Until now, Teflon® bellows made of virgin PTFE have been the standard. Since this fluoropolymer has come under scrutiny as an environmentally critical material, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) has increasingly gained importance. Components made from this material can likewise be machined and therefore individually customized. PE 1000 offers exceptional flex fatigue resistance. The material is physiologically safe. Compliance with the applicable FDA, 3-A, USP Class VI, and EU 10/2011 requirements can be achieved and certified.
For applications requiring good cleanability, rounded convolution geometries are preferred. When exceptionally large strokes are required, sharp convolutions are formed by chipless skiving.
For interested development and design engineers, the webinar “Bellows Design” is recommended. It provides detailed design guidelines that also apply to UHMW-PE.
Teflon® is a registered trademark of The Chemours Company.
