Quadrant Launches New Range Of Metal Detectable Plastics For Food Processing Industry
Quadrant extends its portfolio of food compliant materials by a PE, POM and PA6 based metal detectable plastics for food processing equipment enabling manufacturers to more efficiently address the issue of breakage and wear in equipment parts.
Quadrant announces the launch of its new range of metal detectable (MD) engineering thermoplastics to support the food processing industry's need for reliable, traceable, and cost-effective machine parts. Quadrant is the first manufacturer to offer a choice of polyethylene (PE), polyoxymethylene (POM), and polyamide (PA6) based food contact approved MD engineering materials.
The food processing industry requires plastics equipment parts that will provide the high level resistance to wear and tear, and the cleanliness necessary for today's fast line speeds. At the same time parts must provide the reassurance of easy detection should fragments or particles break off and fall into the foodstuff during processing. Metal detection is the most economical, dependable and therefore common form of monitoring for potential contamination.
Quadrant's set of three MD modified plastics comprises TIVAR MD based on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE-UHMW); AcetronMD based on POM; and NylatronMD based on PA6. Acetron MD and Nylatron MD are available in a blue color to aid visual as well as MD detectability; X-ray detection is also possible. TIVAR MD is available in grey colour.
All materials deliver the necessary MD level for particles as small as 3mm x 3mm x 3mm. In addition to food compliancy (according to FDA and EU Directive 2002/72 EC standards), the individual materials offer different specific advantages such as good impact resistance, high wear resistance, good machining properties and convenient price performance.
Stock shapes of the 3 products will be offered as extruded rods or plates in various sizes.
Quadrant's MD range of materials offers OEMs improved safety and cost savings, better supporting warranty requirements. More complicated parts can also be created thanks to the materials' good machining qualitites.
Food producers can benefit from the assurance of improved safety at the consumer level, lower maintenance costs and longer production cycles, and the potential for fewer contaminated food quarantines or product recalls.
"We realised early on in our development of metal detectable engineering thermoplastics that customers need a comprehensive range of materials to choose from. It is simply not possible to use the same plastic to solve all issues," comments Dr. Stephan Glander, Global Director Research & Market Development Quadrant EPP. "We are pleased we can now offer the food processing industry three materials that provide metal detectability of tiny fragments without compromising material performance or functionality of the part. Our portfolio offers improved material properties compared to existing MD thermoplastics. We are dedicated to further extending the range as we move forward."
By offering the wide choice of materials to the food industry, Quadrant opens up the use of MD thermoplastics in a broad range of parts, such as scrapers, funnels, guiders, gripers, seals, thrust washers, and chain guider elements, used in processing equipment for the dairy, meat and bakery
SOURCE: Quadrant