Oct 19 2017
Plastic Machining Company provides plastics that play a pivotal role in mining applications, particularly UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) which provides desirable attributes that contribute a wide range of OEM and custom parts in mining machinery and equipment including guides, belt scrapers, chain wear plates, skirt boards, belt rollers, scrapers & wipers, liners & plates, idlers & pulleys, loaders, conveyor parts, bucket liners, impact pads, beds & bumpers, sprockets, agitators, as well as shoes & tracks.
In both surface open pit and underground mining operations, UHMW has become ubiquitous for its ability to solve issues related to sticking, holdup, bridging, friction, and heat. UHMW's lubricity ensures speedy bulk material flow and movement, helping to lower energy requirements, deaden noise, and to make mechanical operations quieter in applications subject to rubbing and impact.
Major players in the mining industry see the plastic as the perfect candidate for blasting tools and any mining equipment involving wear parts. UHMW is utilized within machines and on the exterior of machines to handle waste material as well as the desired media being extracted.
On the outside of blasting machines, UHMW plates protect expensive machinery from rocks and unintended shrapnel. Three times as resistant as nylon 6/6, and over five times as resistant to abrasion as HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic and steel, a one-inch thick slab of UHMW is able to stop a .45 caliber bullet from 25 feet away. This level of protection stops flying rocks in their tracks.
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is also used as a lining material on skid plates, skid shoes, rock panels (side skirts), and to line earth mover buckets or bulldozer blades.
Due to its low coefficient of friction, high tensile strength, great wear properties and strong impact strength, UHMW works exceptionally well for wear pads bolted on the tracks of excavators. Replacement is convenient with long part life, making UHMW wear pads suitable for pavers, milling machines and bitumen (asphalt) transportation trucks.
In processing, UHMW's low friction properties greatly assist in keeping material flowing at a high feed rate, increasing productivity and ultimately greater revenue for mining companies.
Many coal mining and ore mining operations have switched from using stainless steel for linings and hoppers, instead choosing UHMW as it greatly reduces heat buildup due to friction. Many coal and ore operations have reported increases of 10-15 times greater service life over metal.
Learn more on Plastic Machining Company's website about the potential that plastics (specifically UHMW) have for helping the mining industry reduce emissions, increase production, save money and keep workers safe.