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Tech Talk Blog

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Do You Have Any Tips for Annealing Cast Acrylic?

2 min read

Q&A – Do You Have Any Tips for Annealing Cast Acrylic?

We recently had a customer ask us for some tips on annealing cast acrylic. There are definitely some potential pitfalls when working with acrylic in both sheet and finished part form, but following the guidelines outlined below should yield...

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The first fluoropolymer was polytetrafluoroethylene, better known by its abbreviation, PTFE

2 min read

What are Fluoropolymers and What are their Common Attributes

Fluoropolymers are a family of high-performance plastics characterized by their strong carbon-fluorine (C-F) bonds. This unique atomic structure...

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Slide Bearings for Pipelines and Bridges

1 min read

Slide Bearings for Pipelines and Bridges

Slide plate bearings provide support and a low coefficient of friction while allowing an object to move (or slide) freely along a supporting surface....

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Blog_20180417Thermal Expansion a Key Consideration in Plane Bearing Design

1 min read

Thermal Expansion a Key Consideration in Plane Bearing Design

We are all aware that plastics expand and contract at different rates. When designing plastic plane bearings, one of the most critical considerations...

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UHMW 101: From Molecular Weight to Machining

2 min read

UHMW 101: From Molecular Weight to Machining

UHMW remains a hot topic here on Tech Talk, and on our Ask the Experts portal, too. Why is this true? For one, the material offers great value over...

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Why Choose a Career in Plastics Manufacturing?

1 min read

Why Choose a Career in Plastics Manufacturing?

Are you a problem solver? I read this interesting article in Design World, which describes manufacturing as one of the best career choices for...

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2 min read

Why Choose Plasma Surface Treatment of Plastics to Enhance Adhesion?

Good adhesion of manufactured parts. Whether you want to adhere one part to another, or secure paint to a component, good adhesion can be difficult...

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1 min read

Rulon Shapes, Forms or Fabrication – Which is Right for You?

Have you heard about the newest Rulon formula, Rulon 1834? It’s an exciting addition to the Rulon fluoropolymers product line. You may already know...

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What is Bearing Service Life? And Which Qualities Impact it?

1 min read

What is Bearing Service Life? And Which Qualities Impact it?

We often talk about the importance of bearing service life in this forum, but what exactly is a good standard of measure to this question? The truth...

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1 min read

Waterproof Bearings: Why Replace Stainless with Plastic?

“You want to replace tough bronze bearings with plastic?” This was the comment one of our OEMs heard when attempting to retrofit their metal...

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Let’s Compare: Metal Bearings vs. Plastic Bearings in Robotics

2 min read

Let’s Compare: Metal Bearings vs. Plastic Bearings in Robotics

Have you downloaded your copy of the Robotics and Manufacturing White Paper? It’s a free resource to help you evaluate plastic and metal bearings to...

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2 min read

Machining UHMW: Why Is Holding Tolerances So Difficult? (GUIDE)

Ever tried to machine UHMW? It’s no easy task given the material’s instability. In fact, UHMW has 12x the expansion rate of steel. Controlling heat...

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Composite Plain Bearings: 5 Benefits of a Lightweight Material

1 min read

Composite Plain Bearings: 5 Benefits of a Lightweight Material

If you’re a regular reader of this space, you may recall our debate about plain bearing vs. a plane bearing. While the spelling might be hotly...

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