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Our Commitment to Quality

Since our founding in 1927, New Process Fibre has made quality the foundation of our business. This commitment has not only earned us a loyal customer base, it’s also allowed our experienced stampers to take real pride in what they do. To ensure first-class quality for our clients, we take a comprehensive, multipronged approachto our work.

In-House Toolinghi-res-tool-die-making

A quality stamped washer begins with quality tooling. All of our tooling is done in-house — 100% made in the USA — so we can control every step of the process. This allows us to offer our customers tighter tolerances, shorter lead times, lower costs, and adept flexibility when changes are needed.

Whether tooling for prototype runs or large, multimillion-piece orders, our in-house tooling and die shop can meet the demands of any project, no matter how unusual or complex. Additionally, every piece of tooling is stored forever, making reorders simple, easy, and cost-effective.

High-Quality Material Suppliers

To deliver the highest-quality stamped products, like our Teflon™ PTFE washers, we work with only the highest-quality suppliers. Our team adheres to a stringent procurement process and holds our suppliers to the same high standards we follow in-house. This includes ensuring that all products are conflict-mineral free.

With 90 years of experience across a wide range of industries, our team has the expertise to help guide customers through the complexities of material selection, taking into account critical factors such as temperature, mechanics, flexibility, and impact resistance.

Certifications

While we have a number of certifications, we’ve been upholding rigorous quality standards long before we had the papers to prove it.

For instance, prior to receiving our ISO 9001 quality certification in 2002, we had already implemented an extensively documented quality management system, making for a quick, seamless certification process.

Our full list of certifications and standards is as follows:

  • ISO 9001:2008 By outlining specific quality and safety requirements, our ISO certification ensures that all of our processes and products are of the highest possible quality for our clients.
  • PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) — Because we often work with the automotive industry, we obtained PPAP certification to demonstrate the quality and reliability of our design and production processes.
  • FAI (First Article Inspection) — We meet FAI standards to ensure that the production process reliably produces what is intended; this is done by verifying the accuracy of drawings, analyzing every aspect of the production process, and evaluating the quality of all tooling. While primarily used for military applications, this standard is now also being applied to other industries including automotive, aerospace, and medical.
  • RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) — We also meet the RoHS standard, which specifies that we do not use the following six hazardous materials in our products: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (CrVI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), nor do we use the phthalates DEHP, BBP, BBP, and DIBP.
  • REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) — To ensure environmental friendliness, New Process Fibre complies with EU REACH standards, which regulate the production and use of chemical substances that can impact human health and the environment.

Outstanding Service

As an industry-leading manufacturer of non-metallic stamped washers, we’re proud to offer our clients the highest-quality services available. Contact us today to learn more about our certifications and capabilities or to discuss how we can provide the fiber washers, nylon washers, or other materials you need to supply your next project.

Acetal: Tougher Than You Think

Truly versatile, high-performance materials, acetal homopolymer and copolymer resins can be used in a wide range of applications.

Although many compounds have an acetal function group, polyoxymethylene is most commonly referred to as “acetal.” A homopolymer, which means the same molecular unit repeats throughout the polymer chain, polyoxymethylene specifically features a very high melting point and superior liquid resistance, making it ideal for use in plumbing, piping, and marine applications.

Why Choose Acetal?

The single greatest strength of acetal, and polyoxymethylene in particular, is its incredible versatility, allowing it to be used in many varied scenarios — everything from guitar pick fabrication to petrochemical processing.

npf-acetal

Acetal also has superior flexural and tensile strength, as well as excellent hardness and dimensional stability. Its fatigue resistance is very high, as is its lubricity and creep resistance. Because none of these properties are compromised when exposed to a range of operating temperatures, acetal is commonly used to fabricate engines and motors. Acetal stamping is also frequently employed to make gears, cams, bushings, and other critical mechanical components.

With superior corrosion resistance, acetal homopolymers can resist corrosion and degradation when submerged in fresh water, salt water, solvents, oils, reagents, and alkalis. The only real exception is mineral acid solutions — over time, hydrochloric, nitric, and sulfuric acids can have corrosive effects.

Acetal homopolymers also feature strong electrical properties and can be used in a wide range of electrical applications.

Learn More

At New Process, a family-owned fibre company with nearly 90 years of experience, our expert team frequently works with acetal copolymers and homopolymers, stamping all types of acetal parts, from washers and gaskets to insulators. As a full-service manufacturer, we perform everything in-house to ensure that our clients receive only the highest-quality products.

To learn more about the benefits of acetal resins and how they can be used in your next project, download our free “Material Selection Guide: Acetal” today.

Non-Metallic & Plastic Material Selection Criteria

Much more than simply picking texture or color, plastic material selection criteria can greatly affect performance, safety, and durability. In order to make the right choice for your application, it’s important to know a material’s unique characteristics and how they will affect your specific project. To effectively answer these questions, you’ll need to be familiar with every detail of your application. extrusion

Criteria for Material Selection

Once armed with the appropriate information and project details, refer to these eight important considerations for selecting non-metallic and plastic materials:

  1. Temperature — Will the parts in your application be exposed to frequent fluctuation or temperature extremes? Many materials have a maximum and minimum operating temperature, as they can become brittle in extreme cold or oxidize when exposed to intense heat.
  1. Mechanics — If your application requires high tensile strength or will be exposed to competing forces, you’ll need a material capable of withstanding these pressures and stresses without deforming or fatiguing.
  1. Flexibility — Closely tied to tensile strength, some components may need to be extremely stiff or flexible depending on their role in the application.
  1. Impact Resistance — Will the component require toughness in its planned environment? If so, you’ll need to select a material with strong resistance to impact and erosion effects over time.
  1. Dielectric Strength — If your application involves the transfer of electricity, the part may need to be able conduct an electric current or, conversely, be insulated and protected from it.
  1. Chemical Resistance — What chemicals or other harmful substances will the components be exposed to? Industries processing volatile chemicals or producing high levels of toxic waste will require more resistant materials than those in less severe environments.
  1. Industry Demands — Your material may need to meet specific requirements depending on the specifications of the individual application, as well as any specific standards or legal regulations — such as ASME or ISO — that may exist within a particular industry.
  1. Cost — While it can be challenging to strike a balance between cost and quality, you should always try to select the material that will offer the best performance for your budget.

Types of Non-Metallic & Plastic Materials

There are many types of plastic, and each comes with different physical and chemical properties that make them suitable for specific applications. For laboratory settings, there are several types of plastics that offer beneficial properties. In general, plastics and how they respond to laboratory conditions can be broken down into two categories:

Some plastic types feature properties that make them ideal for myriad laboratory purposes. These plastics are considered highly compatible given their strong resistances to a wide range of chemicals and temperatures. Such plastics include:

  • Polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE)
  • Polypropylene(PP and PPCO)
  • Teflon (PFA and FEP)

Highly compatible plastics are used to fabricate laboratory tools such as bottles, plans, funnels, and graduated cylinders.

Other plastics may be considered only mildly compatible the temperatures or chemicals used within a lab. These plastics include:

  • Polycarbonate(PC)
  • Polyethylene terephthalate G copolymer (PETG)
  • Polystyrene (PS)

Mildly compatible plastics vary wildly in terms of properties. Some may be sterilized using an autoclave, while others may melt under the high-temperature steam in the autoclave process. Some will keep their elastic properties in extreme low temperatures up to -250° C, while others may become brittle below freezing.

As these materials often feature a clarity similar to glass, they can still be ideal for the fabrication of laboratory containers such as media bottles, cryoboxes, and filterware.

Criteria for Material Selection

When selecting plastic materials for a laboratory or research application, it’s important to know the general characteristics of each plastic group. These are:

Amorphous Thermoplastics

  • Structural applications only (not suitable for bearing and wear)
  • Soften over a wide temperature range
  • Good formability
  • Transparency
  • Bond well using adhesives or solvents
  • Low chemical resistances
  • Poor fatigue resistance
  • Prone to stress cracking

Semicrystalline Thermoplastics

  • Ideal for bearing, wear, and structural applications
  • Sharp melting point
  • Opaque
  • Good chemical resistance
  • Resistance to stress cracking
  • Good fatigue resistance
  • Poor formability
  • Difficult to bond using adhesives or solvents

Imidized Materials

  • Maintain physical properties above 400° F
  • Best temperature resistance
  • Best bearing and wear capabilities
  • High chemical resistance

Once armed with the appropriate information and project details, these eight important considerations for selecting non-metallic and plastic materials can help you determine which plastic group is suitable for your intended purpose:

1. Temperature

Will the parts in your application be exposed to frequent fluctuation or temperature extremes? Many materials have a maximum and minimum operating temperature, as they can become brittle in extreme cold or oxidize when exposed to intense heat.

2. Mechanics

If your application requires high tensile strength or will be exposed to competing forces, you’ll need a material capable of withstanding these pressures and stresses without deforming or fatiguing.

3. Flexibility

Closely tied to tensile strength, some components may need to be extremely stiff or flexible depending on their role in the application.

4. Impact Resistance

Will the component require toughness in its planned environment? If so, you’ll need to select a material with strong resistance to impact and erosion effects over time.

5. Dielectric Strength

If your application involves the transfer of electricity, the part may need to be able conduct an electric current or, conversely, be insulated and protected from it.

6. Chemical Resistance

What chemicals or other harmful substances will the components be exposed to? Industries processing volatile chemicals or producing high levels of toxic waste will require more resistant materials than those in less severe environments.

7. Industry Demands

Your material may need to meet specific requirements depending on the specifications of the individual application, as well as any specific standards or legal regulations — such as ASME or ISO — that may exist within a particular industry.

8. Cost

While it can be challenging to strike a balance between cost and quality, you should always try to select the material that will offer the best performance for your budget.

Industries and Applications

A broad range of industries use plastics for myriad applications. Some of the industries using these plastics include:

Oil and Gas

The environments, requirements, and workloads associated with the oil and gas industry are exceptionally demanding. Materials that are EN ISO 23936-1:2009 and NORSOK M-710, Edition 3 compliant are required in these applications.

Medical Technology

Materials used in the manufacturing and construction of medical technology must come with approvals for direct bodily contact. Resistance to common sterilization methods is also required because the vast majority of medical products must be thoroughly sterilized before and/or after use. Medical devices and surgical tools must be also be visible under fluoroscopy and x-ray radiation, which may require the use of specialized materials.

Food Technology

In food technology, materials must comply with explicit regulations, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European standards such as 10/2011/EC and 1935/2004 EC). The food and beverage industry has seen increased demand for detectable materials that help prevent unwanted particulate matter from working its way into the food processing chain. Broken plastics fragments may be easily traced via standardized process control systems thanks to special additives used in intentionally modified materials.

Aerospace and Semiconductor

The aerospace and semiconductor industries feature some of the most stringent quality requirements in any industry. They require materials with high ionic purity levels due to their reliance on vacuum setups, and flame retardant materials also see heavy used in these industries due to several applications that center around fire protection.

Free Material Selection Guide

material-guide-coverWith almost a century of experience, New Process Fibre Co. has been relentless in our mission to improve our clients’ manufacturing processes. Specializing in custom non-metallic stamping and fabrication services, and offering a broad selection of components and materials, our team has the industry expertise to guide you through the many challenges of material selection.

To learn more about the vast selection of alternative, non-metallic materials for your next project, download our free eBook, “Non-Metallic Material Selection & Properties Guide.”

Customer Highlight: How NPF Improved Yield

Since 1927, New Process Fibre has been committed to producing high performance, cost-effective products. By performing every step of our manufacturing process in-house rather than outsourcing, we maintain oversight of the entire project to eliminate discrepancies, ensure timely delivery, and provide customers with high quality finished products.

One of our customers, recently utilized our in-house non-metallic stamping services to improve the efficiency of their manufacturing process.

Customer Highlight

Woman jogging down an outdoor trail at sunsetBased in MI, our customer manufactures medical foot orthotics for global distribution by healthcare professionals; the inserts are vital for people with medical problems related to the foot, ankle, knee, and back. One of our customer’s most popular products is specifically designed for athletes who need balance support when participating in physical activities.

To expedite and improve production of these athletic inserts, our customer needed a manufacturer who had experience working with sheets of acetal copolymer, the key material in their product. The New Process Fibre team was ready to assist.

Improving the Process

The athletic inserts required 24” sheets of acetal copolymer, but our extruders were designed to produce 38” sheets. To achieve the necessary size, we started the job by trimming the material twice: first from 38” to 36” sheets, and again from 36” to 24” pieces.

White orthopedic insole gel isolated on black backgroundWhite orthopedic insole gel isolated on black backgroundAfter producing a set of 24” acetal copolymer sheets using this method, our team discovered a more efficient technique beneficial to both companies; by updating the product design to use larger sheet dimensions, we could extrude the original 38” sheets and make just one cut to reduce them down to 36”. Because only one cut was required, this solution improved efficiency, yield, and cost-effectiveness for both companies. Even better, our customer now saves money on production costs and passes those savings directly to their customer through lower product pricing.

By constantly seeking opportunities to improve manufacturing processes for our customers, we were able to identify a cost-effective solution for our customer, while also avoiding excess material waste.

New Process Fibre: Ready to Help with Your Next Project

We are continuously updating and enhancing our in-house manufacturing capabilities to make it possible to save our customers time and money. Just as we did with this particular customer, we aim to help all of our customers become more efficient, increase yield, and eliminate unnecessary costs.

npf-brochureWith an extensive inventory of equipment for use on virtually any job, our facility is  well equipped to meet any company standard. Our quality management system is extensively documented with ISO registration.

To learn more about NPF, our capabilities, and our drive to go above and beyond on every project to better serve our customers, download our Company Overview.

Choosing Plastic Extrusion or Non-Metallic Stamping For Your Project Needs?

Manufacturers use a variety of fabrication techniques for producing non-metal goods. Each production method comes with distinct advantages and benefits based on the design, the material, the order volume, and the goals of the project. Non-metallic stamping and plastic extrusion are two of the most popular techniques used for realizing creative and effected designs out of plastic materials. Thermoplastics and fibers offer significant flexibility during fabrication, allowing and continued alteration or processing throughout the production process. In this article, we’ll discuss what those two manufacturing processes look like and what their specific advantages are.

Request a Custom Quote for Extrusion Request a Custom Quote for Stamping

What is Plastic Extrusion?

Plastic parts are often produced through one (or a combination) of these three production methods: extrusion, blow molding, and injection molding. At its most basic, extrusion is the process of forcing a length of plastic against a die with enough pressure to force the plastic through a hole. The plastic comes out the other side in the form of the cross-sectional shape of the hole in the die. New Process Fibre Slitting

Technicians formulate a precise plastic compound in the form of pellets, flakes, powders, or granules. The exact material components of the compound are chosen based on the properties the final product needs to have. Once the compound is made, a machine feeds it through the hopper and extruder. A combination of heat and pressure from screws within the extruder melts the plastic into molten material that takes on the shape of the die while still molten and soft. The material maintains this shape as it cools and hardens.

What are the Key Benefits of Plastic Extrusion?

Plastic extrusion is a popular manufacturing process. While it doesn’t work for every type of plastic product or component, it’s an excellent choice for products with consistent wall thickness and which have wide or long profiles. This includes products such as:

  • Washers
  • Gaskets
  • Insulators
  • Shims
  • Tags
  • Spacers
  • Discs
  • Film
  • Weather Stripping
  • and other custom products…

Some of the key benefits offered by plastic extrusion include:

Speed

Extrusion is a continuous production process. The lengths of plastic can be cut and finished even as the extruder continues to produce more of the product. There are also short lead times on the process because new dies are easy to set up and extrusion produces high volumes quickly.

Design Potential

Designers can build dies with almost any cross-sectional shape or detailing to meet the product’s final design needs. Manufacturers can also produce extrusions with implanted wires and wire coatings, depending on the product’s intended usage.

Cost-Effectiveness

Extrusion is less expensive than other molding processes. The tooling costs for extrusion are far cheaper than many other fabrication processes. The speed of this production method also helps decrease the total project cost.

What is Non-Metallic Stamping?

Non-metallic stamping processes create identical products and components from sheets of material. Like extrusions, this process uses a die that will shape the final product, but that’s where the similarities end. Non-metallic stamping involves pressing the die into set sheets of non-metal material with enough force to cut through the sheet.

Non-Metallic Stamping Services

Multiple industries are turning to stamping production methods because the die can shape plastics and other materials within tight tolerances. However, this process requires precision, attention to detail, and well-calibrated machinery handled by experienced experts.

What are the Key Benefits of Non-Metallic Stamping?

Some of the key benefits of choosing non-metallic stamping include:

Little Material Waste

Stamping dies and machinery can stamp through material sheets with such a high degree of accuracy that little of the sheeting goes to waste. High-volume orders use larger dies that stamp out multiple identical products from a single sheet using the most efficient possible layout. Many thermoplastics and other non-metal materials can also be reformed and recycled back into sheeting for a second round of stamping, further reducing waste.

Cost-Effectiveness

The reduction in material waste helps make non-metallic stamping a cost-effective process. High speeds, short lead times, and the ability to automate production also reduce the costs associated with stamping.

Accuracy

High-quality dies can produce large volumes of products without degrading or becoming less accurate over time. Variations between stamped plastic parts tend to be much less than what is common in metal stamped parts.

Aesthetics

Non-metallic stamped parts don’t have burrs or roughened edges that require extensive finishing. Instead, the parts are visually appealing, clean, and ready for small secondary or finishing processes.

Extrusion and Stamping Applications

While both production methods have advantages, each one works best for certain applications. Extrusion processes, for example, produce a better immediate finish and can produce complex cross-sections. Non-metallic stamping and extrusion processes offer designers more dimensional options and higher volume capabilities.

Plastic extrusion is best for:

  • Blow-molded items
  • Films
  • Insulated wire
  • Sheeting
  • Solid goods

Non-metallic stamping is well-suited for:

  • High-volume production
  • Expensive materials
  • Replacing existing high-cost or slow production methods

Stamping and Extrusion Services of New Process Fibre

New Process Fibre specializes in the high-quality production of non-metallic products through both non-metallic stamping and extrusion processes. We work with each client to help them choose the manufacturing process that works best for their designs and project goals. Contact us today to learn more about our capabilities or to start your order.

Avoid Outsourcing: Add New Process Fibre to Your Supply Chain

Imagine a world of manufacturing with zero outsourcing, vast material options, and experts on every project — that’s exactly what you get when you work with New Process Fibre (NPF). After almost 90 years in business, our team is skilled at working quickly and cost-effectively to ensure that even the most unique custom projects move forward seamlessly.

Outsourcing unnecessarily wastes valuable time and resources. At NPF, we are dedicated to continuously updating and enhancing our in-house manufacturing capabilities to save our customers time and money. Combine these capabilities with a variety of diverse product and material choices, and a once-daunting project not only becomes feasible, but becomes achievable on an expedited timeline.

Tool and Die MakingIn-House Tooling

Working with both standard and custom components, our team completes all tooling in-house and assures top component performance with a thorough quality control check upon completion. In-house tooling provides a number of advantages over outsourcing:

  • Short cycle time per part — as little as 2 weeks for a moderately complex part
  • Tighter tolerances at no additional cost
  • No downtime spent waiting for third party vendors
  • Cost-competitive hard tooling
  • Total control and monitoring start to finish

By slitting, shearing, and extruding in our own facility, we can supply a broad array of materials in specific dimensions to meet customer needs without involving a third party.

Diverse Material Inventory

Our three in-line sheet extruders can produce acetal copolymer, high and low density polyethylene, polypropylene homo and copolymer. The equipment also produces different types of nylon, such as nylon 6, nylon 6/6 and nylon MDS. Beyond the production of our in-line sheet extruders, we also manufacture components from our extensive inventory of materials including thermoplastics like Nylatron®, Teflon™ PTFE, Ultra High Molecular Weight and thermosets like G-10/FR-4 and Phenolic.

As one of the largest importers of vulcanized fibre in the United States, NPF fabricates countless vulcanized fibre washers and parts year round. Beyond these materials, we also offer a special selection that includes PEEK, Nomex®, Kapton® and Mylar.

Industry and Experience

Backed by our material offerings and manufacturing capabilities, we serve a wide range of industries including aerospace, automotive, construction, marine, and military. Businesses in the electrical, plumbing, furniture, and home and garden industries also benefit from our in-house work.

With nearly 90 years of experience, New Process Fibre is both reliable and flexible — a rare combination in our industry. Our ISO 9001:2008 and full PPAP capabilities assure our customers that their project is in good hands. With tight tolerances considered standard practice for our in-house hard tooling and careful shipping procedures to ensure quality deliveries, our production team ensures a quality product every time.

From the first point of contact, our team of experts will take care of your tooling and manufacturing needs with care and expertise. For more information on New Process Fibre’s capabilities, or to request a quote for a custom project, contact us today.

How NPF Maintains Quality With the Use of Keyence IM 6225

As part of our continued dedication to excellence in quality, New Process Fibre (NPF) has recently acquired and integrated a Keyence Instant Measurement (IM) 6225 Image Dimension Measurement System into our quality assurance processes.

An optical comparator, the IM 6225 is a cutting edge precision measuring system. It features highly precise optic components and a high-precision stage, newly developed by Keyence, which allow for a range of advanced capabilities.

Keyence Digital QA Machine Rev. A (1)

Keyence IM 6225

The unique features of the IM 6225 provide it with a number of important characteristics, making it a top-of-the-line piece of equipment.

Speed

A combination of advanced software and high quality precision optics, among other components, make the IM 6225 an exceedingly fast piece of vision-based inspection equipment. With automatic position and origin recognition, the IM 6225 can perform hundreds of individual measurements on a single part simultaneously.

Consistency

Fully automated, the IM 6225 is virtually unparalleled in its consistency and accuracy, even when used by different operators.

Among the automated functions that are performed with each measurement are:

  • Focus adjustment — Aided by its specialty optics and large depth of field, the auto-focus function brings every measurement, regardless of varying part heights, into perfectly sharp focus.
  • Light settings — When you get the perfect lighting conditions for a particular part, you can record them. From then on, whenever the IM 6225 detects that part, it uses the preset lighting settings.
  • Edge detection — The IM 6225’s sub-pixel processing capabilities (100+ sub-pixels per pixel) automatically detect part edges for crisp, sharp images.
  • Defect identification — Chips and burrs are automatically identified and highlighted by the IM 6225, easing and speeding the quality assurance process.

Ease of Use

Both the physical and graphical user interfaces of the IM 6225 are simple, intuitive, and extremely user-friendly. Measurements, guide lines, focus areas, and more can be defined, simply and easily, with just a few clicks of a mouse.

keyenceFlexibility

Every measurement result from each part scanned is automatically recorded by the IM 6225. This — combined with automatically populated histograms, provided trend graphs, and full inspection report generation, either printed directly from the IM 6225 or exported as a CSV file — give us the flexibility needed to manage your part inspection data effectively.

Operation

With virtually all of its functions automated through state of the art technology, operation of the IM 6225 is as simple as can be. An operator need only place a target part on the stage and press a single “Measure” button.

The IM 6225’s foolproof operation makes for a much faster quality assurance process. A faster process means that we can inspect more parts, which means your deliveries will have virtually nonexistent defect rates.

Keyence IM 6225 at NPF

Since integrating the IM 6225 into our quality assurance process, NPF has experienced improved productivity, reliability, and yield — our measurements are faster and more precise than they were previously.

Keyence Screen Shot (1)At the same time, labor and calibration costs have been reduced. The equipment’s compact size allowed us to mobilize the machine; the freedom to bring it where it was needed, when it was needed, went a long way toward increasing the speed of our quality assurance process and focusing man-hours where they were required.

Most importantly, the IM 6225 has allowed us to develop detailed measurement and quality histories for our parts. Important for establishing ideal process capability index (Cpk) values, and printing Certificates of Analysis and Certificates of Compliance, these part histories have been instrumental in developing visibility into processing trends — both for us and for our customers.

The Keyence IM 6225 has allowed for the consistent capture and retention of more accurate measurements, establishing thorough part histories, reducing floor traffic in our facility, and increasing production.

To have the quality assurance benefits of the Keyence IM 6225 Image Dimension Measurement System applied to your next project, consider working with New Process Fibre. Contact us today to get started.

Learn More About New Process Fibre

Sourcing Nylon Washers: Stamped vs. Molded

Nylon is a family of chemical, heat, and wear-resistant materials that are frequently used in diverse industry applications including aerospace and military, automotive, construction, marine, plumbing, and healthcare. For Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), nylon’s versatile properties and durability make nylon washers excellent replacements for standard metallic washers. The two most popular methods to source and create nylon washers are non-metallic stamping and injection molding.

Non-metallic stamping has emerged as a high quality, low cost alternative to popular injection molding. Utilizing conventional or high speed punch presses and a combination of dies, the non-metallic stamping process can cut sheets of plastic and other thin non-metallic substances at incredibly high speeds.nylon washers

Some specific benefits of compound die nylon stamping include:

  • Accuracy – Nylon stamping or punching provides high speed, accurate mass production of identical parts.
  • Uniformity – The punching process blanks an entire set of parts in one operation, creating uniformity with little to no visible irregularities. These types of abnormalities can often occur with multiple individual injection molding operations.
  • Faster turnaround – Some high-speed punch presses offer a production volume of as many as 400 strokes per minute. Non-metallic stamping or punching can create up to 200,000 nylon washers per day, while injection molding makes closer to only 25,000-30,000 per day.

Above all else, stamping nylon washers is cost-effective.

The rapid fire process can punch sheets and coils in a short period of time and create less expensive orders compared to injection molding, which can require new molds for each part. The ability to simply adjust existing punch presses also keeps tooling costs down and enables quick turnaround, leading to more fulfilled orders over time.

At New Process Fibre (NPF), we have a large array of punch presses ranging from 14 high speed presses to 62 hydraulic presses with capacities of 2 to 70 tons and a huge inventory of die-sets for non-metallic stamping. NPF is a family-owned company with almost 100 years of experience improving the in-house manufacturing process. To learn more about our nylon washers, please visit this page.  For more information on how to select the best material for your next job, download our free materials selection guide.

Material-Guide-download

Black Nylon Washers for the Automotive Industry

Black Nylon Washers: Ideal for Automotive Applications

Demanding automotive customers rely on us at New Process Fibre Company for our excellent quality parts and in-house custom manufacturing capabilities. We offer the industry’s most flexible, versatile, and in-demand products, including black nylon washers. Highly preferred throughout the automotive industry, black nylon washers offer a strong and favorable alternative to metals. Nylon is economical, tough, and flexible, as well as chemical- and vibration-resistant. We are proud to offer automotive OEMs with a complete range of nylon solutions for self-retaining washers.

The Benefits of Black NylonRetaining Washers #2

Automotive applications benefit from black nylon washers on many different levels. First of all, these products weigh much less than their metal counterparts. This can contribute to a serious reduction in overall vehicle weight, particularly in heavy engine blocks and mechanical pieces.

Less weight increases fuel efficiency; studies have found that a 10% reduction in weight can translate into a 5-7% improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency. Reduced weight also increases the overall lifetime of vehicles and decreases emissions, helping to contribute to lower environmental costs and promoting sustainability.

The chemical-resistant properties of black nylon prevent washers from weakening or corroding while being in contact with petroleum and oil-based chemicals. These washers offer excellent overall durability against pressure, wear, and tear.

Nylon is also very versatile, allowing for unparalleled workability, flexibility, and design freedom to manufacture whatever shape is needed for any specific automotive application. The overall result of using these products is maximized quality and cost efficiency, with durable nylon that maintains its rigidity in virtually any automotive application–and at significantly lower costs than metal washers.

A Trusted, Industry-Leading Supplier

At New Process Fibre Company, our nylon washers are among the most trusted in the industry. We are fully PPAP compliant as a tier 2 and 3 supplier, ensuring that our work meets the highest levels of quality.

Our black nylon washers are employed by some of the biggest names in the auto industry, including Ford, Chrysler, and Jaguar. We maintain a tremendous inventory of nylon materials and 75 punch presses, with a dedicated, experienced tooling department that can produce all varieties of custom orders in-house. For more information about our nylon washers, please visit this page. To find out more about our black nylon washers and how they can fulfill the requirements for your automotive application, please contact us directly.

The Benefits of Using Nylon 6, Nylon 6/6, and Nylon MDS Over Metal

Manufacturers have considerable options when it comes to selecting material to create nonmetallic stamped parts. Nylon is becoming increasingly popular because of its versatility, especially in nonmetallic washers. With its many product variations, nylon is exceptionally well-suited for use in a range of industries. The material, in its different forms, is ubiquitous in food processing equipment, household appliances, machinery components, and more.

Nylon 6 is a foundational material on which Nylon 6/6 and Nylon MDS are based. Each is perfect for its own application and an outstanding substitute for metal.

Nylon 6

Nylon 6 is resistant to abrasion and has high tensile and impact strength, machinability, and elasticity. Its absorption capacity actually increases the more moisture it absorbs. Nylon 6 can be mixed with glass or carbon fibers to improve its performance, and it is non-toxic.NylonMds

  • Strong candidate for use as a nonmetallic washer in food processing equipment.

Nylon 6/6

Nylon 6/6 is composed of a molecular structure of higher order than Nylon 6, heightening Nylon 6’s positive characteristics: higher tensile strength and stiffness, better dimensional stability, and a higher melting point.

Nylon 6/6 has a high lubricity and resistance to hydrocarbons; and exceptionally balanced strength, ductility, and heat resistance. As strong as it is independently, adding fillers, fibers, lubricants, and impact modifiers can increase Nylon 6/6’s strength times five and stiffness times ten. Its wide processing window allows for materials to form complex shapes with thick or thin walls, as well.

  • Strong candidate for use as a nonmetallic washer in household appliances.

Nylon MDS

Nylon MDS is next in the progression, and last in our short list. It is a version of Nylon 6/6 with the addition of fine particles of MDS. This addition is critical because it improves the load-bearing capacity of the material while preserving the impact resistance of nylon.

It has a self-lubrication level comparable to that of PFTE, which means that the overall service life and wear resistance of Nylon MDS is exceptionally high. In addition to its cost-efficiency, Nylon MDS has superior toughness and durability, and is therefore used for parts that are exposed to high mechanical stresses.

  • Strong candidate for use as a nonmetallic washer in machinery components.

It’s important to remember that these are only a few of the many options Nylon provides; it is frequently used in other industries for additional applications. Our clients for Nylon washers fall into the aerospace, automotive, construction, marine, and plumbing industries.

New Process Fibre can effectively produce the quality parts mentioned above, as well as custom stamped gasket spacers, for less investment than metal alternatives. To learn more about our nonmetallic stamping capabilities or to speak with a representative, contact us.


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