PEEK: Ensinger extends its hollow rod portfolio

New online tool makes selection easier

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a sought-after material for demanding technical applications. Ensinger uses the high-performance plastic to produce, among other things, hollow rods, tubes and rings, which come in an increasing number of variations. In order to assist customers in selecting the appropriate product, Ensinger has developed the “Tube Selector”. The new online tool speeds up the ordering process and helps users to save material.

Ensinger manufacturers hollow rods, tubes and rings from TECAPEEK with wall thicknesses of 5 to 180 mm and external diameters of up to 2200 mm. The finely graduated dimensions, along with numerous plastic modifications and different manufacturing processes, give rise to around 4,000 different combinations. This range is unique on the market – no other manufacturer has such a varied selection of items to offer in this product area.

At its international production sites, Ensinger has specialised in a variety of processing methods in order to be able to manufacture products from TECAPEEK with different dimensions. The hollow rods and tubes are produced using extrusion, compression moulding and rotational moulding techniques as well as injection moulding. The compression moulding technique permits sizes with thicker cross-sections and wall thicknesses. Rotational moulding – also referred to as the centrifugal casting method – also enables customised production of very thin-walled hollow rods, tubes and rings which are used for example in high-temperature sealing applications in the oil and gas industry.

“Tube Selector”: Save time and material using the “best match” principle

So that design engineers can go straight to the right product to meet their technical requirements, Ensinger is now providing a “Tube Selector” on its website. This convenient online tool is the first of its kind. With one click on the appropriate button on the homepage ensingerplastics.com, you can directly access the new service available. In the first step, the user specifies the material: unfilled (TECAPEEK natural), carbon fibre-reinforced (TECAPEEK CF30), glass fibre-reinforced (TECAPEEK GF30) or optimised for industrial applications involving bearings and wear and tear (TECAPEEK PVX). Alongside these materials, which are in particularly high demand, further modifications can be supplied. The Tube Selector’s two slide controls make it possible to define the internal and external diameters. Alternatively, numerical values can also be entered into the screen template. The selection provides information on the availability, minimum order quantity and production method.

The software indicates the best match in each case, i.e. which stock shape from Ensinger’s product portfolio most closely corresponds to the desired size. It is clear that machining companies can reduce scrap material if they use the Tube Selector.

Variety in the manufacturing methods too

TECAPEEK combines material advantages which also come into effect at elevated temperatures: these include outstanding material properties such as dimensional stability and wear resistance, but also high chemical resistance. The thermoplastic material is therefore regarded as an almost universally usable starting material for all components exposed to high stresses.