PLASTIC MACHINING WITH ECTFE (HALAR) PLASTIC

Pete Poodiack, VP of Sales and Marketing at Controlled Fluidics, talks about ECTFE (Halar) plastic and what makes it a popular material for plastic machining and fabrication.

ECTFE is also called Halar, but its long name is ethylene-chloro-trifluoro-ethylene. That’s a mouthful so everyone refers to this material as ECTFE or Halar.

This is a more expensive material, but in exchange for the cost, it offers a host of great benefits. Halar is FDA and USDA-certified which opens up possibilities for its use across a broad spectrum of applications. This material also offers excellent chemical and mechanical properties.

It can stand up to the most common corrosive chemicals. It’s also flame-resistant and impact-resistant, and it offers excellent weatherability. It can handle board service use temperatures of up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has very low permeability to liquids, gas, and vapors.

Because of these benefits, ECTFE tends to be very popular for fluid processing and chemical storage. At Controlled Fluidics, we see this material used for filters or piping systems, in particular.

A lot of people are trying to choose between ECTFE and PVDF when selecting their material. ECTFE is more expensive and harder to machine than PVDF, but it also offers better chemical resistance and more surface smoothness. If you’re not sure which one is right for your project, our engineers are always happy to lend their expertise.

This only covers the basics. Learn more about ECTFE (Halar) Plastic on our materials page.