A high-performance polymer from Solvay Advanced Polymers is helping a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of protective equipment offer an innovative welding helmet.

"Fibre-Metal Products Co.'s Futura® protective welding helmet, which is made from Solvay Advanced Polymers' Amodel AT-5001, has been gaining in popularity ever since the new helmet design was first introduced in 2001 at The American Welding Society trade show," said Robert Ennamorato, vice president of marketing and sales at Fibre-Metal Products.

"We selected Amodel PPA because it allowed us to produce a new helmet with improved performance in every significant welding-related characteristic -- including making it more lightweight for greater comfort," said Ennamorato.

Amodel polyphthalamide is a unique semi-crystalline engineering polymer that bridges the cost-performance gap between traditional engineering thermoplastics -- such as polycarbonate, polyamides, polyester, and acetals -- and higher-cost specialty polymers -- such as liquid crystal polymers, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyetherimide. Amodel PPA has excellent mechanical properties -- strength, stiffness, fatigue, and creep resistance -- over a broad temperature range.

"Welders want performance they can count on from their tools. With the Futura helmet, they don't have to worry about broken or stripped headgears or thin nylon shells cracking or burning through. At a time when other welding manufacturers are singing the praises of their helmets' paint job, Futura provides a tool to help welders stay on the job longer and produce more," Ennamorato added.

"Amodel PPA has proven superior in every significant performance characteristic related to a welding environment, including greater heat and impact resistance, better dimensional stability, and more resistance to chemicals, scratches, and cracks," he said.