In tools weighing several tonnes, such as for presses, relief must be provided for the spring assemblies during storage. This can either be done through the use of compression springs or spring relief blocks which are made from wood, metal, or a variety of plastics.
If the relief elements are accidentally not removed before the tools are taken into operation, they can be subjected to severe stresses, particularly on the first pressing movement. This can cause them to bend or break or in the worst case, an explosive rupture can occur.
As a result the tools can be damaged, but the potential danger for employees is the greater risk here.
Demonstration of the high impact strength
Deformation instead of brittle break
Spring relief blocks made from alpharim 1500 yellow demonstrate extreme toughness combined with high mechanical strength. Therefore, if a press is inadvertently closed with the reliefs blocks still inside, they will not break or burst but instead deform.
In addition, the tool will not be damaged if a relief block has been positioned above a tool recess (pocket).
Sufficient strength
Despite the elasticity of alpharim which allows the material to withstand high stress levels, stacking tools weighing several tonnes on top of each other is not a problem. A contact pressure of up to 12 N/mm2 is possible.
Practical and time-saving: simple to use without pre-treatment
The material alpharim is modified with an elastomer content tailored to the application. The material properties (e. g. toughness) exist both in the conditioned and non-conditioned state. Spring relief elements made from alpharim do not need pre-treatment before use. In-house conditioning or immersion in water before use is not needed (as with some alternative materials offered on the market). This is a main advantage of this polymer compared to other polymer materials.
No safety check required
A further advantage of using the alpharim for spring relief blocks is that they are not subject to regular TÜV [Association for Technical Inspection] inspections. In addition, no documentation has to be produced. In contrast, gas pressure struts used for relief purposes must be inspected on a regular basis and records must be kept for them.