Which grade am I?
This is the original grade of unfilled Vespel
SP-1
This property is important for applications that experience a lot of wear
Coefficient of Friction or Wear Rate
I am a static seal for a valve.
SP-1 or SCP-5000
This grade is commonly used as a bearing and is self lubricating
SP-21
This property is usually mentioned when looking at Valve Applications, having it be consistent across temperature ranges is a big benefit Vespel brings!
Compressive Modulus
I am a general journal bearing! I used to be made from PEEK, but couldn't withstand the high loads.
SP-21
A machine shop that works closely with their customers to specify materials and educate their customers is this color hat.
Red?? double check lol
This grade contains MoS2 and is most commonly used in space applications under vacuum!
SP-3
This decreases as you add more graphite into the Vespel. It can be important in some applications to choose a grade with lower this in order to prevent a mismatch between mating materials!
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
I am a bearing in an aerospace application! I used to be made out of SP-21, but I kept failing due to high loads and high temperatures.
SCP-5050
Where you can find more information on Vespel including datasheets, application profiles, and brochures
Vespel.com Resource Center
This grade contains graphite and PTFE
SP-211
If a material has a lower value of this property, it is typically a more brittle material.
Tensile elongation
I am a bearing for a mechanism on a satellite in vacuum!
SP-3
The ASTM standard Vespel is specified to
ASTM D6456
This is the Vespel grade with the highest amount of filler and the lowest CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion)
SCP-5050
This property is important to be low for seals because seals, valve seats, and other parts under loads need to maintain their height and overall dimensions over time
Creep