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Materials
Specialized material options to meet product specifications

- Cellular Urethane
- Excellent resistance to compression set, which enables durable, long-term performance for gasketing, sealing and cushioning.
- Low outgassing, non-fogging, and contains no plasticizers or residual chemicals to contaminate the device. Urethane will not become brittle and is non-corrosive to metal.
- Flame retardant without the use of additives. Materials can be found to meet flammability requirements of UL HBF and MVSS 302
- Engineered urethane formulations offer a wide modulus range for design versatility requirements
- Excellent performance over broad temperature ranges (-40 - 90 degrees C) Good chemical resistance
- Easy to fabricate, die cuts cleanly and readily accepts adhesive without surface preparation.
- EPDM/Caulking Sponge
- Flexibility in a wide variety of variety of temperatures (from 40 degrees F to 175 degrees F) enabling it to be installed year round.
- Non-crystalline material and contains no plasticizers that can migrate and lead to premature membrane failure causing brittleness with aging.
- Foam of EPDM synthetic rubber mixture with semi-closed cells can be formulated in a variety of combinations with other polymer modifiers.
- Easy to fabricate, die cuts cleanly and readily accepts adhesive without surface preparation.
- Polyurethane
- Wide range of flexibility and rigidity
- Used for insulation
- Thermoplastic polyurethane are commonly used in medical devices
- Flexible polyurethane is sometimes used in automotive interiors
- Polyurethanes lend themselves well to die cutting
- Butyl
- A “two-in-one” foam that combines extruded PVC with a butyl covering to provide an aggressive seal and fills small voids
- Low permeability to gasses and moisture
- Inert to chemicals
- Resistant to heat, ozone and UV light
- This material is popular as “body mounts” in automotive applications
- XLPE or Cross-linked polyethylene
- Closed-cell, inert, stable and lightweight
- Easy to die cut
- Cost-effective solution to many cushioning and sealing needs
- Improved barrier qualities: thermal insulation and water permeation
- Low outgassing if punctured and compressed (the gas given off is air)
- Will not promote the growth of bacteria or fungus
- Exposure of XLPE to salt water will have little, if any, effect on its properties
- Neoprene
- Chemical inertness makes it viable for industrial applications such as gaskets or car fan belts
- A good base for rubber based adhesives
- Widely used for noise isolation
- PVC
- Widely used in the medical industry as materials for orthopedic and prosthetic softgoods, custom orthotics, padding and other biomechanical supports
- For the automotive industry, PVC is used in steering wheels, soft touch dash board panels, door panels and roof liners.
- Polyolefin
- Offers increased softness
- Lends well to die cutting
- Cost-effective solution to many foam and cushioning needs
- Closed-cell structure affords improved water resistance, stability and inertness
- Silicone
- Maintains its flexibility across a very wide temperature range
- A good electrical insulator
- Santoprene
- Commonly used in the appliance, automotive, construction, consumer goods, electrical, fluid delivery and medical industries
- Offers chemical resistance equivalent to that of Neoprene’s (a wide variety)
- Will swell in aromatic and halogenated organic solvents
- High polar fluids have little effect upon Santoprene
- Silicone
- Wide temperature range (-100 to 550 degrees fahrenheit)
- Good chemical and moisture resistance
- Good durability and compression capabilities
- Material is commonly made into gaskets, stoppers, shielding, cushioning, shims and insulation for the industrial markets
- Common solution to demanding applications involving heat, chemicals, compression and stability
- Durability and dimensional stability are excellent
- ABS
- Tough and impact resistant
- Good for small appliance housing
- HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
- Comes in a variety of thicknesses, formats, translucencies and weights
- Known for its high impact strength, electrical insulation, flexibility, flame retardency, weather resistancy
- Has a very low coefficient of friction and wear resistancy
- Most commonly used at PDCI Medical for the customized die-cut card within SurgPack (TM)
- Easy to die cut, score and print
- Virgin and regrind grades both available
- A common “in stock” item for PDCI Medical
- Polycarbonate
- Excellent clarity and impact strength over a wide temperature range
- Can be used for indoor and outdoor applications
- Is rated for flammability
- Comes in a variety of thicknesses and translucencies
- Polyimide/Polyamide
- A wide range of temperatures
- Contains its tensile strength, shape and stiffness
- Common applications include gasketing and heat sinks for electronics, thermal fixtures, valve seats and wear pads
- Reinforced with 30% glass for superior strength
- Commonly used in severe weather applications
- Polypropylene
- Low-cost
- Non-toxic
- Hard, smooth surface prevents bacteria build-up
- Chemically resistant
- Also comes flame-retardant, if specified
- Can be used interchangeably with HDPE in some applications
- Polystyrene
- Easy to die cut
- Low cost plastic
- Good stiffness-strength balance
- Commonly used as adhesive “backing cards” for the diagnostic research tests
- Good for small appliance housing
- Polysulfone
- Excellent resistance to chemicals, hot water and steam
- A favorite in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food-service applications
- Is rated for flammability
Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA)
- Acrylic Adhesives
- More versatile than rubber-based systems
- Is UV stable with higher temperature performance
- Good-to-excellent chemical resistance
- Acrylics go through a 24 hour cure cycle or “wet-out” period where over time, the bond continues to improve.
- Offers a longer shelf life than rubber adhesives
- Rubber Adhesives
- Typically offers the most aggressive adhesion in the shortest amount of time
- Best used in ambient, indoor applications due to susceptibility to UV and elevated temperatures
- Will work with a variety of substrates and satisfy most adhesion requirements
- Butyl Adhesives
- Works best with wood or metal surfaces
- Transfer Adhesives
- Minimal thickness due to lack of supportive carrier material
- Superior conformability to irregular surfaces for applications such as test strips, surgical drapes and medical packaging
- If desired, these tapes can be pattern-coated for ease of slitting and processing
- Double Coated Adhesives
- Utilizes a double coated carrier (typically made out of film, tissue, non-woven, foam) which offers ease of handling and slitting
- Can serve to reduce overlamination on porous materials
- Ability to use different adhesives on each side (i.e. permanent and removable on same structure for suture clip holders and instrument holding devices)
- Hydrocolloids
- Ideal for ostomy and wound care applications
- Conformable and comfortable
- Low adhesion rate makes hydrocolloid optimal for skin-contact applications
- Hydrogels
- Jelly-like substance can be used as a conductive medium for defibrillators
- Hydrogels can be custom formulated to be used in conjunction with medications and analgesic materials
- Excellent cooling mechanism for burn wounds
- Fische/Fish Paper
- Material of choice for electrical insulation to isolate electrical currents from metal enclosures
- Excellent electric tracking resistance
- Superior heat resistance
- Common applications vary from electrical appliances/instruments, automotive washers, electrical insulation and devices, gaskets, circuit breakers and bushings for motor contacts and lightning arresters.
- Glass Filled Fibers
- Used to increase stiffness
- Can be used with a toughener to equalize the elongation and impact strength that is lost when glass-filling occurs.
- Vulcanized Fibre
- Hard, chemically pure cellulose product containing no resins or bonding agents
- Commonly used as washers, insulating plates, switch and appliance insultation, gaskets, electric motor insulation, circuit breakers, automobile parts, patterns and many other application
- High mechanical strength
- Light-weight
- Resistance to wide range of temperatures
- Good arc resistance, electrical properties
- Great for die-cutting
- UL recognized
- Special grades: bright white, flame retardant and homogeneous
- Felt
- Commonly used for vibration absorption, noise reduction, bearing strength, sealing, wicking and many other applications.
- Non-woven
- Flat and porous
- Good for applications where absorbency is required
- Good resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrer and sterility.
- Mimics the appearance, texture and strength of a woven fabric and can be as bulky as the thickest paddings.
- Can be used alone as components of health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods
- Shoddy Pads
- Used in the automotive industry as floor carpet or insulation for interior trim on the dash liner, door panels, trunk, etc.
- Felt
- Commonly used for vibration absorption, noise reduction, bearing strength, sealing, wicking and many other applications.
- Non-woven
- Flat and porous
- Good for applications where absorbency is required
- Good resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrer and sterility.
- Mimics the appearance, texture and strength of a woven fabric and can be as bulky as the thickest paddings.
- Can be used alone as components of health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods
- Shoddy Pads
- Used in the automotive industry as floor carpet or insulation for interior trim on the dash liner, door panels, trunk, etc.
| PDCI Quick Facts |
- Location: Hayward, CA
- Established in: 1989
- Delivering Products to: North & Latin America, Europe, and Asia
- Facility Size: 60,000ft2
- Cleanroom (Class 10,000 / 1,000): 5,000ft2
- ISO 9001 Certified
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