Space Exploration & Pure Science

When the job absolutely has to be right the first time NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory comes to Roncelli Plastics. Such was the case when JPL was building the rovers Opportunity and Spirit for their trip to Mars. Our machining capability has been mission-proven in the manufacture of components for spacecraft, where environments can involve extremes of thermal, chemical and radiological exposure. With zero allowable tolerance for system contamination, elimination of outgassing and arching are major goals for mission managers. Through close partnerships with the world's leading OEMs and NASA, we develop solutions to support our endeavors into alien environments by optimizing materials and component designs.

Our machining capability has been mission-proven in the manufacture of components for spacecraft, where environments can involve extremes of thermal, chemical and radiological exposure. With zero allowable tolerance for system contamination, elimination of outgassing and arching are major goals for mission managers. Through close partnerships with the world's leading OEMs and NASA, we develop solutions to support our endeavors into alien environments by optimizing materials and component designs. With the variety of materials and machining technologies available manufacturers gain product integrity and process purity that is backed by more than a quarter century of success.

Quadrant EPP Torlon PAI

With its versatile performance capabilities and proven use in a broad range of applications, Torlon polyamide-imide (PAI) shapes are offered in extruded, injection molded, and compression molded grades.

Torlon is the highest performing, melt processable plastic. It has superior resistance to elevated temperatures. It is capable of performing under severe stress conditions at continuous temperatures to 500°F (260°C). Parts machined from Torlon stock shapes provide greater compressive strength and higher impact resistance than most advanced engineering plastics.

Torlon PAI's extremely low coefficient of linear thermal expansion and high creep resistance deliver excellent dimensional stability over its entire service range. Torlon is an amorphous material with a Tg (glass transition temperature) of 537°F (280°C). Torlon stock shapes are post-cured using procedures developed jointly by BP Amoco and Quadrant. This eliminates the need for additional curing by the end user in most situations. A post-curing cycle is sometimes recommended for components fabricated from extruded shapes where optimization of chemical resistance and/or wear performance is required.