Flexible Materials

Flexible materials can be characterized by the ability to bend or compress easily without cracking under normal conditions. The Gund Company manufactures, converts, and distributes papers, films, and flexible elastomeric materials.

Paper-Based Flexible Materials

Cellulosic Paper (Wood Paper) based flexibles can have a resin binder or be bound by interwoven wood fibers. They are low-temperature insulation materials. Though the most common paper in this category is kraft paper, The Gund Company offers a wide variety of material options.

Aramid fiber paper is characterized by exceptional temperature and tear resistance. This includes but is not limited to aramid papers, such as Nomex® and 3M® inorganic paper products. These papers can be formed into basic shapes to help line slots or make fitted bends on corners. Papers made from inorganic fiber are less expensive than aramid fiber papers and have better thermal conductivity. Typically, they are more brittle and can only be formed reliably when used as a laminate with a thermoplastic film.

Films and Thin Gauge Sheets

Films and thin gauge sheets are generally very high in dielectric strength, and thermoplastics usually provide a high degree of formability. Flexible thermoset films can also be produced either with or without reinforcement to improve dimensional stability at elevated temperatures.

Flexible Laminates

As with rigid laminate materials, flexible laminate materials are comprised of two or more materials that make up a composite. Flexible laminates may comprise a combination of substrate materials and some type of thermosetting resin or adhesive to bond the layers of substrate together. When combining multiple materials, unique properties can be achieved, which could not be achieved using the materials separately. For example, paper can be combined with thermoplastic film to provide temperature resistance with good formability and high dielectric strength.

Flexible laminates are most commonly used in applications where a thin layer of insulation is required. These applications typically require the material to be bent, formed or punched into a shape that fits into a confined space. Typically applications include layer insulation in transformer coils, slot insulation in motors, turn-to-turn insulation in power generators, and phase-to-phase insulation in low voltage circuit breakers.

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Elastomeric Materials

An elastomeric material is any material exhibiting elastic or rubber-like properties. Generally speaking, elastomeric materials are measured in material type, compound, and durometer (the material’s hardness). Since there are such a wide variety of elastomeric materials, the application is critical to understanding the job’s best material compound. The Gund Company offers a wide range of elastomeric materials that can be converted into an infinite number of shapes and sizes.

Learn More About Elastomeric Materials

The Gund Company is a vertically integrated manufacturer and fabricator of engineered material solutions. Since 1951, we have listened to our customers and learned about their industries’ demanding operating environments. We are AS9100D Certified and ITAR Compliant. Our custom fabricated parts are manufactured according to ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems.

We understand the challenges of material selection and the demanding operating environment of your application. Our Application Engineering Team takes a consultative approach to understand your requirements. By relying on our material specialists, our customers gain valuable insight into improving component designs to increase efficiency and functionality while reducing cost. In addition to helping with material selection, we challenge ourselves to optimize production for material yield or fabrication efficiency. As a lean enterprise, we focus on continuous improvement and finding the most cost-effective, efficient solutions for our customers.

Please contact us today if we can help answer material property questions or provide an application-specific quote. Thank you for the opportunity to earn your business.