UHMW Wear Strip Design Enhancements
Innovative design allows for thermal expansion of plastic wear strips
A lumber mill was having production slow-downs due to a failing part. In the winter months, the maintenance manager at the lumber mill installed UHMW wear strips under drag chains in the plant.
In the heat of the summer, the UHMW strips expanded and warped resulting in costly downtime.
High CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) material to blame
Curbell worked with the maintenance department at the lumber mill to change the design of the wear strip. Slotted mounting holes were added to the UHMW wear strips as well as creating more open space between adjacent wear strips. These changes allowed the UHMW to freely expand and contract with changes in temperature without warping.
Less stress on parts of a conveyor system
Additionally, Curbell introduced the company to LubX® C UHMW with enhanced friction and wear characteristics and excellent sliding properties even at higher velocities and pressure loads. LubX® C allowed for smoother operation of the drag chains and longer part life compared with standard UHMW wear strips.
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