Since there is a wide variety of material options for custom plastic molding, it is most helpful for product engineers to focus on the primary function and working environment of their parts. This allows a narrowing down of the right material for your custom injection molding project.
With every part you manufacture, the material you select should be intentional. In this instance, careful consideration should be given to the part’s utility, efficiency, and cost. It is important to understand that while certain materials may be more popular than others, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all in manufacturing. At the end of the day, your material selection will always be directly related to your part’s application.
We are happy to provide consultation to help customers find the right plastic material choice for their custom molded parts. When you choose material must be consider here,
1.Hardness
Also referred to as the hardness of a material. When referencing durometer or material hardness, you’re talking about its ability to resist abrasion or indentation when acted on by an outside force. Choosing the right material hardness depends upon the part’s intended use, environment, required abrasion resistance, and how a user will interact with it. Plastic hardness is measured and represented by number values on “shore 00”, “shore A” or “shore D” scales. For example, a screw driver soft touch might have a hardness of “45 shore A”, but your computer plastic shell might have a hardness of “80 shore D”.
2.Flexibility & Impact Resistance
Different from hardness, flexibility or stiffness indicates how much or little a material will resist stress. It is a material’s ability to revert to its original shape after being bent, without breaking or shattering.Impact resistance is another specification to consider for plastic materials that might see tough conditions across wide ranging temperatures.
3.Temperature Resistance
This refers to a material’s behavior in extreme temperature conditions, either hot or cold. Some materials may begin to weaken or even melt at higher temperatures (or, in the case of thermoset materials, to burn), or may become more brittle in extreme cold.
4.UV Resistance
For outdoor applications, UV resistance is as important a factor as temperature resistance. UV resistance measures a material’s ability to retain its properties — strength, shape, appearance — when subject to direct sunlight.
5.Part Weight
The mass or density properties of plastics can vary widely. In turn, for any given part volume in cubic cm the part weight can vary widely simply by picking a different plastic material. Keeping in mind that plastic raw materials are sold by kg, unnecessary costs can add up very quickly throughout a product life cycle if the wrong plastic material is chosen.
6.Material Cost
Fitness for the product application should be the primary concern when choosing the plastic type for a particular custom molded part. Cost per gram should only be considered where there is a choice of suitable materials.
Conclusion
For higher volume projects, you’ll need to consider whether price or performance is your top priority. For price-sensitive parts or components, a commodity plastic can be a great choice to help you save. Amazing Plastics maintains excellent vendor relationships with all of our resin suppliers, so you know you’ll always get the best possible price available. For highly engineered components, Amazing Plastics can help you choose between a variety of unique materials to help your product stand out.
Whatever products you’re making for, Amazing Plastics has the material expertise that will help you make the right choice at the best price.
If you’re ready to choose a material for your project, or just want to know more about materials at an earlier stage of your product development, contact us today.
Complete Injection Molding Solutions--Amazing Plastics
We offer high-class plastic injection molding services at cost-effective prices. From concept to production. We have over 100 different plastic resins and other materials to ensure that you get the highest quality products. With the expertise and experience of our qualified engineers, on-demand manufacturing has never been better. Don’t hesitate to talk to us directly if you have questions about injection molding part.
