EnduroSharp® has changed the way aerospace maintenance professionals remove sealants and adhesives from substrates and fasteners.

Adhesively bonded nutplates are increasingly being utilized in the manufacture of aerospace structures, with extensive use in securing removable maintenance access panels.

Traditionally, aerospace maintenance professionals prepared nutplates using manual methods such as abrading files or grinders.  This proved very inefficient because the abrading was often uneven,  leading to adhesively bonded nutplate failure.  While rotary abrasion tools (RATs) where better, they were often bulky and expensive.

That’s why EnduroSharp® developed the Nutplate Abrasion Tool (NAT).   Precisely designed to work with adhesively bonded nutplates, the product consists of a aluminum upper and lower handle and 4 nutplate base inserts.  The product is packaged in a convenient, rugged case which is handy for transporting.

Performance Plastics is a custom precision injection molder of high performance, tight tolerance thermoplastic components. We specialize in geometrically complex precision parts that consist of chemically inert materials. Our expertise led to the development of our patented EnduroSharp® line of Aircraft Maintenance Tools.

For more information on the EnduroSharp® Nutplate Abrasion Tool,  or any of our EnduroSharp® product line, please contact Rich Reed at [email protected] or visit our website at www.performanceplastics.com.

 

Operation of the Nutplate Abrasion Tool

Torlon Performance Plastic component

Torlon Performance Plastic component

Highly engineered plastic formulations can achieve higher strength to weight ratios than traditional lightweight alloys such as aluminum and titanium.

Torlon® polyamide-imide is the highest performance plastic that is still melt processible, making it ideal for complex geometries.  Torlon® possesses a 500°F heat distortion temperature and a 500°F continuous service temperature allowing for usage at elevated temperatures while maintaining superior strength. Its ability to resist distortion under high temperature makes it perfect for industrial applications.

Long term reliability under strenuous conditions makes Torlon® ideal for load bearing, sealing and isolation applications.  The material provides significant advantages over metals when corrosion is an issue.   Torlon® has demonstrated superior resistance to degradation when exposed to elements such as PH levels and radiation.

At Performance Plastics, we are experts in injection molding, specializing in high performance plastics.  Torlon® is a reactive polymer, which can cause complications during the injection molding process. A specific set of conditions, equipment, and processing procedures must be followed to effectively injection mold Torlon®. Our proprietary tool design software, processes and equipment enable us to injection mold components having complex geometries made from challenging ultra, high-performance thermoplastic materials, and reinforced compounds.

We utilize a unique combination of extensive material knowledge, mold flow analysis, a design system and process expertise to eliminate or minimize the need for secondary operations. Our expertise in process control allows us to effectively injection mold Torlon® in parts with extremely complex industrial applications. This gives us the ability to provide an injection molded part made from the highest strength and stiffness of any commercial thermoplastic.

Torlon® is one of the many high performance polymers Performance Plastics specializes.  For more information on Performance Plastic’s capabilities, please contact Rich Reed, our Vice President of Sales and Marketing at 513.321.8404 or email at [email protected]

 

 

EnduroSharp® has changed the way aerospace maintenance professionals remove sealants and adhesives from substrates and fasteners.

Adhesively bonded nutplates are increasingly being utilized in the manufacture of aerospace structures, with extensive use in securing removable maintenance access panels.

Precisely  designed to work with adhesively bonded nutplates, EnduroSharp® tools are made from Torlon®, a high strength polymer, creating non-metallic tools that will not damage composite structures during use.

The EnduroSharp® ABNIR Surface Prep Kit features a selection of commonly used tools with an improved design. Featuring a specifically designed multi-layer case, it is easy and efficient tool kit for use in aircraft repair. The tools are ideal to remove adhesives, sealants and coatings from aircraft structures.

The patented EnduroSharp® lineup consists of a variety of scraper blades, gap blades, reamers, cutter, bits, and discs for removal of substances on aircraft, windmill blades, boat/marine and automotive.

Performance Plastics is a custom precision injection molder of high performance, tight tolerance thermoplastic components. We specialize in geometrically complex precision parts that consist of chemically inert materials. Our expertise led to the development of our patented EnduroSharp® line of Aircraft Maintenance Tools.

For more information on the EnduroSharp®  ABNIR Surface Prep Kit,  or any of our EnduroSharp® product line, please contact Rich Reed at [email protected] or visit our website at www.performanceplastics.com.

The ability to mold unique and complex parts is what we do at Performance Plastics. Our engineers are constantly pushing the limits of our machines and material in order to produce complex parts. We excel when using high performance plastics for challenging applications.

Air motors produce continuous rotary power from compressed air. The vanes in the rotor cause the rotor to spin by sliding in and out when air is pushed into the rotor. The force differential created by the unbalanced force of air on the vanes causes the rotor to spin in one direction. Vanes are extremely important when it comes to how the motor performs. The torque of the motor correlates to the vane surfaces and pressure of the air. Vanes undergo a lot of friction wear and pressure, making material choice for this project challenging.

Vanes need to be made from material that have high strength, low creep, resistance to high temperatures, low friction wear and resistant to water and organic compounds. Any deformity or wear in the vane will take away from the torque of the motor. Therefore, we had to choose a high-performance plastic that will be able to handle the pressure of the compression inside the rotor without wearing or hindering the movement of the vane. The only two high performance plastic materials that fit the criteria are PEEK and Torlon®, two materials that we are experts in using at Performance Plastics. The mechanical properties in these high-performance plastics will allow for the vane effectively slide in and out of the rotor without causing damage to the vane.

To learn more about how Performance Plastics can help you with your project, contact Rich Reed, our Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or [email protected].