Are you starting a new injection molded project? Let’s discuss how to find the right plastic material to use…
With so many different types of plastic materials on the market, how do you know which one to use for your product? The best way to answer this question is to ask yourself a few more questions, like…
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- What temperatures will my product be used in? (High heat, extreme cold or somewhere in between?)
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- Where will my parts be used? (Outside in the sun, stuck freezing in a snowbank, how about underwater??)
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- Will there be chemicals used around my parts? (Believe it or not, some everyday cleaning chemicals could cause damage to your parts.)
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- How will my part be used by the end user? (Is someone using it as a pry bar, hitting it with something hard or jumping up and down on it? Maybe it’ll be used between two other parts as a wear plate. Sky’s the limit on this one, well unless it’s actually going on the space shuttle or something…)
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- Will there be a risk of a fire nearby? (Many plastics have different flame ratings on them. Some will smother out, others will burn.)
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- Does it need to be assembled to other parts? (Glued, screwed or welded?)
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- Is it going to be used in a sterile environment? Or be sterilized before or after use? (Hospitals, labs, cleanrooms…)
Once you find the answers to some of these questions, give us a call or drop us an email. We can help show you which plastics to start looking at for your new project. We will also be adding some new blog post in the future that will show some specific pros and cons of several different types of plastics.
And don’t forget, once you discover the type of plastic to use for you project, click here for help finding the “Right” Injection Mold for your New Projects.
Until next time,
Rollin
Rollin Bateman is VP of Sales and Engineering at C&H Plastics, Inc. He is the guy to talk to regarding your new projects and ideas. He assists with designs, prototyping, manufacturing, and assembly. Call him at (315) 841.4101 ext. 29 or email here.
