Machining MF CC 201 (HGW 2282.5)

MF CC 201 is the EN 60893 designation for a tracking-resistant, physiologically safe fabric laminate made of cotton fabric impregnated with melamine resin. It is exactly the same material that the older German standard DIN 7735 designates as Hgw 2282.5 - both names refer to one and the same material, differing only in the underlying standard. Liedtke Kunststofftechnik therefore lists the material under both designations, so it can be found regardless of which standard your drawing references.

MF CC 201 machines well. Sawing, milling, turning and drilling produce clean, dimensionally accurate results with sharp, carbide-tipped tools. During machining we ensure adequate dust extraction, since resin and fabric dust is generated. This is how we reliably produce tracking-resistant insulating, machine and food-industry parts - from single pieces to series production.

MF CC 201 is worthwhile whenever mechanical strength must be combined with tracking resistance and physiological safety, for example:

• Tracking-resistant insulating and switching parts in electrical engineering
• Machine parts and fixtures in the food industry
• Gears, sliding and guiding elements
• Terminal strips, insulating plates and carrier parts
• Components requiring a light, physiologically safe grade

The price of a part made from MF CC 201 (Hgw 2282.5) depends mainly on the semi-finished shape (sheet, round bar, tube), dimensions, material utilisation, machining effort and batch size. Melamine fabric laminate is priced above standard phenolic laminates, since the melamine-resin matrix increases both tracking resistance and food-contact suitability. We are happy to quote binding prices on request based on your drawing.

MF CC 201 is only conditionally suitable for permanently damp or wet environments, since the cotton fabric is hygroscopic. It is also not designed for continuous use above about 95 °C, and as a thermoset it cannot be reshaped or welded. For contact with hot or acidic foods, melamine migration should be verified case by case; for purely mechanical, cost-sensitive applications without a need for tracking resistance or food-contact suitability, phenolic fabric laminates are more economical.

An honest assessment, and how the disadvantages can be mitigated in practice:

• Advantage: Very high tracking resistance (CTI 600)
• Advantage: Physiologically safe, usable in the food industry
• Advantage: High mechanical strength and dimensional stability
• Advantage: Good electrical insulation properties
• Advantage: Light (light beige), good machinability
• Disadvantage: Cotton fabric absorbs moisture – not for permanently wet environments
• Disadvantage: Continuous service limited to about 95 °C (thermal class Y)
• Disadvantage: Thermoset – not formable or weldable (machining only)
• Disadvantage: Verify melamine migration for hot/acidic foods
• Practical tip: MF CC 201 (HGW 2282.5) is the right choice when a fabric laminate must be light, tracking-resistant and physiologically safe – for example for insulating parts and components in the food industry. For purely mechanical, cost-effective applications without these requirements, phenolic fabric-laminate or paper-laminate grades are more economical; at high temperature or in wet conditions, glass-fibre-reinforced grades (e.g. Hgw 2372, glass-epoxy) are preferable.