Durable Plastic for Tough Jobs

Wear-Resistant Plastic, Sliding Plastic, Abrasion-Resistant Plastic

What's in a name? Wear-resistant plastic has many uses. One of the most common ways to use plastic is to protect exposed surfaces. Often, it’s a cost-effective way to protect sensitive or expensive parts on machines, conveyor belts, or similar structures. There’s a large selection of different wear-resistant, sliding, and abrasion-resistant plastics. We at PlastShop have written a lot about wear-resistant plastic, and we'll certainly do it again. Describing the advantages and disadvantages of each plastic in a single article would be too extensive and quite boring, right? Therefore, in this blog series, we'll focus on specific product groups, so you, the reader, can explore the world of plastics in a structured way. In this article, we'll tell you more about PE Bulk, a high-performance polyethylene plastic that’s specifically designed to work well as a wear-resistant and sliding plastic. Compared to, for example, PE-1000 (a more traditional plastic variant), PE Bulk as a base material has an even higher molecular density. Imagine a chain built of molecules, where the molecules are even more compressed than in PE-1000. This produces a material that’s tougher and harder, which often results in a longer lifespan. In addition, the material is available with various additives that can further enhance its properties.

PE Bulk: The Plastic Family for Extreme Conditions

PE Bulk is a family of plastics for demanding environments. They have extremely low temperature resistance and very good sliding properties. By adding microscopic glass beads, you can achieve even higher abrasion resistance. Here’s an overview of the different materials in the PE Bulk family:

• PE Ultra HD
  Colors: RAL5003 (dark blue), RAL7031 (blue-gray)
  PE Ultra HD in its basic form is a wear-resistant plastic with very good sliding properties and high resistance to mechanical abrasion and impact. The material has very low moisture absorption, which makes it dimensionally stable even in humid environments. It also has high resistance to most chemicals and good sound-dampening properties. In addition, the material is approved for contact with food according to 2002/72/EC. Typical applications include conveyor belts, side guards, and various types of chain and belt guides. It’s also often used as lining on silos and other containers for various types of bulk materials.
• PE Ultra HD AST
  Color: RAL9005 (black)
  PE Ultra HD AST contains an additive of electrically conductive carbon. In addition to making the material antistatic, this additive makes the material black and more resistant to UV light. Therefore, this variant is suitable for outdoor use, for example, as lining on wagons and flatbeds. The antistatic properties also mean that fine dust isn’t attracted to the sheets.
• PE Bulk UV
  Color: RAL9005 (black)
  PE Bulk UV has an additive of lubricant that makes the material self-lubricating and gives it extremely good sliding properties. In addition, the material is both UV-resistant and antistatic, which further broadens its area of use. It was originally developed as wall cladding for conveyor belts in breweries, as they needed a material that cans and bottles could bounce against in the turns.
• PE Bulk Bead
  Color: Yellow/green
  PE Bulk Bead contains an additive of microscopic glass beads, which improves the material’s sliding and abrasion properties. This provides a material with extremely good durability even under very high abrasion stress.
• PE Bulk MoS²
  Color: Anthracite (no RAL designation)
  PE Bulk MoS² contains an additive of molybdenum disulfide (MoS²), a dry lubricant that provides improved sliding properties and makes the material self-lubricating. The material also becomes harder, which facilitates processing.

But Which Wear-Resistant Plastic Should I Choose?

Finding the right one isn’t always easy. For best results and economy, it’s important to spend some time choosing the right material. The PE Bulk series belongs to the premium segment for wear-resistant plastic. You as a project planner need to take several things into consideration before choosing a material. It may be good to think about expected lifespan, costs for maintenance and replacement of the wear-resistant plastic, and relate these to the purchase price. If you choose PE Bulk, you’ve chosen one of the highest-performing materials in the category. You can expect it to last longer than simpler solutions. Whether the higher purchase cost is justified varies from project to project. We at PlastShop help you find the right plastic. Want to discuss your project with us?