but with the chemical resistance of PTFE (polytetrafluoroeten) and able to cope with uninterrupted use at temperatures of as much as 325ºC. Isolast formulas are developed internally in collaboration with polymer suppliersand Isolast is manufactured and moulded <br />in-house. <p> </p><p> </p>" Isolast is a perfluoroelastomer, developed to meet the needs of companies requiring sealing materials... <p> </p><p align="left"><font size="1">Developers at Trelleborg provide customised design solutions using the innovative Isolast perfluoroelastomerwhich has proved a winner in independent industry tests.</font></p><p align="left"><font size="1">"We’ve been developing Isolast for the past 10years and now have a variety of materials in our portfolio to suit a wide range of demanding applications explains Chris Stowell, technical manager. This is a technically advancedhigh performance material for situations involving extreme temperatures or aggressive process chemicals."</font></p><p align="left"><font size="1" color="#ffb800"> </font><strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><font face="ITC Caslon 224 Bold" color="#ffb800">Aerospace</font></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><font size="1"> </font></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><font size="1">Although Isolast was originally used in mechanical seals for refinery applications and in pumps and valves for large-scale chemical productionTrelleborg Sealing Solutions has since become established in a wide range of industries including the aerospace and pharmaceutical sectors.</font></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><font size="1">"Isolast is now used in aircraft engineswhere temperatures exceed the performance characteristics of raditional fluoroelastomers explains Stowell. Replacing these with Isolast increased average overhaul intervals he adds.</font></strong></p><p align="left""><strong><font size="1">Isolast is also used by a major pharmaceutical manufacturer for its vaccine-production process.</font></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><font size="1" color="#ffb800"> </font><strong></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font face="ITC Caslon 224 Bold" color="#ffb800">Unpredictable lifespan</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font size="1"> </font></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font size="1">Stowell explains: "Not only do all of its materials have to be internationally approvedbut they need an extended life.</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font size="1">"In this kind of applicationconventional elastomers have a short and unpredictable lifespan. Any failure in the sealing element is very expensive and batches must be rejected he says. Isolast’s long-term performance under demanding conditions is crucial for companies like this.</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font size="1">Designing customised industrial solutions is the way forward. One recent solution involved a safety-relief valve in a refrigeration application.</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><font size="1">"The customer had a three piece valve arrangement with two brass components and a conventional elastomeric seal between them says Stowell. There were also 14 different types of elastomer which could be specified for the valvedepending on the refrigerant or lubricant usedwhich was causing all kinds of problems he adds.</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left""><strong><strong><font size="1">"The seal was quite large and replacing it with Isolast would have been very expensiveso we decided to redesign the whole valveturning it into a one-piece unit with a much smaller amount of Isolast bonded into it. The customer was delighted says Stowell. We’ve since supplied almost 40000 parts to them and in four yearsthe customer hasn’t had a single reject from its clients he says.</font></strong></strong></p><p align="left""><strong><strong><font size="1">"Isolast is at the extreme edge of the elastomer spectrum and allows us to do things with seals that wouldn’t be possible with conventional elastomers says Stowell. By pursuing this innovationwe will find new and efficient ways of solving our customers’ problems."</font><strong><font face="Zapf Dingbats Bold" size="1" color="#ffb800">v</font></strong></strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><strong><strong><font size="1"> </font><em></em></strong></strong></strong></p><p><strong><strong><strong><em><font face="ITC Caslon 224 Book Italic" size="1">For more informationwww.busakshamban.com</font></em></strong></strong></strong></p>"
