Ultem® Manifolds

Amber-colored Ultem plastic componentA clear amber material, Ultem® (an amorphous, thermoplastic polyetherimide [PEI] resin) is rigid, with high tensile and flexural strength. It also displays stable electrical properties over a wide range of temperatures. Ultem® manifolds allow for a unique combination of thermal, mechanical, chemically resistant, and electrical properties, typically only found in higher-cost engineered plastic manifold applications.

Due to its high performance and ease of manufacturing, Ultem® is an excellent choice for manifolds, reusable machined components, electrical insulators, electrical component housings, and aircraft instrumentation. It is utilized in a wide cross-section of manufacturing industries: medical, pharmaceutical, electronics, semiconductor design, aircraft, aerospace, and automotive.

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Ultem® Manifolds At A Glance

  • Most costly
  • High tensile strength
  • Good chemical resistance
  • V0 flammability
  • Superior UV stability
  • High dielectric strength
  • Available in dark amber or black typically
  • Continuous service temperature to 330°F
  • More difficult to bond
Ultem Amber Manifold

More About Ultem® Manifolds

Ultem® manifolds provide higher performance than their polycarbonate, polysulfone, and acrylic counterparts. They also have a higher working temperature and better chemical resistance.

Ultem® can be difficult to see through — especially over 1 inch thick. The material (which can be a very dark amber) looks "blacker" the thicker it gets, making channel and internal feature inspection difficult. Ultem® is also the costliest plastic Controlled Fluidics process, being about two times the cost of acrylic.

Ultem® round, square, and singled-sided D-channels are all possible to .020”. Multi-layer "common" designs increase costs sharply after two Ultem® layers. Internal pressures to 150 psi are possible, depending on channel size. Large cavities and bonded-in components are available but, the design must be high-heat tolerant.

Ultem® combines exceptional strength and rigidity with excellent thermal properties, including outstanding heat resistance under continuous operating temperatures. This material can also be reinforced with glass fiber for increased rigidity.

General Engineering Characteristics of Ultem®

  • FDA compliant
  • High dielectric strength
  • UV stable
  • Glass transition temperature of 217°C; stable to 200°C
  • Tensile strength: 15,200 psi
  • Modulus of elasticity: 430,000
  • Flexural modulus: 480,000
  • Deflection Temperature: 392°F at 264 psi
  • VO Flammability
  • Superior UV stability
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