stability. Anti-slip grades are also available to reduce stick-slip risks during boom operations.
Bushings & Bearings
Bushings and bearings act as a cushion between metal parts. They require a material that is tough and impact resistant, but also soft enough to be cushion-like. Nylon and acetal have the strength, durability, tensile strength, and noise abatement properties to make great bushings and bearings.
Chute Liners
Chute liners need to promote material flow while protecting the chute from damage. UHMW-PE is an impact resistant, lightweight alternative to metal that improves the overall efficiency of the machine by putting less strain on hydraulic systems, which in turn reduces overall maintenance and energy costs. Its low friction properties maximize material flow while generating less noise than most metal options.
Flanges
Pipe connections and flanges need to handle extreme pressure. Polypropylene and PVC are suitable for most moderate applications, while PEEK’s high-performance qualities make it better for more demanding or high-temperature situations.
Gears
Gear teeth must be able to handle constant pressure generated by adjacent gears working together or the whole machine might fail. Nylon and acetal feature incredible dimensional stability and won’t deform due to pressure or heat, leading to safe and long-lasting performance.
Outrigger Pads
Outrigger pads distribute the tremendous weight of heavy machinery to provide stability, playing a critical role in operator safety. Reprocessed HDPE has the strength to be used in low-weight lift systems. For heavy-duty outrigger pads, UHMW-PE provides additional strength. Nylon or phenolics may be the right choice for extreme environments. Ask your local Polymershapes about their ability to provide fabricated outrigger pads!
Pulley Systems
Pulleys operate under heavy tension and bear a lot of weight. Due to their strength, metals are commonly the go-to material for pulley wheels. However, nylon and acetal are lighter and don’t require as much lubrication. Cast nylon is an excellent material for rope sheaves as it performs well in high tension applications.
Sprockets
Sprockets are only as strong as their teeth, which can get bent or damaged as components travel through them. Nylon and acetal feature incredible stiffness and don’t bend or give easily. They’re also easy to machine, even into intricate designs with narrow teeth. Your local Polymershapes can even provide custom fabricated sprockets.Â
Star Wheels
Star wheels typically hold products and push them through an assembly line. Nylon and acetal’s strength and abrasion resistance make great long-term star wheels. For more demanding applications, polyurethane or UHMW-PE is often used.
Windshields & Rollover Protection
Windshields are designed to provide protection while preserving clarity. However, tempered glass is generally very heavy and prone to cracking or shattering. LEXAN hard-coated polycarbonate is a clear plastic specifically designed for the conditions that skid steers and tractors typically endure, which may include flying rocks or other projectiles. This grade of polycarbonate is coated to increase impact strength and protect the operator. It won’t be damaged by windshield wipers and is resistant to scratching, cracking, and other blemishes that may disrupt clarity. Specially formulated to improve visibility while reducing operator fatigue, it can also provide noise reduction, UV protection, and thermal insulation at half the weight of glass.Â
Other Applications
- Cushion pads
- Electrical and hydraulic line guides
- Engine Shrouds
- Grating and stair systems
- Guards and fenders
- Instrument panels
- Rollers
- Seals and gaskets
- Slide bars and cam actuators
- Wear pads and strips
Products for Heavy Equipment Applications
Polyurethane (PU)
Rigid polyurethane (PU) delivers a broad range of chemical resistance along with superior impact strength.
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