Polyethylene Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight (abbreviation: PE UHMW, RCH 1000 or PE 1000) is the highest grade PE, a very easy to process engineering plastic (thermoplastic), has like all PE grades with approx. 0.95 g/cm³ (PVC = 1.4 / PA = 1.14 / POM = 1.39 / PTFE = 2.2), has the second-lowest weight of all high-quality engineering plastics and thus alone offers a very interesting price basis (compared to POM, PEEK, PTFE, PVC). The water absorption of PE 1000 is 0.0% (better than PA), the modulus of elasticity is low 800 N/mm², however, the material is very attractive due to its high resistance to alkalis and acids (better than POM, PA, PVC), self-lubricating effect (comparable to PTFE) and easy plastic processing (cutting to size, milling, turning, water jet cutting, welding – no evaporation as with PVC) a very popular material for technical plastic parts in mechanical engineering (PE-UHMW) subject to wear and abrasion (highest wear resistance and notched impact strength), as linings in the form of sheets or blanks for bulk material containers, but also especially as cutting boards in the food industry or in private households (physiologically harmless – FDA approval).

In addition to the good properties mentioned above, PE UHMW is superior to many other engineering plastics. Compared to PVC, which also resists many chemical substances, PE 1000 has about 45% less weight and no toxic gases are produced either during machining or during combustion. Wear resistance and notched impact strength are many times higher compared to PA, POM, PEEK, PVC or PTFE.  Compared to PA, POM and PEEK, the sliding properties are much higher, only PTFE is about the same. Compared to PP, PE-UHMW is also much more resistant to cold (PPH has its glass transition temperature at approx. 0°C, PP CoPo at approx. -40°C). Contact with food is harmless due to FDA approval. Also, PE-UHMW does not absorb water, which is a problem for PA in many applications. In terms of price, PE-UHMW is usually far more attractive than PA, POM, PEEK, PVC or PTFE. Note : The only weakness of PE UHMW is its static strength. Usually you have to support this material by design and cannot e.g. design plates / components with wide support distance from it and have to avoid high surface pressures

PE UHMW is a material that flows poorly in the melt and is similar to rubber. This means that the material cannot be injection molded (insufficient flowability) and the only remaining option is the production of sheets, blanks and round rods as semi-finished products. Plates are produced in the pressing process (as in cake baking, the powder is filled into molds and melted at temperatures >200 degrees under high pressure and then cooled down again under pressure). The advantage of pressed sheets compared to extruded sheets of other materials such as PE 300, PVC, POM, PA or PP is the relatively low stress in the sheet. The sheets then have a press-finished tolerance of about +/- 2 and are usually planed to +/- 0.2 mm tolerance. Ram extrusion of the round bars is also very low stress, since in this process a small amount of material is repeatedly pressed / melted onto the existing round bars in the machine and the material is not subjected to large stresses during melting. If the plates are not used as blanks in wear protection, the plates or blanks are usually milled into finished parts, and the round bars are turned into drawing parts (good machinability with woodworking machines is given). PE 1000 cannot be pressed onto sheets in thicknesses of 1-7 mm, so a special process is used here. Thicker pressed sheets are cut / peeled in thickness and so there are also PE UHMW sheets in thicknesses of 1-7 mm for special applications. Our own residues such as planing waste or offcuts from blanks can be ground again and pressed into high-quality PE 1000 reclaimed sheets.

PE UHMW can also be pressed like the other polyethylene types (sheets up to 200 mm thick).

Round rods and welding rods can be produced like PVC, POM, PA, PVDF or PP. Welding rod is available in various cross-sections such as round or triangular.

We offer pressed sheets and blanks of polyethylene 1000 with thicknesses (thickness) up to 280 mm void-free and low-stress, justified by the above-mentioned production process, as well as blanks and molded parts / technical plastic parts (milled parts, turned parts) from polyethylene sheets or rods. Mostly the pressed sheets are pressed in large sheets , e.g. 4 x 2 m and divided according to your wishes to smaller standards or cuttings to size. The boards are usually planed and have a very good tolerance in thickness. The round bars are supplied with a tolerance in the plus range.

The degree of utilization decides the final price of the required blank, we can grind in leftovers and press them into PE UHMW regenerated sheets (usually green, black or colored, natural is not possible with regenerated without defects).

Standard colors PE UHMW semi-finished products are natural, green & black (Note : there is no transparent version as known from e.g. Makrolon), but special colors are possible from corresponding minimum quantities of 1.000 – 2.000 kg. PE UHMW plastic sheets are characterized by a high variation possibilities like Polyethylene UHMW electrically conductive (PE UHMW el), Polyethylene UHMW radiation absorbing, Polyethylene UHMW antistatic (PE UHMW ast), PE UHMW with liquid or solid lubricants or as UV resistant version as PE UHMW UV. Ask us, we will look for a solution for you too !

Delivery quantities of these polyethylene semi-finished products are as pressed sheets, also single pieces or cut to size, depending on whether standard PE UHMW or special PE UHMW with additives. Round bars are in stock in many formats and colors. For quotations on PE UHMW sheets, round bars, blanks or molded parts, just ask us, we will be happy to make you an offer.

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