Tubing manufacturer NewAge Industries is offering its line of cam operated couplings in four materials: glass-fiber-reinforced nylon, industrial-grade glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene, PVDF, and food-grade polypropylene. All four materials offer similar performance properties, such as high impact strength and resistance to acids and solvents. One of their biggest advantages over metal counterparts is their lighter weight. Each coupling material includes the following benefits:
- Nylon, which is yellow in color, resists corrosion and handles working pressures up to 175 psi.
- Industrial-grade polypropylene (black) offers a higher degree of acid resistance than nylon and, like nylon, is electrically non-conductive.
- PVDF, or polyvinylidene fluoride, (translucent) is made from FDA-approved ingredients, handles temperatures as high as 300°F (149°C), and will self extinguish. PVDF couplings withstand sterilization by autoclave, ethylene oxide or gamma radiation. They are also UV resistant and offer good acid resistance.
- Food-grade polypropylene (white) resists animal, vegetable, and mineral oils; salts; alkalis; and alcohols. It, too, may be sterilized.