Norgren Collateral

Manifold Materials Manifolds can be made from a variety of materials. The application usually determines material selection. The criteria for specifying a manifold material are: > Media - Is the material compatible with the chemicals such as reagents that it will be handling? > Environment - Will the assembly be subjected to extreme temperatures? Caustics? Humidity? > Pressure - Will gases or liquids be moving at high pressure? > Weight - Does the application require a lightweight assembly? > Cost - If an application is particularly cost sensitive, which is the lowest cost material that still meets performance requirements? Manifolds are made of materials in two broad categories: metal and plastic. Metals are typically selected for harsh environments. Common metals are aluminum and brass, through stainless steel can be used if the assembly will be exposed to environments like salt water spray or caustic chemicals. Flow paths in metal manifolds can only be drilled in straight lines, so designs tend to be fairly simple. Metal manifolds can be designed and produced more quickly and at lower cost than plastic ones. They are highly durable, making them desirable for high pressure applications and other harsh environments. Metal manifolds are sometimes preferred by users simply because they are accustomed to working with metal. Plastics are viewed as more sanitary than metals, and so are commonly used in food and beverage, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. Plastics typically deliver better chemical resistance and thermal conductivity. They have the capacity to be lighter than metal and to act as an electrical insulator. Popular extruded plastics used for manifolds include polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethermide and polyether ether ketone (PEEK), among others. Several applications - specific factors must be considered when selecting a plastic manifold material. Contact IMI Precision Engineering for design and material selection assistance. Unlike metal, plastic manifolds can be laminated in layers. This allows the creation of multiple flow paths that can curve or turn corners. Laminate manifold materials include acrylic, polycarbonate and polyethermide (PEI). Acrylic is the least expensive of the three but also has the most limited temperature range and chemical resistance. One advantage of acrylic is optimal clarity, making it useful for applications where operators need to see the media moving through the assembly. Polycarbonate tolerates a broader temperature range and has better chemical compatibility than acrylic, but it is less clear, having a blue cast. PEI is the most expensive, but has the highest heat and chemical resistance of the three, making it the plastic of choice for certain challenging applications. A white paper 03 Chemical resistance Aluminum High Pressure Light weight Complex flow paths Reduced footprint Laminated acrylic Optimal clarity

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