Peek use in Semi-Conductor Applications – Wafer Manufacturing

February 7, 2023  |  , , ,

 

PEEK is short for polyether ether ketone. These polymers are notable for their phenylene rings and oxygen bridges, which result in resilience, durability, and strength.

Wafer manufacturing is a term used to describe the process of creating chips, otherwise known as integrated circuits, which are used in everyday devices.  You will find chips in everything from cars to military jets.  PEEK is great for semiconductor applications because of its outstanding combination of physical properties.

  • Longer Lifetime – CMP (chemical-mechanical positioning) rings made with PEEK can provide less downtime, and more throughput with up 2x wear resistance compared to other materials.
  • Potential Yield Enhancement – Low particle generation and higher purity, resulting in lower outgassing and extractives that may lead to yield improvements
  • Faster Process – PEEK endures proceseess with up to 260° and harsh chemicals, which allos for faster processing and less cooling time.

Semiconductor equipment manufacturers use PEEK screws and fasteners in wet benches. Chip manufacturers use hydrofluoric acid which is a corrosive chemical that can damage metals. Since PEEK is chemical-resistant, chip manufacturers are utilizing PEEK screws. These screws are used in the production of ICU’s since they are a high-purity material and possess low-outgas properties. PEEK is also used to manufacture manifolds for semiconductor production equipment.

Performance Plastics’ team of experienced engineers possess the expertise to design and manufacture technically challenging projects and offer complex solutions within the semiconductor industry.

For more information on how Performance Plastics can assist in your material selection challenges, please contact Rich Reed, VP Sales & Marketing at 513.321.8404 or rreed@performanceplastics.com.

 

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EnduroSharp® offers a sustainable approach to Aircraft Maintenance

December 13, 2022  |  ,

Sustainable aviation maintenance is a multi-disciplinary objective that seeks solutions to improve the environmental and societal impacts of air transportation.

Maintenance activities have environmental impacts including the production of waste and disposal of end-of-life parts. According to aviation experts, aircraft maintenance is of significant environmental impact and cannot be neglected. Corporate responsibility forces aircraft manufacturers and maintainers to take into account these impacts and develop some solutions to minimize the environmental impacts of the maintenance phase.

Maintenance professionals highlight the importance of safety and reliability in developing maintenance tasks and cycles. Manufacturers need to source efficient and practical solutions to meet the requirements of safety and reliability. But at the same time, the need to minimize life cycle costs while preventing or limiting harmful impacts to the environment. This goal can be achieved by defining objectives including making longer-life parts, utilizing reusable tools, and limiting harmful impacts on the environment during maintenance.

EnduroSharp® is a line of products used to repair and maintain aircraft structures that are reusable and resharpenable. The product line consists of non-metallic material removal tools that will not damage aircraft during the process of removing sealants, adhesives, and coatings. The EnduroSharp® nonmarring aircraft maintenance tools are made from Torlon®, a high-performance plastic that creates a durable tool that will hold a superior edge. Creating an effective tool for aircraft maintainers, that will not damage aircraft structures, like aluminum and composite allows your aircraft structures to last longer.

For more information on our EnduroSharp® Product Line contact Rich Reed, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or RReed@performanceplastics.com.

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Fluoropolymers may be the solution to the Medical Glass Shortage

November 10, 2022  |  , , , ,

The shortage of glass has been an ongoing issue. Experts say the price of glass is on the rise as global supply chain issues continue throughout the world.  The glass shortage affects all industries that rely on glass for their containers, but right now, with the convergence of annual flu, the emergence of new COVID variants (Omicron), and the outbreak of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) in children, the medical field is in dire need of glass for vials.

Silicon, which is one of the materials that is used in glass manufacturing has been in short supply for over a year.  Medical vials are made of Type I borosilicate glass, and this form uses the most silicon. The decreases in the recycling rates during the pandemic, are additionally hurting the production of glass vials.

Fluoropolymers such as FEP, PFA, and PCTFE are great alternative materials for glass. These fluoropolymers are superior to conventional plastics. Their inert, non-reactive, and unmatched durability makes their properties ideal for use in the medical industry. These fluoropolymers are also non-stick, ensuring the product does not adsorb to surfaces. They are also virtually impervious to chemical, enzyme, and microbiological attacks. All the benefits of FEP, PFA, and PCTFE make these fluoropolymers a perfect material to create vials out of, especially since they are injection moldable.

At Performance Plastics, we have extensive experience in injection molding fluoropolymers. We have developed proprietary tooling and processes enabling the injection molding of small, thin-walled, complex parts. Our expertise in fluoropolymers and injection molding can be the solution to the shortage of glass.

For more information on how to use fluoropolymers as your glass shortage solution contact Rich Reed, our Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or RReed@performanceplastics.com.

 

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PEEK For Industrial Applications

October 18, 2022  |  , ,

gears made out of Ryton plastic

PEEK is a high-performance engineering plastic with outstanding resistance to harsh chemicals, excellent mechanical strength, and dimension stability. PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) is an organic thermoplastic polymer, comprised of a semi-crystalline structure which gives it a strong chemical structure.

PEEK is an excellent choice for industrial applications because of its ability to resist harsh conditions:

Resistant to a Wide Range of Chemicals: 

PEEK performs in the toughest chemical environments, capable of resisting more than 140 types of acids, bases, oils, liquids, salts, and elements.

 Immense Temperature Resistance: 

PEEK has an extremely high melting point at 662 °F. It can be used in applications with temperatures up to 482 °F. 

 Extended Resistance to Hydrolysis Process: 

Hydrolysis refers to the chemical process where water is added to a substance. PEEK has the ability to withstand exposure to steam and water for long periods of time without degrading.

 Great Durability: 

PEEK is tough, stiff, and extremely strong.  It has the capability to withstand friction and can perform for long periods of time without suffering from wear and tear.

PEEK is an optimal choice for industrial applications. Most industries see PEEK as the preferred material for parts that are used in extremely harsh application industries. These include oil and gas, mining, heavy equipment, and renewable energy.

Performance Plastics’ team of experienced engineers possesses the expertise to design and manufacture technically challenging projects and offer complex solutions within harsh application industries.

For more information on how Performance Plastics can assist in your material selection challenges, please contact Rich Reed, VP Sales & Marketing at 513.321.8404 or rreed@performanceplastics.com.

 

 

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EnduroSharp® Awarded GSA Contract with the Federal Government

October 4, 2022  |  , , ,

Performance Plastics is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule Contract with the federal government for our EnduroSharp®   Torlon® non-marring aircraft maintenance tools. The GSA is the centralized authority for the acquisition and management of federal government resources. GSA Schedule Contracts assist federal employees in purchasing products and services.

To be approved for a GSA contract, companies must go through a rigorous process of review that takes months, if not years. The requirements include that the company meet some basic standards of strength and reliability. It must have been in business for at least two years, must be able to demonstrate financial stability, must have successful past performance under its belt, and must be compliant with the Trade Agreements Act.

Additionally, a Dun & Bradstreet Open Ratings Past Performance Evaluation report must be done. This report is an in-depth review of a company’s past performance, which uses Dun & Bradstreet’s own data and analytic resources together with direct customer survey responses to compile a full picture.

Performance Plastics is proud to say that our proposal was approved and can now make our EnduroSharp®  tools available to the federal government’s various agencies and employees.

“We are thrilled to have received this contract with GSA and view it as an opportunity to expand our business into new, but not unfamiliar, areas,” said Rich Reed, VP of Sales & Marketing.  “PPL has supported federal projects for many years.  Through this GSA contract, we now can extend that support even further within the Government sector.”

Our offerings will now be available on the GSAAdvantage! federal online catalog, making them accessible to hundreds of federal customers, including federal and executive agencies, the Department of Defense, the government of the District of Columbia, government contractors authorized to spend federal dollars, and other institutions and organizations that support the federal government.

 

 

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PEEK® for Aerospace/Defense Applications

September 26, 2022  |  , ,

PEEK or polyetheretherketone belongs to a family of polymers called polyketones or iPAEKs.  This means that is it built from the following building blocks:

  • ARYL
  • ETHER
  • KETONE

PEEK is one of the highest performing thermoplastics in the world.  Compared to metals, PEEK based materials are very light weight, easily shaped, resistant to corrosion and have considerably higher specific strength (strength per unit weight).

PEEK is optimal for aerospace applications because although it is a thermoplastic, it boasts heat resistance, little to no reaction against harmful chemicals and radiation, and comparable tensile and load strength to that of titanium and steel while being many times lighter.

PEEK® does not offer merely two or three properties that mark it as the polymer of choice for aerospace/defense; it has a whole variety of them.  They include:

  • High heat resistance

Tests have shown that PEEK polymer has a continuous use temperature of 260°C (500°F). This can make it suitable for use in a wide range of thermally aggressive environments.  PEEK tolerates friction and resists wear in dynamic applications like thrust washers and seal rings.

  • Chemically unreactive

PEEK resists the damage that can be inflicted in chemically aggressive operational environments. It can resist jet fuel, hydraulic fluids, de-icers and insecticides used in the aerospace industry.  This holds true over wide ranges of pressure, temperature, and time.

  • Mechanically strong

PEEK offers excellent strength and stiffness over a wide temperature range.  PEEK-based composites have specific strength many times that of metals and alloys.  “Creep” refers to a material becoming permanently deformed over an extended period when under constant applied stress. “Fatigue” refers to the brittle failure of a material under a repeated cyclic loading.  PEEK has both high creep and fatigue resistance thanks to its semi-crystalline structure and has been shown to be more durable than many other polymers and some metals over a long and useful lifetime.

  • Difficult to ignite or burn

PEEK has excellent flammability performance.  It resists combustion up to almost 600°C.  When it can be made to burn at very high temperatures, it will not support combustion and it emits little smoke. This is one reason why PEEK is widely used in commercial aircraft.

Aerospace/defense part manufacturers now use PEEK as a way to improve the weight and durability of their parts.  PEEK is a standard high-performance plastics in the aerospace/defense industry applications.

Performance Plastics’ team of experienced engineers possess the expertise to design and manufacture technically challenging projects and offer complex solutions within the aerospace/defense industries.

For more information on how Performance Plastics can assist in your material selection challenges, please contact Rich Reed, VP Sales & Marketing at 513.321.8404 or rreed@performanceplastics.com.

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Teflon®- Why Machine when you can Injection Mold

September 13, 2022  |  , , , , ,

Performance Plastics specializes in the precision injection molding of technically complicated parts in advanced materials, eliminating the need to machine.

High performance plastic materials offer ideal properties when it comes to durability. Resins like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE/Teflon®) are known for their dielectric strength, low dissipation, chemical resistance, outstanding performance at elevated temperatures, and levels of coefficient friction. However, these unique properties can make molding some fluoropolymers quite difficult. Performance Plastics has found a way to offer the benefits of these materials by injection molding alternate fluoropolymers such as FEP and PFA.

At Performance Plastics, we are experts at precision injection molding. We have developed proprietary tool design software, processes and equipment enabling us to injection mold components having complex geometries made from challenging high-performance thermoplastic materials (PFA/FEP/PEEK®/PTFE/Teflon®) and highly loaded 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.

Switching from machining parts to injection molding parts can be very beneficial. Not only does injection molding help lower costs, but it also allows for highly efficient production, complexity in part design, and enhanced part strength. Injection molding produces uniformity, the ability to make millions of virtually identical parts.

Injection molding isn’t for every project, but it can be cost beneficial for applications producing more than 10,000 pieces of the same part year over year. At Performance Plastics, we serve a variety of industries, from medical & life science, aerospace & defense to diversified industrial.

To learn about how precision injection molding can replace machined parts, contact Rich Reed, our Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or RReed@performanceplastics.com.

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FEP Uses in Semiconductor Manufacturing

September 6, 2022  |  , , ,

Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) is a copolymer of hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoro ethylene that is chemically resistant, electrically stable, insulating and possesses useful low shielding properties.  It is easily formable and was developed as a melt processable material.

Semiconductors are the brains of electronics, enabling advances in countless applications and emerging technologies. The application of semiconductor devices can be found in almost every technology today, ranging from cars, phones, computers and much more. The manufacturing of semiconductors and semi-conductor related products require reliable, high purity materials that can survive harsh operating conditions.  The correct solution can increase production efficiency, reduce power requirements and increase process reliability.

FEP coatings are well suited for applications in the semiconductor industry where they are used in the manufacture of wafer carriers, sensors, seals, fittings and pump parts which are optimal for transporting high-purity chemicals in semiconductor manufacturing.

Key Material Properties for Semiconductor Applications

  • Reliable mechanical performance
  • Low levels of total organic carbon
  • High performance in pure deionized water
  • Low permeation rates
  • Resistance to both dry and wet process

For more information on FEP uses in Semiconductor manufacturing, please contact Rich Reed, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at 513.321.8404 or rreed@performanceplastics.com

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The real cost of making an injection mold

August 9, 2022  |  , , , ,

When starting to produce a new product, it’s important to decide on the type of process you will use for the manufacturing process.  While injection molding is a very cost-effective process, the initial startup cost of the mold is often a barrier of entry.

Injection molding is a manufacturing process that is very efficient for producing parts in large volume.  It is typically used in the mass production process where the same part is being created in the thousands or even millions.

Upfront costs tend to be very high due to the design, testing, and tooling requirements.  If you are going to produce parts in high volumes, you want to make sure you get the design correct the first time. So, what are the costs associated with producing an injection mold?

  • Choice of Resin

One of the biggest factors that effect the price of the plastic injection molding process is the type of plastic resin used in manufacturing.  The choice of material will change the price based on color, compounding, and additives.  The most abrasive or corrosive the material, the most expensive the mold.

  • Complexity

The more intricate the component, the more difficult it is to design the manufacturing process.  Part complexity, tolerances, number of undercuts as well as surface finish all effect the cost.

  • Size

The size of the component also drives the price.  Larger parts require larger, more expensive molds, as well as more material to manufacture.  Larger molds also take longer to make, which increases the costs.

  • Mold Material

The material the mold is made from significantly impacts the price.  Short production molds are usually made from less expensive materials such as aluminum.  Long production molds require molds made from more durable and expensive materials like steel that will retain their features across several years.

  • Cavities

The higher the number of cavities – the higher the production costs.  Experienced mold designers can maximize cavitations to enhance productivity and lower costs even for the most intricate parts and components.

  • Mold Base

The base of the mold is the case used for holding all the components, inserts and cavities of the mold.  The price of the mold base depends on the type of steel and the size of the mold.

At Performance Plastics, we know how important it is to make the correct decisions when designing a mold.  We have a team of process experts who work with our clients to design and assist in the mold process. We focus on the total cost of ownership of a mold, production capacity, longevity, functionality, as well as initial capital expense.

To learn more about how Performance Plastics can help you with your molding process, contact Rich Reed, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or RReed@performanceplastics.com.

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EnduroSharp® Torlon® Aircraft Maintenance Tools – Why Use a Pneumatic Tool

July 27, 2022  |  , , ,

EnduroSharp® has improved the way aerospace maintenance professionals remove sealants and adhesives from substrates and fasteners.  EnduroSharp® resharpenable, non-marring tools are made from Torlon®, a high strength polymer, creating a non-metallic blade tool that will not damage composite structures during use.

Many of our EnduroSharp® tools can be used in conjunction with a pneumatic tool.  A pneumatic tool is one that’s driven with the assistance of compressed air rather than electricity.  Pneumatic tools rely on air compressors to provide a burst of air to perform its operation. A pneumatic tool can operate indefinitely as long as the attached air compressor can deliver the required volume and pressure without interruption.

Pneumatic Tools are very strong air powered tools and provide the user with a tremendous amount of labor and time saving torque.

Pneumatic tools provide many advantages:

  • Main advantage is they are far less expensive than their electric alternatives.
  • Provide a degree of safety in wet areas where electric motors can be dangerous.
  • Lighter in weight than their electric counterparts.
  • Pneumatic tools can deliver large amounts of torque or operate for long durations of time.
  • More flexible than electric – nearly all air-driven tools use the same ¼” quick connect fittings.

Generally, pneumatic tools are smaller, more versatile, easy-to-use and safer than traditional electric tools.  Since pneumatic tools are usually lighter, the user is able to have better control and experience less fatigue and strain.  They are also able to withstand various elements such as dust, heat and water better than electric tools.

The EnduroSharp® Pneumatic Tool for Scraper Blades is just one of the many products offered in the EnduroSharp® Product line. Contact Rich Reed,  Vice President of Sales and Marketing, at (513) 321-8404 or RReed@performanceplastics.com, for more information.

 

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