Delrin vs. UHMW: Exploring the Battle of Engineering Plastics

UHMW and Delrin are synthetic solid materials that do not stick together much. UHMW is known for being strong and not reacting with chemicals, while Delrin is known for being stiff and not changing shape.

UHMW is immune to most chemicals, bacteria, and UV light, but it does not have the same resistance to creep as Delrin. Both materials are often used in manufacturing gears, bearings, and wear strips, among other things.

Delrin: Everything you need to know

Polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal and by the brand name Delrin, is a material for injection molding and machining. It is an engineering-grade thermoplastic with a semi-crystalline structure, excellent physical stability, high strength, a wide temperature range, and low friction. Delrin has many great qualities that make it ideal for making precise and long-lasting parts.

Common characteristics of Delrin

Delrin plastics have many qualities that make them useful for many uses. This plastic is strong and stays in its original shape to be used for a long time. Here are some common characteristics of Delrin plastics:

Delrin can stand up to wear and chemicals.
It’s rigid and lasts a long time.
They are resistant to moisture and take in little water.
This plastic is very good at keeping its shape.
Low friction is a trait of Delrin plastics.

Common Applications of Delrin

Delrin is an industrial thermoplastic that can be used for many different things. So, it is often used in parts that need to be precise and have low surface friction, stiffness, and good physical stability. Delrin can also keep its shape and size even if it is subject to changes in humidity and temperature. Delrin can be used for many different things, including:

Electrical equipment
Automotive industry
Industrial equipment
Consumer goods
Medical equipment

Advantages of Delrin

Delrin plastics can make parts and components for various devices and tools. These parts can work well with other factors in the same system.
It makes parts and pieces that last a long time, are strong, and are not too heavy.
Delrin plastic materials can also be used to make parts that can handle poisons, wear and tear, moisture, water leaks, and other environmental damage.
This material keeps its size and shape well, so you do not have to worry about your parts and pieces getting bent or out of shape as you use them.
They can be used to make both small and large parts and components in many different fields.

Disadvantages of Delrin

You can not put other things together with Delrin plastics.
Delrin plastics also need to stand up better to acids.
They can be very explosive, and a regular fire extinguisher will have trouble putting out a fire made by them.

UHMW: Everything you need to know

UHMW is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic made of long chains. It is a very thick form of polyethylene. UHMW is made when molecules of ethylene stick together. The molecules that make up UHMW are much longer than those that make up other types of polyethylene. These molecules can act as catalysts and usually have positively charged metal ions between negatively charged cyclopentadienyl anions.

UHMW can be made into a sheet, stick, strip, or tube by pressing, sintering, ram extruding, or gel spinning. It was quickly seen as a flexible material that could be used in many ways.

Common Characteristics of UHMW

High resistance to being hit
Material that saves money
Chemicals do not damage it very much.
A very low coefficient of friction
Insufficient capacity to hold water

Common Applications of UHMW

UHMW is used in a lot of different ways, from industry to medicine to wire and cable:

Application for transportation, such as truck boxes, bins, and hoppers.
Putting together tools
Cords and ropes
Chemical business
Parts with pores and a screen
The auto business
Machines for making food and drinks
Equipment for mining and preparing minerals
Moving large amounts of stuff
Sports and fun activities like skydiving, skiing, swimming, and fishing.
Civil engineering and tools for moving dirt

Advantages of UHMW

Some of the advantages of UHMW are:

Excellent stress resistance and good crack resistance
15 times more resistant to wear from scratching than carbon steel.
It is 40% stronger than yarns made of Aramid.
It resists most alkalis, acids, organic solvents, degreasing agents, and electrical attacks.
Smooth electrical features.
UHMW is self-lubricating, with a very low coefficient of friction.
Low specific gravity so that it will float.

Disadvantages of UHMW

UHMW may become brittle at low temperatures, and at high temperatures, it may lose some of its strength to impact. This makes it not a good choice for places with very high temperatures.

Comparison Between Delrin Vs. UHMW

Material	Delrin	UHMW
Short description	Delrin is a very flexible engineering polymer that was the first acetal resin in the world.	Ultra High, Molecular Weight Polyethylene, is what UHMW stands for in short. It is sometimes called UHMW-PE as well.
What ingredients are used to make this	Delrin, also known as POM-H (homopolymer acetal), is a type of POM material. The other kind of POM material is POM-C (copolymer acetal).	Thermoplastic polyethylene includes ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE or UHMW). UHMWPE does not smell, taste, or harm you in any way.
Applications	Gears, bearings, bushings, wheels, fittings, and parts that keep electricity from moving through them are all common applications of Darlin.	UHMW is often used in belt scrapers, chain guides, idler rollers, sprockets, packing machinery parts, and gears because it is solid and durable.
Characteristics	Delrin plastic is strong, stiff, and immune to impact, creep, abrasion, friction, and wear and tear.	UHMW is rugged, smooth, and long-lasting, and it has a high tensile strength.
Pros	Due to its improved mechanical strength, Delrin is very resistant to wear and tear.	Some of the best things about UHMW are that it is strong, lasts long, and can take a lot of punishment.
Cons	Not a good choice for storing food because acidic foods can easily break it down.	There might be better material for parts that need to be very precise.

Final words

Delrin and UHMW Plastic are both popular engineering plastics for industrial parts with different physical properties. Delrin, also known as acetal, offers superior stiffness and dimensional stability, making it the preferred material for precision mechanical parts like gears and bearings. Its mechanical properties and machinability make it a popular choice in industries such as manufacturing and aerospace.

UHMW and Delrin are both highly regarded engineering plastics with unique strengths. Delrin, also known as acetal, offers superior stiffness and dimensional stability, making it the preferred material for precision mechanical parts like gears and bearings. Its mechanical properties and machinability make it a popular choice in industries such as manufacturing and aerospace. UHMW is an excellent choice for applications that require exceptional wear resistance, impact strength, and low friction. Its properties make it ideal for various industries such as automotive, construction, and medical.

If you don’t know how to choose, contact UVTECO for help. UVTECO is a leading supplier of Acetal plastic, UHMW Plastic, and machining services in China.