Over the past twenty years, the warehouse and material handling sector has seen unprecedented growth in the United States, with millions of square feet of new warehouses built to meet the growing demand for product material handling. These warehouses play a pivotal role in managing the influx of imported goods, reducing inventory at manufacturing and retail locations, and catering to the ever-expanding e-commerce marketplace.

While these giant warehouses have been designed to optimize product flow, one crucial aspect often overlooked is the internal components that make it all possible, such as the conveyor and product moving systems. In many cases, these parts are built using metallic materials, leading to a range of challenges, including:

  • Excess noise generation: Metal systems can generate excessive noise, disrupting the working environment and posing safety concerns for employees.
  • Cleanliness of workspace and products: Using metal components may pose challenges in maintaining a clean and hygienic work environment.
  • Low coefficient of friction: Metal surfaces often have a low coefficient of friction, which means they provide less traction. This can lead to slow product movement due to slippage, making the transportation of goods less efficient.
  • Food contact with FDA approval: In some warehouse applications, there’s a need for components that meet FDA approval for food contact, meaning the materials should be safe for use with food and must comply with FDA standards and regulations.
  • Cost: Metal is often more expensive than alternative materials, making cost-effectiveness a real consideration, especially in large-scale operations.

PolymaxTPE to the Rescue

Recognizing these challenges, PolymaxTPE has developed a range of unique and targeted TPE compounds tailored to support the burgeoning material handling industry. These compounds address the issues listed above with the following attributes:

  • Noise dampening, enhancing the overall work environment and employee safety
  • High wear resistance compared to TPU and other TPE materials
  • Controlled slip, offering various haptics to prevent slow product movement
  • High coefficient of friction for better product stability during transport
  • Food grade and FDA grades available to meet the strict standards for food contact applications
  • Wide durometer range, offering flexibility for various applications
  • Excellent resilience and elasticity
  • Injection molding grades and extrusion grades with high melt strength available
  • Significant reduction in specific gravity and density compared to typical TPU and PVC – as much as 15% or more
  • Color options
  • Recyclable

Applications and Grades

These PolymaxTPE TPE compounds are used in a variety of applications within the material handling industry, such as:

  • Metal conveyor roller covers
  • Metal conveyor components
  • The replacement of PVC and TPU conveyor components
  • Overmolded plastic conveyor components

Opaque and translucent grades are available, each with unique properties suited to specific needs. The opaque grades offered are D01-265F and P31-414E, while translucent options include P3990H, T02-002, T01-296K, T01-334H, and T01-298A.

Takeaways

If you need high-quality materials for your conveyor and material handling systems, look no further than PolymaxTPE. Our technical support team is available to provide support and assist you with product development. Together, we can continue to drive innovation in the material handling industry.

Eager to learn more about what PolymaxTPE’s TPE compounds can do for your next project? Let’s chat – contact us today!