LATI: Polymers replace brass fittings for sanitary, heating and plumbing applications

[inspic=213,left,,175]KWD-globalpipe, 2008-04-15, No.277. Italian compounding specialist LATI Industria Termoplastici SpA, Vedano Olona, expanded its portfolio of metal substitution products with new grades for its LATAMID, LATIGLOSS, LARAMID and LARTON ranges. Due to their excellent mechanical properties they are suitable for use in sanitary, heating and plumbing applications instead of brass and other metals that have previously been used.
The good processibility of the polymers means that such components can be manufactured in a single injection moulding process, which leads to significant manufacturing cost reductions. Further potential for cost savings can be achieved by integrating functional components at the injection moulding stage, removing the need for downstream assembly steps.
[inspic=214,right,fullscreen,200] During the development of the new grades the company worked closely with a number of national and international manufacturers from the sanitary, heating and plumbing sectors.
LATAMID and LATIGLOSS polyamide (PA) 66 grades can contain up to 60% by weight glass fibre and are very cost effective. They have comparable mechanical strength to aluminium and at 220 MPa approximately the same tensile stress at break as metals. In comparison these polymers have better chemical resistance, toughness and notched impact strength. The compounds in the LATIGLOSS range also have a very good surface finish despite the high glass fibre loadings. On top of this various custom and metal effect colour matches can be produced. Typical applications for LATAMID and LATIGLOSS are pneumatic valves and pump casings as well as control elements. …

…read the entire article in globalpipe 277

more information (PDF) orderslip