Polyamide grade targets rail applications

Machinable plastics supplier Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (Lenzburg, Switzerland) is introducing its range of railway industry specific high performance plastics materials at the InnoTrans 2014 show in Berlin 23-26 September.

The range of materials encompasses UHMW polyethylene, polyamide (PA) 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.

The materials are suitable for exterior and interior applications of rolling stock. Further, thanks to enhanced properties such as optimized gliding (self-lubrication), light weight and impact strength, the materials can not only be used for the improvement of rolling stock, but also in infrastructure applications such as rail tracks.

Quadrant will also be introducing Nylatron 66 SA FR - a newly developed flame retardant PA 66 grade. This new material meets the requirements of EN 45545-2 and UL94 V0, yet it does not contain any hazardous materials. Nylatron 66 SA FR and 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. In addition, Nylatron 66 SA FR reportedly provides all the advantages of a PA 66 vs. standard PA, making it possible for the first time to extrude even large diameter shapes of flame retardant PA, and replace existing PA applications with step-changing flame retardant technology material. This material will be available in rods and plates all colored black.

Rolling stock OEMs reportedly benefit from improved materials and components which comply with rail safety requirements, are lighter in 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.

"Quadrant is committed to developing value-added material solutions that address specific industry demands, most significantly for the rail industry the safety aspects provided by flame-retardant and high reliability/high performance materials," says Frank Johänning, Global Market Manager Transportation & Aerospace at Quadrant EPP. "For a sector that still relies heavily on metals and especially steel, our polymer-based material range will open up a whole new area of opportunities and advantages. At InnoTrans, we will demonstrate our ability to meet the needs of the industry today - and how we can help our customers to be better prepared for the future."

Quadrant's plastics materials are already used in many railway applications around the world. Examples include: bogie bearing plates and / or guide plates; plastic cores; protectors; interior parts; mounts; clamps; mounts for electrical installations/cables; seat elements; and mounts / clamps for covers / shutters.