Materials

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Part performance and cost efficiency is achieved through matching the right material to the right application. IPE can extrude the material you need for your application and we will do so to your exact standards. IPE can also perform fabrication and value-added processes such as bending, flaring, and precision cutting.

IPE can also develop the process to produce your custom shaping, forming, or secondary operation and/or work in conjunction with a fabricator to deliver your custom extrusion components.

We have the capability and experience to extrude most thermoplastics, from commodity resins up to engineering resins and including high end engineering resins or “ultra polymers”. Our knowledge of the wide variety of plastic types and grades aids in process development specific to your extrusion project as well as allows the insight necessary to aid in helping our customers choose the material and grade best suited to their application including physical, chemical and temperature properties, regulatory approvals and aesthetics.

Therm-Mats-2

Materials that we can process include:
  • TPE
  • TPV
  • Polyurethane
  • LDPE
  • LLDPE
  • PP
  • PEBA
  • PVDF
  • PC
  • HIPS
  • PEEK
  • PSU
  • PPSU
  • PAEK
  • PEI
  • SRP
  • Acetal
  • Polyethylene
  • ABS
  • Acrylic
  • PBT
  • Nylon
  • And more
International Polymer Engineering (IPE) is a supply and technology partner of Solvay Specialty Polymers. We routinely extrude several of Solvay’s Ultra Polymers like KetaSpire PEEK, PrimoSpire SRP, Radel PPSU and AvaSpire PAEK. These materials meet many of the most demanding requirements across several industries and enable designers and engineers to develop plastic components that further technology and applications.

While this is a fairly comprehensive list of most major thermoplastic families we can draw upon our extensive experience and creativity to process other materials and grades not listed here; as well as custom compounds and R&D materials.

Materials can be customized to meet you project specifications with additives like anti-static, radio-opacifiers, special effects, light transmission modifiers, and any Pantone color or custom color matches.

Design Considerations

While our general size ranges are a good guide of our capability we routinely go outside these limits to meet our customers custom extrusion needs. When developing a new extruded product it is good to keep in mind several important design considerations.

First, not all materials are suited to be extruded in all configurations. Differences between melt flow of the molten material, a material’s durometer or hardness, processing methods and the heating and cooling properties can all dictate the possibilities of extruding a particular material into a certain configuration. The extensive experience and knowledge of different extrusion processes and the vast array of thermoplastic materials and their properties allows IPE to offer the design information necessary to aid in your successful extruded part design.

Second, the most successful extrusion designs utilize a consistent wall thickness throughout the part. This ensures an even flow of material across the extrusion. While uneven wall thicknesses are possible and frequently done, they can add greatly to the cost and time involved in developing an extrusion.

Lastly, sometimes extrusions are considered “simple” or a less complex process or part and this is often not the case. When the first two design considerations are not taken into account, an extrusion can become needlessly complex. Involving the extrusion design team early on in your device or product design can eliminate some of these complexities but also extrusion design capabilities that your design team may not be aware of can simplify or add functionality to your overall product. At times the complexity of an extrusion cannot be avoided or is necessary and involving the extrusion design team early can give your team early warning of higher costs or extended development times that can ensure that your project is not met with any surprises and adheres to the time line.

International Polymer Engineering is a supply and technology partner of Solvay Specialty Polymers.

Contact IPE for assistance with your materials and application planning.