Duratron® T4301 PAI Used in Pump Vanes

A sliding vane in a rotary compressor is an important part of production in a powdered metals plant. The sliding vane actually slides in and out of grooves in the compressors shaft while making contact with the inside wall of the housing. Due to its location, lubrication was difficult. Maintenance personnel were experiencing premature wear with the carbon fiber composite vanes resulting in damage to the compressor. Unfortunately, the composite did not wear evenly causing delamination where the vanes met the compressor housing. The vanes are more then 48" long which eliminated many potential replacement materials.

Quadrant's machinable Duratron® T4301 PAI, (bearing grade), was chosen to replace the composite vanes and improve the compressor performance. Duratron® T4301 PAI offered heat, wear and chemical resistance along with a low CLTE resulting in improved stability and less wear on the mating housing. Ultimately, longer vane life, less maintenance costs and increased uptime impressed the manufacturer.

Duratron® T4301 PAI is primarily used for wear and friction parts. It offers a very low expansion rate, low coefficient of friction and exhibits little or no slip-stick in use. Duratron® T4301 PAI 's flexural modulus of 1,000,000 psi, is higher than most other advanced engineering plastics. This grade excels in severe service wear applications such as non-lubricated bearings, seals, bearing cages and reciprocating compressor parts.

To learn more about Quadrant's machinable plastics visit us at www.quadrantplastics.com.com. For in-depth information on the Duratron® PAI family of products click here for case studies, machining tip videos, and informative, yet fun vodcasts.