Plastic Clip Beats Metal
Canadian Plastics
It's just a small part, but a clip nut made from Torlon polyamide-imide (PAI) can make a really big difference when used on commercial aircraft to secure flooring, fairings, interior trim and bulkhead...
It’s just a small part, but a clip nut made from Torlon polyamide-imide (PAI) can make a really big difference when used on commercial aircraft to secure flooring, fairings, interior trim and bulkheads. Clip nuts made of Torlon won’t scratch through the protective covering to bare metal during installation or corrode during use.
In addition, the PAI clip nuts weigh less than their metal counterparts. According to the manufacturer, Marketing Masters Inc., a typical DC-10 may have 15,000 clip nuts on the floor structure alone.
The clip nuts can withstand torque loads in excess of 100 inch-pounds, yet have enough elongation to clip easily into place. Torlon is manufactured by Solvay Advanced Materials.
“Torlon PAI is a great fit for this application because of its tremendous strength, high elongation and chemical resistance,” explains Jill Sanders, a global market manager for Solvay Advanced Polymers. The strength of Torlon PAI is competitive with metal across a wide temperature range, and the resin maintains its high mechanical properties up to 260C.
It can be processed by injection molding, extrusion and compression molding.
Solvay Advanced Polymers 770-772-8200