When it comes to acetal vs delrin it’s important to know the difference to pick the right plastic for your next job.
Delrin is a type of acetal homopolymer and therefore generally interchangeable with others of the same class. This means that ideally Acetal plastic and Delrin plastic are fundamentally the same. While Delrin still offers the same core benefits of general acetal plastics, such as:
Homopolymer
Copolymer
The main distinctions between Delrin and other polyacetal plastic stem from its composition as a homopolymer. Delrin has a uniform crystalline structure rather than one incorporating multiple subunits. This leads to better properties in select areas—such as higher stiffness, flex fatigue resistance, and creep resistance—when compared to copolymers. Overall, Delrin offers slight but measurable benefits in terms of mechanical strength.
One negative characteristic specific to Delrin over other acetal plastics is its increased centerline porosity—an inconsistency in the center of the plastic caused by gas escape in the cooling process. While not a concern when the center of a rod is to be drilled out, this property can be problematic in certain food and medical related applications as centerline porosity increases the risk of bacterial growth.
Here’s the main takeaway: While Delrin does have some distinguishing properties, acetal plastics share enough in common that they are often interchangeable based on budget and other project-specific characteristics.
Due to DuPont's large market share of acetal plastic products, some recognize acetal plastics only by the brand name Delrin—not actually a different type of plastic, but rather an acetal homopolymer. This often results in confusion over whether an application requires Delrin or another acetal plastic—or not knowing what the difference is at all. The following post will help readers to understand the terminology surrounding acetal plastics.
Owing to its strength, rigidity, and stability, polyacetal plastic is widely desirable across industries for a range of potential uses. In some cases, these physical properties are strong enough that acetal plastics can replace metal components. For these reasons, acetal plastics are common in the following industries:
More specifically, these materials are often used to fabricate:
Emco offers a full range of acetal plastics of nearly any configuration, including Delrin. Our large inventory allows us to provide you with the exact type of plastic materials you need to meet your unique application specifications. In addition, our experts will assist customers with the custom selection of materials that will be ideal for the fabrication of superior machined rods, tubes, and other components. As one of the nation's most distinguished plastic distributors, you can trust that our work will be precise, accurate, and timely.
To find out how our experts can best meet your project needs, contact Emco today.
Looking for cut-to-size items off the shelf? Shop acetal sheets & bars, rods, and balls from our distribution partner Fix Supply. Check out their Knowledge Center for additional information.
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