Plastics Compression Molding Manufacturer Produces Parts Stronger Than Steel

Global Polymer uses a process unique among compression molding manufacturers. The company has perfected a method to embed steel, spring steel and other metals inside UHMW-PE components. More and more manufacturers are using the steel-strengthened parts, including John Deere, SAF-Holland, AGCO, Luxme and Salco, as they are nearly indestructible.

Madison, SD, June 28, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Plastics, including polyurethane and the stronger UHMW-PE, have always been pliable material easily formed to fit a mold limited only by the imagination. But not all plastics and molding processes yield parts sturdy enough for manufacturing, agricultural and industrial applications. Enter Global Polymer, a manufacturer based in Madison, S.D. It has forged a new way, using compression molding, to make plastic stronger than steel.

Global Polymer uses a process unique among compression molding manufacturers. The company has perfected a method to embed steel, spring steel and other metals inside UHMW-PE components. More and more manufacturers are using the steel-strengthened parts, including John Deere, SAF-Holland, AGCO, Luxme and Salco, as they are nearly indestructible.

The lighter weight and weather-resistant plastic is a good fit for the rail industry, said Keith Barta, a new products manager for Salco Products, which manufactures train parts that until recently had been made only of metal. “We’re trying to introduce materials into the rail industry that offer a higher level of performance than metal, carbon, or stainless steel.”

The company went to Global Polymer when it wanted to create a new type of blind flange – essentially a cap for the end of a pipe – for use on tank cars. The part would be required to withstand the elements, high pressures, corrosive chemicals, and rough handling. Global Polymer built the cap with compression-molded UHMW embedded with steel.

“The metal is the key in allowing the plastic to maintain its shape without deforming, and the plastic offers a very high level of corrosion resistance and weight reduction compared to a full metal part,” said Barta.

It is also proving cost effective. Global Polymer’s process results in what the industry calls net-shape molding, meaning that the parts come out nearly perfectly shaped and require little or no trimming to complete. That saves on production time.

That came in handy for Luxme International, which was in a rush to compete with copycats eager to cash in on Luxme’s innovative use of UHMW-PE parts in conveyor systems for food-handling applications. Using UHMW-PE parts to move the food meant there was no exposed hardware – a requirement for food handling.

Luxme went to Global Polymer and the result is a partnership that continues to shape the Montreal-based company’s future.

“We went in search of a company to commercialize that particular design,” said Luxme President Navam Jagan. “The experience has been excellent. They are a working partner. They work with us, not only producing these parts for commercial use, but as a partner developing new product lines using UHMW. We have gone into other areas using the application because there is such a great demand.”

About Global Polymer Industries, Inc.
Global Polymer, based in Madison, S.D., is a plastics manufacturer with a reputation for delivering innovative solutions to difficult manufacturing engineering problems. Using a proprietary net-shape molding process for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, or UHMW-PE, the company creates complex parts with characteristics that are stronger than other plastic material. It maintains properties down to cryogenic temperatures and has self-lubricating properties. The heavy-duty material is a good fit for agriculture, water and sewage, and manufacturing applications.

Founded in 1995, the company operates from a 75,000 square-foot facility with the capacity, tooling and expertise to fulfill national and international orders. The company’s clients include John Deere, CNH, Amsted Rail, Freightliner, CLASS, SAF-HOLLAND, AGCO, Evoqua, MacDon, Luxme and Salco. http://globalpolymer.com/

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Global Polymer Industries, Inc.
Rich Kilgour
316.847.7255
globalpolymer.com
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