Material Focus: Acetal

April 29, 2020

Before we dig into talking about Acetal, an important thing to note is that although Delrin and Acetal are similar materials, they are not the same! Delrin is a DuPont trade name for acetal homopolymer, while the name "acetal" is most commonly referring to acetal copolymer. The difference between them is slim, but worthy of mention.

Where are acetals used?

The acetal resins are among the strongest and stiffest of all thermoplastics, and are known to have great fatigue life, low moisture absorption, high solvent and chemical resistance, and excellent electrical properties. Because of these properties, acetals often compete with nylons for many of the same applications. Bushings, gears, bearings, rollers, and wear strips are just a few common examples of how acetals are used.

Are acetals FDA approved?

This is a tricky question to answer, mainly because there are a number of manufactures of acetal.  Some manufactures have their acetals FDA approved, and others do not. For this reason alone, its important to ask your plastic dealer or material manufacture for a data sheet on the material.

What colors does acetal come in?

Typically acetals are found in natural and black colors, but are also available in blue.

Typical Properties

The typical properties of acetal can be found here

It is important to note that these are generic properties and you should request to see that material manufacture's data sheet to verify any given property.

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