Sheet in PPE FR 1220x610 mm black

Sheet in PPE FR is a flame retardant sheet material in modified polyphenylene ether, here in black and in the 1220x610 mm format. The material is developed for interiors in aircraft and rail vehicles, environments where the fire requirements govern the material choice harder than almost anything else. A note on the name: pure polyphenylene ether is in practice too stiff flowing to produce rationally, so commercial PPE grades are modified blends where machinability is built in from the start.

Fire performance is the core of the grade. The rating is V0 according to UL 94, the strictest level on that scale, and the material is documented according to FAR 25.853, the American aviation standard that regulates how materials in aircraft cabins may behave in a fire. On top of that comes low smoke generation, a property that weighs heavily in enclosed spaces; in a fire the smoke is usually more dangerous than the flames, and that is exactly why cabin and carriage materials are judged on both points.

The next argument is the weight. The density is 1.1 g/cm³, which makes PPE FR one of the lightest flame retardant engineering plastics on the market. In aircraft and trains every kilo counts in energy consumption over the whole life of the vehicle, and the difference against heavier flame retardant alternatives becomes significant when the panels and parts are many. A panel in full format weighs a good 0.8 kg per millimeter of thickness, calculated on the density; a figure that makes weight budgeting quick.

The material also takes up very little water, which gives good dimensional stability; a panel milled in winter has the same measurements in summer humidity. The maximum service temperature is 85 °C, entirely enough for interiors but worth checking close to heat sources. PPE is also a good electrical insulator with stable insulation properties, and the resistance to water based media is acceptable. Strong solvents, above all aromatic ones, have to be kept away, though; polyphenylene ether is sensitive there.

Typical parts milled out of the sheet: panels and hatches in train and aircraft interiors, enclosures and holders for electronics, electrical insulators as well as fixtures and protective parts in vehicles where a fire class is required. Swedish subcontractors to the rail vehicle and aviation industry are a recurring customer group, and the material is often brought in precisely because the fire requirements of the sector rule out the standard plastics already in the specification.

Machining is uncomplicated. The sheet is milled, drilled and tapped with ordinary sharp tools, holds tight tolerances thanks to the low moisture movement, and the black material is colored all the way through so that milled edges get the same shade as the surface. Clamp the sheet properly and let the tool do the work; thin panels otherwise like to vibrate in the mill. For joining, mechanical fastening applies in the first place; gluing requires adhesive systems that are not built on aromatic solvents.

Set the grade against flame retardant PC and you get higher impact strength there but also higher density and price; flame retardant ABS grades are cheaper but rarely reach the same level of documentation toward aviation. With fire class, low weight and electrical insulation as the requirement picture, PPE FR holds up very well in the comparison.

The sheet in this format measures 1220x610 mm and the product comes in several thicknesses according to the variant list; the same grade is also available as round rod for turned parts. Finished blanks in other measurements we cut with CTS, our cut-to-size service. Exact strength values, electrical data and fire certificates you find in the manufacturer's TDS.

Do you need technical documentation ahead of a qualification? Call us directly and we will put together what you need.