Polypropylene Sheets

Further Information about Polypropylene Sheets

Polypropylene sheet is very beneficial and adaptable engineering plastic that has a wide range of uses within many varied industries/applications. This plastic has replaced many others and creates a reduction in costs, as well as improved performance for many component manufacturers.

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Manufacturers produce engineering plastics that are slightly oversize in either diameter and/or thickness. This oversize tolerance, which is listed in the tables below, is provided to assist customers to produce very accurate items within the size shown and remove any minor surface imperfection.

Polypropylene Sheet Tolerances:

Nominal Thickness	Tolerance in mm
1	-0 to +0.5
2 - 3	-0 to +0.7
4 - 5 - 6 - 8	-0 to +1
10 - 12 - 15 - 20 - 25	-0 to +2
30 - 40 - 50	-0 to +3
40	-0 to +4

Applications for Polypropylene Sheet:

Polypropylene sheet is regularly used for lining or complete manufacture of acid and chemical tanks
Polypropylene is also sometimes used as back or chopping boards within the packing industry as it helps when the sharpened cutters penetrate the cardboard and acts as a substrate for the cutters edges
Polypropylene sheet is also well known for its uses within the prosthetic industry as polypropylene can be heated and moulded to an excellent shape to particularly enable foot, leg or other limb supports being produced accurately
Another useful application for polypropylene sheet is the use within clean rooms for cladding walls and creating a durable barrier that is both tough and resistant to strong cleaning fluids
Other useful applications for polypropylene sheet include swimming pools due to its chlorine and water resistance and also battery boxes, this is due to polypropylene having excellent acid resistance.

Typical Grades of Polypropylene Sheet:

Homopolymer is a harder and more rigid grade that is available in natural and beige colour and has a larger range of size availability
Copolymer grade polypropylene sheet is more flexible and malleable, has better low temperature impact performance and is available in a much greater range of colours.

Size Range of Polypropylene Sheet:

Polypropylene sheet has two particular grades and they are homopolymer grade polypropylene and also copolymer grade polypropylene.

1. Homopolymer grade polypropylene is generally manufactured in sheet sizes of 2000mm x 1000mm and also 3000mm x 1500mm, the thickness range is generally from 1mm up to 50mm thick.

2. Copolymer grade is generally manufactured in sheet sizes of 2440mm x 1220mm and also 3000mm x 1500mm, the thickness range is generally from 1.5mm up to 15mm thick, although the above is the typical manufactured sizes, Polypropylene Sheet can sometimes be obtained in longer sizes to special order.

Advantages of Polypropylene Sheet:

Polypropylene Sheet is very light weight and has a density of only 0.91g/cm3 and is a plastic that actually floats and also can help with handling where large components are employed
Polypropylene Sheet also has a very low moisture absorption and at 0.03, this can improve product and component stability and also helps with bacterial resistance
Polypropylene Sheet has excellent acid and chemical resistance which helps in the production of chemical and acid tanks and also acid resistant seals
Polypropylene Sheet can also be easily shaped, formed and vac formed, this allows this material to be used in the fabrication industry and will produce high quality items that are used in many varied industries including automotive
Polypropylene Sheet is also very economical and can have equal performance of other materials at a much lower price
Polypropylene Sheet is almost impossible to bond with current adhesives, although future adhesives in this area may change this situation, until this time, Polypropylene can be welded with simple welding equipment and welding rod.

Manufacturing process for Polypropylene Sheet:

Polypropylene Sheet is produced in two specific ways which is extruded sheet and also a process known as pressed, this latter process most commonly involves the sheet being planned. Extruded Polypropylene Sheet is a process that involves heating polymer to melting point and then extruded through dies/rollers to produce an accurate sheet. Pressed Polypropylene Sheet is a more expensive sheet but because this process does not involve the stress inducing extrusion process, it produces a material that is much more stable and after being machines into intricate components, remains more accurate due to reduced internal stress.

Summary:

To conclude, Polypropylene sheet is a low weight material that offers substantial resistance to impact and chemical or acid attack. It has a low moisture absorption and can be used for food applications. It also offers good electrical insulation and resists cracking. However, it is difficult to bond.

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