The all-round solution with an optimal cost-performance balance
Polyamide footplate PA combines high mechanical strength with excellent wear resistance. As a high-performance technical plastic, it offers the optimal balance between load-bearing capacity, durability, and cost-effectiveness – ideal for demanding applications in shelving and production engineering.
Your advantages with polyamide footplates
✓ High load-bearing capacity – High load capacity per foot
✓ Superior wear resistance Minimal abrasion even under continuous load
✓ Extreme cold resistance – Usable down to -40°C without becoming brittle
✓ Optimal stiffness – Significantly higher modulus of elasticity than polypropylene
✓ Economically – Significantly cheaper than steel with good performance
✓ Lightweight – 5x lighter than steel, simplifies handling
Galvanized steel screw with Phillips head – 14 mm hex head – rotatable – black or white – Item 705 also available in light and slate grey
| Article | thread | Ø plate | length | VE |
| 305 | M 10×25 | 30 | 47 | 300 |
| 305 | M 10×35 | 30 | 57 | 300 |
| 305 | M 10×50* | 30 | 72 | 300 |
| 305 | M 10×70 | 30 | 92 | 300 |
| 705 | M 10×25 | 44 | 47 | 300 |
| 705 | M 10×35 | 44 | 57 | 300 |
| 705 | M 10×50* | 44 | 72 | 300 |
| 705 | M 10×70 | 44 | 92 | 300 |
Why polyamide? The technical advantages
High mechanical strength for demanding loads
Polyamide achieves impressive mechanical properties, which makes it the first choice for medium to heavy loads:
Mechanical performance data:
- Tensile strength: 160-200 MPa (5-6x higher than PP)
- E-modulus: 8,000-10,000 MPa (6x higher than PP, nearly equivalent to aluminum)
- Flexural strength: 240-280 MPa
- Load capacity: High load capacity per foot
Practical advantage: PA footplate handling 4x higher loads as polypropylene, while being lighter and less expensive than steel.
Why stiffness is important:
- Minimal deformation under load
- Precise shelf alignment is maintained
- No settling symptoms under continuous load
- Color customizable
Superior wear resistance
Polyamide is characterized by excellent tribological properties out of:
Wear advantages:
- Low coefficients of friction (μ = 0.15-0.35)
- Self-lubricating properties
- High abrasion resistance under lateral forces
- Long service life in dynamic applications
Practical consequences:
- Ideal for height-adjustable applications with frequent adjustments.
- Threads show minimal wear
- Rotating joint plates remain easy to move
- Lifespan 10+ years even with regular adjustments
In comparison: PP shows [something] under mechanical stress 2-3x faster wear as a PA.
Extreme temperature tolerance
Polyamide offers the widest temperature range among the plastic solutions:
Temperature specification:
- Continuous operating temperature: -40°C to +100°C
- Short-term maximum: Up to +120°C (< 30 minutes)
- Glass transition temperature: ~50-60°C (PA6)
Cold applications:
PA retains its value at -40°C 80-85% its room temperature impact strength – significantly better than PP (only 30%).
Typical uses:
- Cold storage rooms and deep-freeze facilities (-30°C)
- Outdoor installations (winter operation down to -40°C)
- Temperature cycling (-20°C to +80°C)
High-temperature applications:
Continuous operation up to 100°C without loss of strength – 20°C higher than PP (max. 82°C).
Advantage over PP: PA tolerates both extreme cold and higher temperatures, making it an all-rounder.
When is moisture absorption problematic?
AVOID PA in the following situations:
Very high humidity (>80%) continuously
→ Problem: Maximum moisture absorption, greatest loss of properties
→ Solution: Choose polypropylene (0% Water absorption)
Direct water contact / wet environments
→ Problem: Rapid saturation, dimensional changes
→ Solution: Polypropylene or stainless steel
Precision applications where 0.3-0.5% dimensional change is critical
→ Problem: Swelling affects tolerances
→ Solution: Steel (dimensionally stable)
Changing humidity (50% → 90% → 30%)
→ Problem: Repeated dimensional cycles, material fatigue
→ Solution: Polypropylene or steel
PA is NOT a problem with:
Controlled indoor climate (30-60% relative humidity)
- Normal production halls, workshops
- Air-conditioned production areas
- Standard industrial environments
After conditioning at constant humidity
- The material stabilizes after 4-8 weeks.
- Properties then remain constant.
- No further changes
When high strength is more important than ultimate precision
- Even when conditioned: 145 MPa tensile strength (still 4x higher than PP)
- 5,000 MPa E-modulus (still 4x higher than PP)
Practical tip: Most industrial applications (production halls with humidity levels of 40-60°C/30°F) are completely unproblematic for PA. The conditioned properties remain excellent.
Application areas: Where PA is the best choice
Typical applications:
- Presentation display
- checkout counter
- Changing room
- Sales counter
- Shelf unit
- Store shelf
- Fruit and vegetable shelf
- wall shelf
- Food and pharmaceutical industries (hygienic design)
- Furniture
Why PA is ideal here:
- High rigidity maintains precision in machine alignment
- Wear-resistant even with frequent readjustment
- Dampens against vibrations
- 60% is cheaper than steel, while 90% offers better performance.
Production Engineering & Conveyor Technology
Typical applications:
- Plant and mechanical engineering
- Pick-and-place robot
- Assembly lines
- Handling systems
Advantages:
- High load-bearing capacity for medium loads
- Low weight simplifies assembly/conversion
- Low wear during 24/7 operation
- Vibration damping
- Cost-efficient for large production runs
Refrigeration technology & deep-freeze applications
Typical applications:
- Cold storage shelves and racks
- Refrigeration machines and compressors
- Deep-freeze storage (-30°C)
- Outdoor installations (winter)
- Climate chambers
Unique advantage:
- The only plastic suitable for use in cold temperatures down to -40°C
- PP becomes very brittle at -20°C
- Steel conducts cold (condensation, risk of icing)
- PA remains impact-resistant and stable
Practice: In deep-freeze storage facilities, PA outperforms both PP (too brittle) and steel (thermal bridge, corrosion from condensation).
Electronics Manufacturing & Cleanroom
Typical applications:
- Pick and Placement Machines (SMD)
- Testing and inspection equipment
- Cleanroom workbenches
- Laboratory and measuring instruments
Advantages:
- Low particle count (smooth surface)
- Cleanroom-compatible
- Soil-friendly
- Precision assembly through high rigidity
Industrial environments with moderate load
Typical applications:
- Workbenches and worktables
- Shelving systems
- Storage technology
- Office machines (printers, copiers)
- Server racks and IT equipment
Why PA instead of PP or steel:
- Higher loads than PP possible (3x load capacity)
- Lighter and cheaper than steel
- Good all-round performance
- Long service life without maintenance