-  Available in stock shapes or mouldings.

  -  Bar up to 150mm diameter.

  -  Plate up to 100mm thick.

  -  Easily machined to a clean, burr-free finish.

  -  Good resistance to chemicals, weather and U.V. radiation.

  -  Good electrical and mechanical properties.

  -  Low water absorption.

A unique material for machined plastic parts

Tufset polyurethane is an engineering plastics material made from high quality rigid polyurethane, specially formulated for TUFNOL Composites Ltd.  It is produced in standard forms of round bar and plate for machining into engineering components.  Tufset polyurethane can also be used for moulded components and, as the process is the same, the characteristics of the components will be similar whether machined from stock shapes or produced as mouldings.

Tufset polyurethane is an exclusive TUFNOL product and is available as round bar and plate from all TUFNOL Composites Ltd outlets.   A machined and moulded parts service is provided by TUFNOL Composites Ltd through its U.K. factory and a special fast despatch machining facility is also available to meet urgent demands.

Characteristics

Tufset polyurethane is a thermosetting plastics material which looks and feels rather like a thermoplastic material.

In addition to its good electrical and mechanical properties, Tufset polyurethane has excellent fatigue resistance and good resistance to stress cracking.  It resists attack from many chemicals and is unharmed by exposure to the atmosphere.  To all these plus factors is added low water absorption, good dimensional stability and a hard, abrasion resistant surface with low friction.

Working Temperature

Tufset polyurethane retains useful mechanical properties at low temperatures but, due to the effect of softening at temperatures above ambient, it should not normally be selected for applications where raised temperatures are involved.

At low temperatures, it should be noted that Tufset polyurethane retains its physical properties very satisfactorily down to minus 100ºC (minus 150ºF).

Chemical Resistance

Tufset polyurethane is resistant to dilute acids and alkalis, oils and a wide range of environmental conditions encountered in engineering applications.

Water Absorption

The water absorption of Tufset polyurethane is exceptionally low and dimensional stability is, therefore, very good.  In addition, its properties are not significantly affected by long-term immersion in water.

Weather Resistance

Long exposure to outdoor weather conditions has no appreciable effect on Tufset polyurethane, apart from a slight tendency to yellow when exposed to strong U.V. light.

Abrasion Resistance and Bearing Properties

Polyurethanes in elastomeric forms are renowned for their abrasion resistance and bearing properties.  Whilst Tufset is a rigid form of polyurethane, it nevertheless retains good basic characteristics and is a useful material for engineering components operating in wearing and bearing applications.

Colour

Standard Tufset polyurethane is pale blue in colour.  However, subject to a minimum order quantity of 3,000 kilograms, Tufset polyurethane can be supplied in other colours to meet customer specifications.

What is TUFNOL Tufset used for?

Tufset polyurethane has proved to be a very versatile general-purpose engineering material and is used for many different applications in all types of manufacturing industry.  The ease with which it can be machined to a burr-free finish, coupled to its ability to use relatively cheap moulds, commend its choice for components where moulding quantities are eventually envisaged, especially where the component is large and chunky (over 1/2 kg).  In these circumstances, the use of Tufset polyurethane can be more satisfactory and cost effective than injection moulded thermoplastics, even for large quantities.

Typical Applications

Electrical

Insulation in industrial plugs and sockets, electronic assembly jigs, multi-track tape heads, stand-off insulators, printed circuit board testing boxes, transformer bushings, insulating parts in cable gland connectors, insulating blocks in T.V. cameras.

Mechanical

Model and pattern making, star wheels and guide plates, idler gears on textile machines, guides and wear strips in paper and board handling, bushes on ticket machines, scroll cams, spur and worm gears in welding machines, bearings in glass cutting plant, needle guides on carpet looms, bolster pads on hot stamping machines.

Chemical

Plating plant chain guide blocks, mixing bowls and hoppers, rollers and spacers in photo processing equipment, electro chemical machining jigs, components in contact with liquid helium and mercury, chemical cleaning fixtures.

Environmental

Yacht fittings, bushes on caravan towing gear, scaffold rail holders, bearings on cattle feed conveyors.

TYPES AVAILABLE	Sheets	Rods
Tufset Polyurethane – colour blue	Yes	Yes

Minimum order quantities may apply.

Click here for Tufset Polyurethane Standard Sizes

SPECIFICATIONS for TUFNOL Tufset

Tufset is manufactured and tested to Tufnol internal quality standards.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Tufset Grade R/1

PROPERTY	TYPICAL RESULT	UNITS
Flexural Strength	65	MPa
Compressive Strength	60
Impact Strength, Charpy	4.0	kJ/m2
Impact Strength, Izod	0.9	ft-lbf/inch
Specific Gravity	1.2	-
Shore hardness	76	-
Water Absorption	38	mg
Water absorption (ASTM)	0.1	%
Dielectric strength (ASTM)	150	V/mil

All tests to IEC test methods, except where specified.

Whilst all data in this publication are offered in good faith, conformity with the properties stated cannot be guaranteed. IEC test methods are used for quality control purpose

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A full machining service is available from Tufnol for this and many other engineering plastics and composites.

Tufnol Composites Ltd, Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2TB, United Kingdom.

Quality Registration BS EN ISO 9001:2000, BS EN 9100:2003 and AS 9100 Reg. No. FM 90942

The information given here is believed to be correct, but completeness and accuracy are not guaranteed. The user shall be fully responsible for determining the suitability of products for the intended use.