Range of railway industry specific high performance plastics materials

18-Sep-14

A range of railway industry specific high performance plastics materials will be introduced by Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (EPP), the global leader in machinable plastics. With this, Quadrant offers the first and largest portfolio of EN 45545-2 tested plastics for the railway industry, suitable for exterior and interior applications of rolling stock. Thanks to its enhanced properties such as optimized gliding (self-lubrication), light weight or impact strength, the materials can not only be used for the improvement of rolling stock, but also in infrastructure applications such as rail tracks. Nylatron 66 SA FR – a newly developed flame retardant PA66 will also be unveiled. This new material meets the requirements of EN 45545-2 and UL94 V0, yet it does not contain any hazardous materials. Parts made of it comply with the existing REACH, RoHS and WEEE standards. Its flame retardant properties fulfill the requirements of electrical applications in rail and for general functional components below 2000 grams weight. The development of Nylatron 66 SA FR was possible thanks to Quadrant’s expertise and best in class technologies, and will not only enable the production of rail typical quantities but also the production of rail typical large sizes. In addition to its superior flame retardant properties, new Nylatron 66 SA FR provides all the advantages of a PA66 vs. standard nylon, making it possible for the first time to extrude even large diameter shapes of flame retardant Nylon, and replacing existing Nylon applications with step-changing flame retardant technology material. This material will be available in rods and plates all colored black. Rolling stock producing OEMs benefit from improved materials and components which comply with rail safety requirements, are lighter weight, and offer the ability to integrate enhanced functionality to cope with current market developments and the growing demand for more sustainable and safer construction solutions. The range of materials encompasses UHMW polyethylene, nylon and ultra-high performance polymers such as PEEK and PEI that resist permanent use temperature to over 180°C. All have been tested according to the EN 45545-2 railway standard, making this the first such offering in the industry.