case studies
The VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer family of thermoplastic products has helped make important advances in the exploration and production of energy, particularly oil and gas.
A range of applications incorporating VICTREX PEEK polymer have provided longer equipment service life in more severe conditions, including higher temperatures and pressures. It has been instrumental in helping companies achieve higher production rates, reduce downtime, and lower maintenance requirements.
Click Bond, Inc.: Cable Ties for Highly Aggressive Environments
The Challenge
Click Bond, based in Nevada, USA, develops cable ties for bundling and securing wires and cables in high temperature applications in highly aggressive environments. According to Richard Moore, Click Bond Midwest Regional Sales Manager, “Wires and cables running the length of an electric pump motor need to be bundled so they don't come in contact with a heat source or rub up against a sharp edge.”
Moore continues, “For many applications, cable ties made with nylon work well, but in high temperature applications such as oil drilling equipment where cable ties are used to secure small wire bundles to extraction tubes, the nylon tends to melt and interfere with the pumping apparatus. We needed the heat resistance properties of a high performance polymer to provide our customers with cable ties that maintain their integrity.”
The Solution
Click Bond selected VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer for its ability to perform in highly aggressive environments. VICTREX PEEK cable ties provide a solution for fast, secure and stable wire and cable management.
In deep drilling situations, temperatures can approach 200°C (392°F). The oil industry has chosen VICTREX PEEK as the only material able to perform well in such a demanding environment. VICTREX PEEK can withstand temperatures as high as 260°C (500°F) and has excellent resistance to electricity, radiation and chemically aggressive environments.
“Even at elevated temperatures, VICTREX PEEK has excellent resistance to the chemicals in salt water and crude oil. It offers long-term reliability after prolonged exposure to high pressure and steam,” says Moore.
Low moisture absorption ensures the dimensional integrity of the cable ties. In addition, VICTREX PEEK contains no halogens and exhibits very low levels of smoke and toxic gas during combustion.
“Durability is important,” adds Moore. “VICTREX PEEK has excellent mechanical properties. It gives us the strength we need and allows us to mold a part that is much stronger than one made from nylon.”
“The tie's one-piece, injection molded construction provides maximum strength and adjustability for securing different size bundles. Abrasion can be a major problem for electrical wiring,” says Moore. “When wires are encapsulated in a plastic coating, the sharp edges of nylon cable ties tend to fray the coating. This does not happen with the way we mold our VICTREX PEEK cable ties.” Because VICTREX PEEK is an inherently lubricious material, it is highly abrasion resistant.
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