Drake Plastics now extrudes 6″ (152.4mm) diameter Torlon 4203 rod, extending its wide range of Torlon machinable shapes. This rod enables Torlon to be used for additional critical applications including thermal isolators, electrical insulators, valve seats, wheels, baffles and gears. The larger diameter improves yield, reducing the cost to produce parts.
CYPRESS, Tex., October 18, 2011— Drake Plastics Ltd. Co. now extrudes 6” (152.4mm) diameter Torlon 4203 rod, extending its wide range of Torlon machinable shapes. In early 2011, Drake’s technology team undertook this challenge after receiving inquiries from potential customers. Drake’s 6” diameter rod is the largest extruded Torlon manufactured worldwide and is currently available from stock.
This rod enables Torlon to be used for additional critical applications including thermal isolators, electrical insulators, valve seats, wheels, baffles and gears. The larger diameter improves yield, reducing the cost to produce parts previously machined from extruded plate or compression-molded polyimide and polyamide- imide shapes. Torlon 4203 has exceptionally low thermal conductivity, outstanding mechanical strength and very high dielectric strength. Machinists and design engineers have long recognized the value of extruded shapes to deliver precision parts quickly and economically.
Drake Plastics continues to lead the industry in the development and delivery of custom Torlon products including large rod, plate and Seamless Tube® for machining. Drake works in close cooperation with Solvay Specialty Polymers, the sole resin producer of Torlon PAI, to identify and serve new applications in aerospace, electronics and petroleum exploration and production.
Founded as a niche converter and technical marketer of specialty high performance plastics, Drake continues its tradition of adding new products to enhance the performance of customers’ products and processes. Steven Quance, President of Drake Plastics, has long contended, “If we build it, the applications will come.” As evidence, the newest application for this rod is a 6” diameter caster wheel used in autoclaves that cure advanced composites. The caster features a 6” V-groove wheel of Torlon 4203 with a high-performance Torlon 4275 bushing and thrust washers. The Torlon 4275 bushing offers long life, smooth operation and requires no lubrication. The non- metallic construction eliminates contamination from lubrication and undesirable particle generation from metal-to-metal contact between the wheel and track.
