HYDLAR® Z Plate

HYDLAR® Z is nylon 6/6 reinforced with aramid fiber, a combination that delivers the stiffness and wear life of a filled composite without the abrasiveness of glass. Dry, tensile strength is 16,000 psi on a 1,300,000 psi tensile modulus, with 23,000 psi flexural strength, a 900,000 psi flexural modulus and 2.7 ft-lb/in Izod impact. Hardness is Rockwell M92. Heat deflection temperature is 470°F at 264 psi, long-term service is 200°F with 300°F intermittent, and CLTE is a low 1.6 x 10^-5 in/in·°F. Wear rate is published as 79-128 x 10^-10 in³·min/ft·lbf, measured at PV 2,500 psi·fpm per ASTM D3702.

It is specified for bearings, bushings, wear pads, sheaves, thrust washers, gears and seals in construction and mining equipment, conveyor systems, and power and mechanical engineering. Because aramid fiber is soft relative to metal, parts run against steel or softer shafting without scoring the counterface, which is the main reason it is chosen over glass-filled nylon. Machine with sharp carbide tooling at high speed and light feed; aramid dulls cutters and can leave fuzzed edges. The key limitation is moisture: conditioned stock drops to 9,500 psi tensile strength and 0.82 ft-lb/in Izod, so design to wet values. Water absorption reaches 6.3% at saturation.