DuPont Engineering Polymers and the materials handling department of the Technical University of Chemnitz have agreed a three-year joint development program which started in October 2008. Its objective is to develop three-dimensionally flexible conveyor belts, made using high performance polymers from DuPont, with significant improvements in terms of stability and stiffness, as well as enhanced tribological properties. These conveyor belts should provide end-use benefits such as the ability to handle greater loads at faster speeds, increased energy efficiency and improved operating characteristics. Conveyor units with components made from DuPont Delrin, for example, are already in use across the beverage and electrical indust-ries. Due to their low-wear/low-friction behaviour, parts made of Delrin require little or no lubrication. Moreover, they consume less energy, operate more quietly and for longer than their metal counterparts.
The materials handling department at the TU Chemnitz specialises in research into the areas of tribological pairing of traction mechanisms and guidance systems, as well as new concepts for technical logistics. This work is carried out by Professor Dr-Ing. Klaus Nendel, and his team, at a technical school comprising 1000 m² of testing and laboratory space. Using specially-developed test rigs, wear and friction measurements can be taken to establish a correlation between test specimen behaviour and virtually lifelike conditions on the test rig.
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