How To Select Plastic Material
One of the most common causes of part failure stems from the incorrect selection of plastic material. This can lead to costly recalls and negative reviews which will destroy your brands reputation. There are a lot of different plastics and plastic materials on the market, and even more factors to consider when it comes to designing and selecting the right one for your product. Having over 22 years of experience in the plastic industry, Plastimold will guide you through these factors and show you how to select a plastic material.
Main Benefits
Plastimold Products will utilize our internal and external resources to ensure your project is a success. Throughout our 22 year history we have established relationships with PhD Material Specialists that are available to help analyze your parts and recommend the best solution.
We understand Plastic Materials
Our engineering team can help you learn about the different types of plastics and choose the best one for your product. We work with a wide range of clients across various industries, so we know how to address all sorts of needs when it comes to plastics.
Factors To Consider
Each type has its own set of properties such strength and stiffness, fatigue, degradation risk, wear resistance, thermal tolerance, and optical properties. How to select a plastic material all depends on what you're making and how you plan to use it.
Material Selection Process
To make the right decision about which type of plastic to use for your product, you should first answer these three questions: What is the purpose of your product? What are the environmental effects of the different types of plastic? How will you determine the quality of your product?
We understand Plastic Materials
Our engineering team can help you learn about the different types of plastics and how to select plastic material that is best for your product. We work with a wide range of clients across various industries, so we know how to address all sorts of needs when it comes to plastics.
Extensive Material Library
ABS, PP, HDPE, PC, PA6, PA66, Glass Filled Materials, PVC (rigid and flex), TPU (rubber). Contact us for advice on special engineering resins.
Large Supplier Base
Plastimold has access to material suppliers around the globe. We will work around the clock to ensure material is on our shop floor to keep up with your production.
DFM (Design For Manufacturing)
Our engineers will review your design in conjunction with the material recommendation. This will ensure features such as living hinges and snap fits will function as intended.
One-on-one Consultation
You have direct access to our engineers. Have confidence in your plastic material selection by learning about critical properties and how they apply to your project.
For Example...
How Plastimold Eliminated A Critical Failure In Production
A manufacturer of GPS products was having issues with water entering their "waterproof" enclosures. Plastimold analyzed the issues and noticed stress fractures when tightening the enclosure. The existing process required excessive torque when screwing the enclosure together.
Plastimold recommended two material changes. The first is the durometer of the gasket. We changed from a shore 80A to a softer shore 50A allowing for an easier seal. We also changed from ABS to Nylon 6. This corrected the leaking and stress fracture issues. As an added benefit, the risk of corrosion was also decreased when the device would enter harsh environments.
As electronics manufacturers, we didn't really know how to select a plastic material. We trusted our molder to determine what to do. The molding/material mistakes prior to meeting the Plastimold team could have cost us our business. We appreciate the relationship and guidance and look forward to continued success!
TOM O, President
find out how we can help you make your project a success
Quality Matters
Our quality program was developed and implemented by some of the most prestigious Quality Management personnel in the world! Plastimold is in process of becoming AS9100:2016 certified to manufacture injection molded components for the Aerospace industry. Our documentation process ensures every detail, part callout, marking, and packaging requirement is met.
