Foaming, magnets and density
How we build them
We have been foaming floats for the automotive and level sensing industries for over ten years, in both engineering and commodity materials.
Foamed floats
A float only works if its density is right for the fluid it sits in, and the density has to survive the molding process. We foam floats in polypropylene and in nylon, and the process is controlled to a target specific gravity rather than left to fall where it lands.
Standard polypropylene floats run from 0.6 specific gravity upward depending on size and magnet configuration. Nylon floats are available for diesel and fuel oil service, where polypropylene is the wrong material.
Floats can be molded to any density above the published minimum. If your application needs a specific gravity we do not list, tell us the number and the fluid.
Magnet encapsulation
Our magnet encapsulation process is designed to keep contamination out of the fluid. The magnet is captured in the molding rather than glued into a pocket afterward, so there is no adhesive to break down and no seam for fluid to work into.
Magnet options include standard bar magnets in various materials, ring magnets, and custom molded combinations. Which one you want depends on whether you need the float to be reversible.
Reversible or not
Standard polypropylene floats are reversible for normally open or normally closed operation: turn the float over on the stem and the switching sense inverts, so one part number covers both. Ring magnet versions are non-reversible and are specified when the switching sense is fixed.
Reed switch overmolding
We can eliminate your potting
Send us your reed switch and we will injection mold around it, producing a true hermetic seal. That removes the potting operation from your process, along with the cure time, the mess, and the failures that come from a void in the pot.
This is a custom operation rather than a stock part. Call to talk it through.
Materials
Most parts are available in both commodity and engineering resins. If your application calls for a resin not listed here, ask. We mold a great deal more than these six.
| Material | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Polypropylene | Standard floats and stems, water and general service |
| Acetal | Dimensional stability, low friction, threaded parts |
| Nylon | Diesel and fuel oil floats |
| PBT | Higher temperature and chemical resistance |
| PVDF | Aggressive chemical service |
| PVC | General service, tube and pipe interfaces |
Need a density we do not list?
Floats can be molded to any density above the published minimum. Give us the fluid and the number.