We are committed to investing in and developing our personnel and processes, and to developing new materials that provide our customers with the highest quality products. An example of this commitment is our unique Plus-AF (anti-friction) silicone extruded products.
How can our anti friction (Plus-AF) process support your application?
Our silicone extrusions are used in a wide variety of applications and must meet critical specifications that these applications demand. Being a naturally static material, silicone can over time cause friction within your application. This can cause wear of the seal and can attract dust; this reduces the life of the seal and can mean replacement or cleaning of the seal is required more regularly.
Our team wanted to develop a product for our customers with significantly decreased surface friction that also did not affect the material specification of the seal. From this Plus-AF was developed which successfully delivers anti-static, easy-clean silicone parts that meet the exact specifications of our material datasheets.
Our Anti Friction Silicone parts have been well received in such industries as medical, pharmaceutical, food and lighting, and we are confident that our anti friction parts will be the solution to many other silicone sealing challenges that our customers may face.
You can enjoy the benefits of the Plus-AF (anti-friction) coating without affecting the core specifications of the seal.
How we increased the anti-static properties of our silicone parts
Traditionally, talcum powder or washing-up liquid was used to improve the anti-static properties of silicone rubber parts. The problem was that these solutions left an unappealing residue of excess solution, this compromised the parts in the application and were only a temporary fix that needed to be regularly applied.
Our aim was to do better and give our customers a long-term solution that would increase the life of our seals, reduce maintenance requirements, and meet its original material specifications.
We found the answer during the development of an anti-friction coating process historically used with other materials, such as aluminium and plastic. We broke down the components of this process, adapted it to our silicone materials and created a novel anti-friction process for our silicone parts. After extensive testing, we introduced Plus-AF, our unique, anti-friction silicone seal treatment.
Plus-AF is FDA compliant and, unlike the traditional processes used with silicone parts, it doesn’t compromise the properties or the look of the silicone seals – customers still get the full benefit of using silicone rubber parts but with the added benefit of reduced surface friction.
How we apply our anti-friction process and how it benefits you
How do we apply our anti-friction silicone process? Manufactured parts are placed in a chamber and submerged within the unique treatment. This permanently changes the surface area and molecular structure of the parts, significantly increasing their anti-static properties (removing friction from the surface and reducing resistance) and making them easier to clean. It leaves no residue and is a permanent change to the seal’s surface construction.
As a result, our seals require less maintenance and last longer in their application. Therefore, our customers spend less time and money on cleaning and maintaining their silicone rubber parts because they have a product that is more durable and safer to use and performs better.
These benefits are particularly important for our customers in the medical, pharmaceutical and food industries, where cleanliness and sterilization are integral to products and how they are used. Furthermore, for lighting industry customers, visibility and appearance are key and anti-static silicone parts both optimise product performance and contribute to the delivery of aesthetic quality due to decreased attraction of dust and the ability to be easily cleaned.
An ongoing commitment to quality and to our customers
Investing in the latest silicone machinery and processes so that we can consistently deliver the highest levels of service to our customers is a foundational strategy at Advanced Materials and the development of our Plus-AF anti-friction process for silicone seals is a demonstration of this commitment.
We are proud of our Plus-AF products and what it brings to our customers and our business. You will not find our Plus-AF range anywhere else. You can only enjoy its benefits at this specialist silicone rubber manufacturer.
Why not REQUEST a sample pack to see the difference it could make to your application?
To find out more about Advanced Materials’ silicone rubber manufacturing services, contact us on +44 (0)1903 713566 or sales@amsilicones.co.uk.