UHMW Plastic in all forms

UHMW Sheets, Anti-Static UHMW Sheets, UHMW Rods, UHMW Tubes in stock, and Machining UHMW Service…

About UHMW Plastic

UHMW or UHMW-PE, full name is Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene, It is one of the most popular engineering plastics. The molecular weight ranges from 3.5 million to 100 million grams per mole. UHMWPE plastic is tasteless, nontoxic, and odorless. It is a highly cost-effective engineering plastic with excellent comprehensive physical properties, including toughness, wear resistance, and chemical resistance.

Compared with HDPE (high-density polyethylene), UHMW plastic has all the characteristics of HDPE. It offers the enhanced capability to be resistant to concentrated acids, alkalis, numerous organic solvents, and oxidizing acids. It is self-lubricating and has extremely low moisture absorption and a very low coefficient of friction, in some forms being 15 times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel.

Compared with Nylon and Acetal, UHMW plastic has a significantly lower coefficient of friction. And comparing with PTFE or Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene), UHMW plastic has better abrasion resistance.

UHMW-PE plastic works well from -40°C to 80°C (from -40°F to 176°F). The extrusion process produces sheets, rods, tubes, and special profiles, which can easily be fabricated and machined into UHMW parts by CNC machining centers, turning lathes, milling machines, etc.

Know More Information About UHMW-PE Plastic
UHMW Plastic

Specification about UHMW Plastic

Profile/Shape

  • Sheet
  • Film
  • Rod
  • Tube
  • Customized Profile

Grade

  • Virgin
  • Reprocessed UHMW
  • Anti-Static
  • Glass Filled
  • Oil Filled
  • Enhanced Bearing and ware
  • FDA Grade

Color

  • Nature (white)
  • Black
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Customized colors

Production process

  • Extrusion
  • Mould Pressing

UHMW sheet

  • Thickness: From 1 mm to 150 mm;
  • Width: From 1000 mm to 1500 mm;
  • Length: From 2000 mm to 5000 m;

UHMW Film

  • Thickness: From 0.3 mm to 4 mm;
  • Width: Up to 400 mm;
  • Length: Custom;

UHMW Rod

  • Diameter: From 10 mm to 250mm;
  • Length: 1000 mm;

UHMW Tube

  • Outside Diameter: From 12 mm to 300mm;
  • Length: 1000 mm;

Custom Profile

  • Extrusion process;
  • Custom profile;
  • Custom color;

Remark

  • All sizes can be customized according to the requirements of clients;
  • Machining services are available;

Properties of UHMW Plastic

Basic PropertiesTesting StandardUnitValue
Full name of materialUltra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene
DensityASTM D792g/cm30.93
Water absorptionDIN83495%0.01
Natural Color//White
FlammabilityUL94HB

Mechanical PropertiesTesting StandardUnitValue
Tensile Strength at yieldASTM D638Mpa17
Elongation at yieldISO 527%20
Tensile Modulus of ElasticityASTM D638Mpa700
flexural modulus of elasticityaSTM 790Mpa800
IZOD Notched ImpactaSTM 256No break
flexural strengthISO178Mpa27
flexural modulus of elasticityASTM 790mpa680
hardnessDIN 53505Shore d64
Ball indentation hardnessISO 2039-1mpa35
Coefficient of friction
against hardened & ground steel		P= 0.05 N/mm2, v= 0.6m/s0.29

physical propertiestesting standardunitvalue
DensityASTM D792g/cm30.93
Water absorption (immersion 24 hours)23℃ 60%RH%Slight

thermal propertiestesting standardunitvalue
Glass transition temperatureISO 53736℃N/A
Crystalline melting pointISO 53736℃135
Vicat softening pointISO 306℃80
Heat distortion temperatureISO 75℃60
Coefficient of linear thermal expansionDIN 5348310-5K20
Coefficient of thermal conductivity–W/(m*k)0.41

Electrical propertiestesting standardunitvalue
Surface resistivityDIN 60093Ohm>1014
Dielectric strengthDIN 60243-1KV/mm44

Main Feature of UHMW Plastic

  • Self-lubricating and low coefficient of friction;
  • Excellent impact resistance;
  • High resistance to corrosive chemicals (except oxidizing acids);
  • Low moisture absorption;
  • Can be produced into different profiles;
  • Good UV resistance and can be used outdoor;
  • Easy to be machined by common woodworking tools;
  • Withstands the extreme temperature from -60 °F to 180 °F;
  • Environment-friendly material, RoHS and REACH coincident;
  • Meets FDA standards;

Main Usage of UHMW Plastic

  • Bearings & Bushings;
  • Chain Guides;
  • Bed liner for hopper and truck;
  • Guide Rails;
  • Rollers (Idler or flanged);
  • Wear Strips, Wear Plates;
  • Belt Scrapers;
  • Conveyor line components;
  • Gears, Idler sprockets;
  • Food Processing Equipment;
  • Marine Dock Bumpers
  • Fenders;
  • Parts of Packaging machinery;

Main Industry

  • Aerospace;
  • Agriculture;
  • Food & Beverage;
  • Medical;
  • Mining;
  • Automobile Industry;
  • Oil & Gas;

Can’t find what you need? Or need a custom UHMW PE?

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Need A Help From UVTECO

Leading supplier of UHMW Plastic and machining service

Since 2003, UVTECO has begun to be active in UHMW Plastic by machining UHMW Sheets/Rods/Tubes. We know more about UHMW plastic, including raw materials, additives, production processes, machining solutions, etc. With unremitting efforts, we have become a leading supplier of UHMW Sheets/Rods/Tubes/Films in China.

We stock the frequently used UHMW sheets/rods/tubes/films for fast delivery to global clients. In the meantime, UVTECO provides integrated machining solutions for UHMW-based parts/components. The main machining methods include cutting, 3-axis and 5-axis CNC milling, CNC Turning, injection molding, thermal forming, engraving, etc.

Today, UVTECO provides high-quality UHMW parts/components for over 2,500 clients from more than 45 countries. They are active in aerospace, agriculture, food, beverage, medical industry, mining industry, Oil & Gas industry, etc,

Contact UVTECO for machining UHMW PE Plastic

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Frequently Asked Questions about UHMW PE

Yes, we can machine UHMW plastic. We stock frequently used UHMW sheets, rods, and tubes at the warehouse, we can machine them quickly.

Just contact us and send your drawings to us.

Yes, UHMW can be injection molded. However, due to its high viscosity, this is challenging. This is why UHMW is commonly processed through compression molding.

You will find very few manufacturers doing this. And we are proudly among them. We do injection molding for UHMW.

No, the standard UHME-PE isn’t UV-resistant. However, UHMW can be formulated as UV-resistant by adding particular additives. After being formulated, they can withstand the sun. The formulation can be done in any color, but there is a minimum order quantity requirement for formulated UHMW.

UHMW has longer molecular structure chains than HDPE. This gives it better mechanical strength.

Conversely, HDPE is UV-resistant and can withstand the sun for a prolonged period. HDPE is also more cost-effective than UHMW. But UHMW is used in applications that require more strength than HDPE.

UHMW and UHMW-PE are the same things. Ultra-High Molecular Weight (UHMW) is used as the short form of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene(UHMW-PE). They both are used interchangeably.

Numerous industries, such as aerospace, food & beverage, medical, and agricultural, use UHMW-PE. The mining, oil and gas, and automotive sectors additionally use UHMW.

UHMW-PE is used in the manufacture of belt scrapers, rollers, and guide rails, packing machine components, bushings, and bearings. This plastic is also used to make fenders, idler sprockets, chain guides, wear strips, plates, and other components.

UHMW or UHMW-PE is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polyethylene. The plastic is structured with long molecular chains.

This thermoplastic is extremely tough and has high wear and abrasion resistance. The bonding of UHMW happens when ethylene molecules bond, making the UHMW molecules much longer than those found in other thermoplastics. This makes it much stronger.

Yes, UHMW-PE is bulletproof, and it is used in body armor and other protective gear. The degree of protection depends on the design, thickness, and proper layering of the sheet in armors. For example, a correctly processed one-inch UHMW-PE sheet can stop a .45 caliber bullet.

Yes, UHMW-PE is flexible because of its molecular structure. However, it is also a very rigid thermoplastic that retains its shape in harsh environments and is extremely durable. It only melts at extremely high temperatures.

The flexibility of UHMW-PE allows it to form easily in any shape which makes it ideal to use in bulletproof vests.

Yes, there are different types of UHMW available. The most common ones are-

  • Natural UHMW
  • Reprocessed UHMW-PE
  • Anti-static UHMW-PE
  • Glass-filled UHMW-PE
  • Oil-filled UHMW-PE
  • High-temperature UHMW-PE
  • Food-grade UHMW-PE
  • Virgin UHMW-PE
  • IPX 2000 UHMW-PE
  • Electrostatic dissipative UHMW, etc.

Yes, UHMW-PE is both FDA and USDA approved. There is no risk involved in using it for food processing, beverage conveying systems, or medicinal applications.

Yes, UHMW-PE can be welded. But, this must be done with particular heat range, and pressure. The welding temperature can range from 190°C–270°C.

The minimum pressure required for welding with this particular temperature is around 300 psi for 30 seconds.

Yes, UHMW-PE can degrade at higher temperatures. But its degradation occurs in four stages. The maximum degradation happens in the third stage, where the temperature ranges from 405℃ to 465℃. 

Yes, you can weld UHMW-PE ultrasonically. However, welding this thermoplastic is much harder than other methods. You cannot do so easily because of its low surface energy and inherent properties.

Ultimately, UMHWPE’s very high molecular weight, and resistance to heat make it difficult for ultrasonic welding. That’s why more reliable welding methods like thermal welding or mechanical welding are recommended.

Yes, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) can be reliably used as a wood replacement. UHMW-PE absorbs very low moisture. It also doesn’t corrode, root, and doesn’t have splinters like wood.

So, this has become a very popular alternative choice in the marine sector. UHMW-PE makes pile guards, dock fender pads, and anti-skid walkways.

UHMW-PE is extremely strong plastic. Its tensile strength at yield is 17 Mpa/ 2465 psi. But its tensile strength can go up to 700 Mpa/102000 psi.

The physical density of UHMW-PE is 0.93g/cm3, and its water absorption rate is less than 0.01%. UHMW-PE is resistant to wear and tear, impact, moisture, and temperature.

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