Need a material that pushes past the limits of nylon, acetal, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE)? Ertalyte™ polyethylene terephthalate polyester (PET-P) might be the upgrade you’ve been looking for.

Ertalyte™ PET-P is not the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) you know from water bottles or blister pack applications. PET-P is an engineering-grade polyester with a 40-year track record of performance in demanding environments.

A History Built on Performance

Ertalyte™ PET-P was first introduced in the 1980s by Erta Inc. in Belgium as a complement to its nylon and acetal stock shapes. Their goal: Create a better option for machined parts with tighter tolerances and stronger dimensional stability. The high strength, semicrystalline morphology, and low water absorption of Ertalyte™ PET-P made it achievable.

The name stuck and set the standard—becoming more recognizable than the company name itself. Today, Ertalyte™ remains the benchmark for PET-P stock shapes.

Why PET-P?

While it doesn’t match the wet abrasion and very low friction of UHMW-PE, free machining of acetal, or large-size capabilities of nylon, Ertalyte™ does bring something unique to the table:

 

A Few Limitations to Watch For

While it doesn’t match the wet abrasion and very low friction of UHMW-PE, free machining of acetal, or large-size capabilities of nylon, Ertalyte™ does bring something unique to the table:

  1. Avoid hot water and steam (hydrolysis risk)
  2. Not recommended for high pH (alkaline) exposure
  3. Lower impact resistance than UHMW-PE or nylon (designs with radius corners)

How Ertalyte™ Stacks Up

Each engineering material has trade-offs. Here’s a quick comparison of four key performance plastics:

Property

Ertalyte™
(PET-P)

Nylatron™
(Cast Nylon 6)

Acetron™
(Acetal)

TIVAR™
(UHMW-PE)
Wear resistance (dry) ••• ••• •• ••
Wear resistance (wet) ••• •• ••• ••
Abrasion resistance •• •• • •••
Mechanical strength ••• •• •• •
Dimensional stability ••• •• •• •
Chemical resistance (acids) ••• •• •• •••
Chemical resistance (alkalis) • •• •• •••
FDA/USDA/NSF Yes Yes Yes Yes
Continuous use temperature ••• ••• •• •
Machinability •• •• ••• •
Relative cost 2.5 2.0 2.2 1.0

Where Ertalyte™ Delivers

Ertalyte™ PET-P thrives in tight-tolerance, high-load, and chemically aggressive applications:

  • Food processing and packaging machinery
  • Semiconductor wet process equipment
  • Fluid handling systems
  • Bearings, pistons, seals, manifolds, rollers, and nozzles

Let’s talk performance.

Need help deciding where Ertalyte™ fits in your lineup? Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) is here to support you, whether you need material guidance, part optimization, or sales tools.

Let’s start a conversation. Contact us.   
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