Sheet in PEEK LF CF30 3000x500 mm black

PEEK LF CF30 brings together two things a heavily loaded plain bearing wants: high load capacity and low friction. The carbon fiber carries the load. The low friction mix makes the surface glide dry against steel, and together they give one of the most load tolerant sliding grades in the whole PEEK family. The sheet takes 260 degrees long term and short peaks toward 300 degrees, so it works where a lubricant would have burned away.

The compressive hardness is high, around 355 N/mm², among the highest in the range, and tensile strength sits around 122 MPa. That means a sliding surface takes a high surface load without being pressed in or deformed. Impact strength of about 62 kJ/m² is surprisingly good for a carbon filled grade, so the material is not brittle despite the filler and takes a fair amount of shock load. Density is about 1.38 g/cm³ and water uptake is negligible, around 0.03 percent, so the part holds its dimensions in damp conditions. The fire rating is V0. The carbon fiber makes the material electrically conductive, so it dissipates static charge instead of collecting it. Thermal conductivity of around 0.66 W/mK is high for PEEK, which helps carry frictional heat away from the sliding surface. That is exactly the decisive advantage in hard loaded bearings, because heat is what otherwise kills a dry running sliding contact.

The sheet format is the raw stock for heavily loaded sliding components you mill out of a block. Thrust bearings and bottom bearings with high surface load that run dry. Wear rails and guides in hot, heavily loaded lines where oil is not an option. Slide plates against steel where both load capacity and static dissipation are needed at the same time, for example in equipment sensitive to discharges. Bearing parts in pumps and compressors that work without lubrication. The combination of high compressive hardness, low friction and good heat removal is the reason you pick this grade over simpler sliding plastics. Where an ordinary sliding plastic would have worn out or melted from the frictional heat, LF CF30 holds.

The carbon fiber is abrasive on the tools. Run sharp carbide or diamond coated inserts, moderate cutting data and good cooling, and count on changing edges more often than with unfilled material. The material mills and turns to fine tolerances and a hard, even surface that glides well straight away. Clamp the blank securely and avoid point loads against thin sections. Thick blocks can be stress relieved before finish milling for the best dimensional stability. Drill in stages and clear the chips, and tap with the right tool, because the fibers do not forgive sloppiness.

It is the interplay between three properties that makes the grade strong in heavy bearings. The high compressive hardness means the surface is not pressed in under load. The low friction means it slides easily without lubrication. And the good thermal conductivity carries away the frictional heat that otherwise builds up in the contact surface and that is the most common reason a dry running bearing breaks. Together they mean the bearing can be run harder and longer than with a simpler sliding plastic before wear takes over. Creep under constant pressure is low, so preload and fit hold over time.

The conductive carbon fiber means the part dissipates static charge instead of collecting it, which is valuable in equipment that is sensitive to discharges. The color is black all the way through the material. Keep in mind that the conductive property means the grade does not work as an electrical insulator, so if the part has to insulate instead, a glass filled or ceramic filled grade is what you should look at. A smooth, hardened steel mating surface gives the lowest wear and the longest life for the sliding contact. Give the fit clearance for thermal expansion. If you are unsure whether the load really calls for this grade, we will help you work it out.

Sheets come in several thicknesses and are cut to blanks from your drawing, so material waste is kept down. Not sure whether a low friction grade or a plain sliding grade suits your load best? Describe surface load, sliding speed and temperature, and we will pick the right PEEK grade for your bearing.

At 3000 x 500 mm, the conductive, carbon fiber reinforced sheet gives wider blanks for parts in environments where charge must not build up.