UHMW-PE MD (Metal- and X-ray-detectable)
Additive grade
ASTM D4020 · GB GB/T 20028 · ISO PE-UHMW · also Tivar, UHMWPE
For food and pharma lines where any chipped fragment must be caught by inline metal detectors or X-ray inspection.
Values for the MD condition
Other UHMW-PE grades and fills
UHMW-PE is listed in 7 conditions; see the grade overview at UHMW-PE.
Compare all 7 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
internally lubricated bearing grade | Choose for unlubricated sliding, star-wheel and chain guides where the lowest coefficient of friction and least noise/stick-slip is wanted. | 17 | 28 | 250 | 62 Shore D |
Flame-retardant / low smoke grade | Specified for underground mining chutes, coal bunkers and rail/transit liners that must meet flame-spread and self-extinguishing requirements. | 18 | 26 | 180 | 65 Shore D |
MDThis page Metal- and X-ray-detectable | For food and pharma lines where any chipped fragment must be caught by inline metal detectors or X-ray inspection. | 18 | 26 | 150 | 66 Shore D |
regrind / recycled sheet (non-food) | Lowest-cost option for thick sacrificial liners, truck-bed and hopper linings where certification and top-end impact strength are not required. | 19 | 28 | 180 | 64 Shore D |
Antistatic / static-dissipative | Use in explosive-dust silos, coal/grain handling and electronics areas where charge build-up on plastic liners must be bled away. | 20 | 30 | 220 | 65 Shore D |
Cross-linked (irradiated) medical bearing grade | Radiation cross-linked (often vitamin-E stabilised) UHMWPE for hip/knee bearing surfaces: far lower wear rate, at the cost of ductility and toughness. | 23 | 45 | 220 | 66 Shore D |
high-wear / high-load liner grade | Use where abrasive ore or aggregate impact would quickly wear plain UHMW liners and higher surface hardness plus better dimensional stability is needed. | — | 24 | 100 | 68 Shore D |
What is UHMW-PE MD?
UHMW-PE MD is UHMW-PE in the MD grade — for food and pharma lines where any chipped fragment must be caught by inline metal detectors or X-ray inspection. UHMW-PE MD has a yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 26 MPa (3.77 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi). UHMW-PE MD has a density of 1.1 g/cm³ (0.0397 lb/in³), lighter than 66% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.01%, better than 97% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 3.2 kg CO₂/kg, better than 81% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High mold shrinkage — 3%, worse than 97% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), worse than 82% of polymer grades
UHMW-PE MD properties
Typical room-temperature values for UHMW-PE MD; 24 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are UHMW-PE reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
UHMW-PE MD has a density of 1.1 g/cm³ (0.0397 lb/in³), lighter than 66% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -120°C (-184 °F).
Mechanical15
UHMW-PE MD has a yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 26 MPa (3.77 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 0.95 GPa (0.138 Msi).
Thermal11
UHMW-PE MD is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.45 W/m·K (0.26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 97% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 200 µm/m·K (111.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
UHMW-PE MD is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 30 kV/mm (762 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 65% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of UHMW-PE MD takes about 85 MJ of energy and emits 3.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 79% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability6
UHMW-PE MD's machinability is good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability poor (20/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with UHMW-PE MD
Is UHMW-PE easy to machine?
Machines fast with sharp positive-rake tools, high rake/large clearance, high feed and no coolant needed (air blast preferred); expect springback, gummy stringy chips and dimensional relaxation — rough, rest, then finish.
Can UHMW-PE be welded?
Effectively unweldable by conventional fusion because the melt does not flow; joints are made by mechanical fastening (with clearance for expansion), hot-plate/friction sintering, or specialist UHMW welding rod for surface repair; adhesive bonding requires corona/plasma or flame surface treatment.
Can UHMW-PE be formed, bent or molded?
Made as compression-moulded sheet or ram-extruded rod/profile at 180–220 °C rather than injection moulded; flat sheet can be line-bent or press-formed after through-heating to ~140 °C, and skived thin liner is a standard product form.
What surface finishes work on UHMW-PE?
No paint, plating or anodising will adhere without surface activation; leave as-machined or flame/plasma treat for printing and adhesives — surface stays waxy and cannot be polished to gloss.
UHMW-PE chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| calcium stearate / antioxidantprocessing/stabiliser package; implant grades are additive-free per ASTM F648 | 0 – 0.3 | 0.05 |
| carbon blackUV and ESD/conductive variants only (2 % UV grade, up to ~15 % conductive) | ≈ 2 | 2 |
| mineral oilOil Filled bearing grade only | ≈ 5 | 5 |
| ceramic / mineral fillerCeramic Filled high-wear grade only | ≈ 15 | 15 |
| ethylene (–CH2CH2– repeat unit)linear homopolymer, viscosity-average molecular weight 3.1–10.5 million g/mol per ASTM D4020 / ISO 11542 | balance | — |
UHMW-PE MD — frequently asked
What is UHMW-PE MD used for?
UHMW-PE MD is typically used for chute and hopper liners, conveyor wear strips, conveyor guide rails and curves, food-contact wear parts (FDA grade), truck bed and dump body liners and star wheels and idler sprockets. In short: maximum wear resistance.
What is the yield strength of UHMW-PE MD?
UHMW-PE MD has a typical yield strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) and a tensile strength of 26 MPa (3.77 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is UHMW-PE MD easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades). Machines fast with sharp positive-rake tools, high rake/large clearance, high feed and no coolant needed (air blast preferred); expect springback, gummy stringy chips and dimensional relaxation — rough, rest, then finish.
Can UHMW-PE MD be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Effectively unweldable by conventional fusion because the melt does not flow; joints are made by mechanical fastening (with clearance for expansion), hot-plate/friction sintering, or specialist UHMW welding rod for surface repair; adhesive bonding requires corona/plasma or flame surface treatment.
What surface finishes work on UHMW-PE MD?
No paint, plating or anodising will adhere without surface activation; leave as-machined or flame/plasma treat for printing and adhesives — surface stays waxy and cannot be polished to gloss.
Can UHMW-PE MD be formed, bent or molded?
Made as compression-moulded sheet or ram-extruded rod/profile at 180–220 °C rather than injection moulded; flat sheet can be line-bent or press-formed after through-heating to ~140 °C, and skived thin liner is a standard product form.
What is the maximum service temperature of UHMW-PE MD?
UHMW-PE MD is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 110°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in UHMW-PE MD?
Yes — UHMW-PE MD is available for CNC machining, sheet metal and injection molding with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM D4020 — Standard Specification for Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM International (2018)
- ISO 11542-1/-2 — Plastics: Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE-UHMW) moulding and extrusion materials — ISO (2001)
- ASTM F648 — Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Powder and Fabricated Form for Surgical Implants — ASTM International (2021)
- TIVAR 1000 / TIVAR UV / TIVAR ESd / TIVAR Oil Filled product data — Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (Quadrant) (2023)
- Polystone M / Polystone M Slide UHMW-PE sheet data — Röchling Industrial (2023)
- GUR UHMW-PE resin product brochure (GUR 1020/1050/4120) — Celanese (2022)
- Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 2 — Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS plastics datasheets — PE-UHMW — CWFG / CAMPUS consortium (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.