Modern high-performance plastics have many properties that make them suitable for industrial applications, such as strong mechanical performance along with thermal and chemical resistance. Compared to metals, plastics offer lower-energy production, better thermal and electrical insulation, and do not interfere with electronics or antennas. And of course, they generally come with a lower weight.
We understand the differences between designing with high-performance plastics and with metals. You cannot simply use the same geometry for plastic and just change the material specification. Instead, you must return to the drawing board, factor in environmental conditions and revise the design for optimal use of plastic.
Plastics often allow for smarter material utilisation than metals. Metalworking is normally about removing as little material as possible from a homogeneous workpiece. Injection moulding, on the other hand, is about creating a thin and even wall thickness from the start, while still achieving the required tolerances.
For example, if you need to create two holes in a metal part, you will probably drill them and leave the rest of the part as it is. With plastics, however, you instead design as thin and uniform a surface as possible around the holes – minimising production costs and avoiding sink marks.
