My first post on this forum,
Be gentle
Hi All
I Just had to say something, after reading this post....
I have moulded, burnt, bent, froze, snapped, heated, stretched, dissolved, scanned, and extruded various polymers for nearly 9 years, I'mm no poymer professor but I like to think I know a bit about...blah....blah :shrug:
Ok I'll get to the point, I was thinkin about
Quote:
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now while a plastic type top will never ever ever be as strong as a soldered on copper top. There has to be something said for the way it looks, not only that, but to be able to take it apart and clean the inside. U know, to get all the growy stuff out if need be. Yes acrylic, and other plastics will crack.
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*Many polymers are "stronger" (Tensile, Flexural & Impact properties) than copper. In fact high grade copper is fairly brittle!
A soldered copper block/barbs can NEVER be as strong as an all in one plastic injection overmould - as used in formula 1 rads!
*The visual side of things has only just been touched on, what about a plastic that conducts heat or produces a thermochromic luminescent display. Function not just aesthetics - markers which glow the temperature of the block!
*The "growy stuff" (bacteria and fungi) plastic can be extruded with additives that prevent the growth of bacteria, the surface can be "slippy" to prevent fugi hold'in on - as used for cattle tags.
*What does the future (now) hold,
nano-technology - reducing surface friction, sense flow, pressure and temp, never mind the POLYmorph (shape change) at the flix of a switch.
OK, OK what am I getting at, well the BEST polyblock should be
UV, Glycol, Antistatic, Flame retardant and Hydrolysis resistant to prevent :-
Cracking - stress fracture, UV degredation
Warping/swelling - good dimensional stability/deflection under load.
Staining/discolouration - migration/absorption.
Burning/emitting static charge - It's inside a computer!
Poly(Methyl MethAcrylate) is one of the last polymers that I would select for this kind of CRITICAL application.
A good use for Acrylic - Mmmmm let me think
A decorative Acrylic piano..........
On a more serious note
IMHO have a word with the peeps who extrude the polymer.
The channel design for the TC-4 is Brilliant - Respect