Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: Victrex | Subject: Victrex Peek
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 31 December 2002
Polymer helps with new-wave hydraulics
When selecting a suitable polymer to use in critical bearing areas of its hydraulic equipment, Danfoss selected Victrex Peek polymer for its wear resistance, low friction and chemical compatibility.
Hydraulic systems using water as a pressure medium have been available since the mid-1990s More recently, their diversity and breadth of application have grown significantly
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 5 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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At the forefront of the water hydraulics field is Danfoss from Nordburg, Denmark, with its Nessie water hydraulics systems.
Using water as a pressure medium presented Danfoss with a wide range of new challenges, not least because just as the quality of air in pneumatic systems and oil in oil hydraulic systems is important, the quality of the water used has important implications on the quality and lifetime of water hydraulics.
Water hydraulics are designed to be flexible and work with a wide range of water types and sources, making the selection of suitable materials of construction very important.
When selecting a suitable polymer to use in critical bearing areas of the hydraulic equipment, which are in contact with stainless steel with water as a 'lubricant', Danfoss evaluated a wide range of alternatives but selected Victrex Peek polymer because it was the only material to offer the right combination of wear resistance, low friction and chemical compatibility.
Water hydraulics systems from Danfoss are now used extensively in the food industry, fire fighting equipment, environmental systems, high pressure cleaning equipment and air conditioning systems.
They offer the advantage of enhanced reliability, environmental compatibility and lower running costs.
The selection of Victrex Peek polymer was vital to the success of the development of these new systems.Victrex Peek polymer, a semicrystalline thermoplastic from the polyetherketone family, provides high strength, stiffness and ductility for a wide range of components in demanding applications.
In this application, the ability to run for prolonged periods of time as a bearing against steel in the 'hostile' aqueous environment makes Victrex Peek polymer the natural choice of Danfoss.
In the water hydraulics pump, Victrex Peek polymer is used in several bearings, the port plate and piston ball joint.
In addition, the Victrex Peek polymer also provides the ease of processing required to achieve the low wall thicknesses and permit the overmoulding of metal inserts in these complex components.
The ease of processing Victrex Peek polymer was also vital for this application where some thin sections and difficult overmouldings are required.
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