Owners of industrial establishments are faced with the challenge of reducing noise so that employees have a favourable work environment. This article discusses how the level of noise can be reduced if equipment parts are made from high performance plastics, such as polyethylene.

Low Weight 

The motors and drive systems of equipment usually make a lot of noise as they use plenty of power to move or rotate heavy equipment components. This noise level can be reduced by using equipment parts that are made from high performance plastics. The drive power needed to lift or rotate those plastic parts will be less because the components have less weight than metallic components. Consequently, the motors and other drive system components will be less noisy as they operate at a lower power setting.

Fewer Joints in Components

Metal components usually have more parts joined using welding or fasteners. This is because it is not very easy to fabricate a metal component that has several specifications, such as wall thicknesses and intricate shapes. Consequently, fabricators make those different parts separately before joining them using different methods, such as welding. Those joints eventually become lines of weakness where the component starts loosening. When that happens, the equipment will start rattling and making noise.

High performance plastics provide an opportunity to reduce the noise resulting from the rattling of equipment parts that have loosened at the joints. This is because plastics can be moulded into complex shapes and sizes without having to join different sections of the same component. The extrusion process permits this ease of fabrication. Consequently, your industrial complex will be less noisy because the plastic parts will not have joints that will rattle as they age.

Resistance to Corrosion

Metal equipment parts can corrode if special measures, such as using lubricants that protect the metal parts from corrosion, are not taken. Metal fragments can break off a metal component as it corrodes. Those fragments may generate noise as they touch the rotating parts of industrial equipment. Such noise can be prevented by using high performance plastic to make equipment components. This plastic is resistant to corrosion so it will be more likely to retain its structural integrity for a long time.

As you can see, high performance plastics can help you to keep noise within acceptable levels. Contact a high performance plastic manufacturer so that he or she helps you to plan how to transition from metal equipment parts to plastic parts.

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