Re: Back from the overworked

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Back from the overworked
From: Anthony DeCarmine <tdecarm-at-mail.ims.uconn.edu> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 16:44:59 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

A bit from the lurker gallery - 

polyethylene, even ultra high weight, is not the strongest of polymers 
and further softens around 150C. it is easy to work, though. if the 
gap won't be spinning too fast or too hot, it may be OK. Creep is a 
factor with many polymers, even at room temp. the disk may change size 
over time with constant exposure to radial loads. definitely build a 
test unit (w/o any expensive bits and with small metal bits to 
simulate actual mass and stress concentrations) and run it inside an 
enclosure of some type. polymers also have strange fatigue behaviours. 
If you have the spec sheet for this particular blend, I'd be happy to 
attempt translation to human english (from technobabble)

T