Injection molding manufacturers are constantly on the lookout for new technologies and high-performance materials that will allow their customers to bring new or improved products to the market.
Before getting too deep into your project, consult Baytech Plastics for advice. We’ll put our 70 years of experience to work for you to find the best material for your application. With hundreds of plastic materials available, the best choice may be something you’d never expect.
Do You Need a High-Performance Material?
First things first, you should begin by asking yourself if you really need a high-performance material. If you do, it’s best to clarify that early on in the design process so you can narrow down your material choices to select the most appropriate material for the product needs and budget accordingly. If you don’t need a high-performance material, you’ll have a wider selection of plastics and resins to choose from for your components and may be able to save on materials costs.
To determine if you need high-performance materials, ask yourself:
- Will the part bear weight or support the structure of the product? What are the minimum strength requirements?
- Will the part wear with use and time?
- In what temperature-range will the part operate? Are there other environmental factors to consider or chemicals present in the product?
- Does the part have appearance or finishing requirements like color, transparency, or UV resistance?
- Is impact resistance a concern?
Share the answer to these questions with injection molding manufacturers as you seek the right partner for your product development and manufacturing. The manufacturer’s expertise with similar design needs and their familiarity with all of the different types of plastics and resins available will be invaluable to you in narrowing down your options and finally settling on a material.
The Injection Molding Manufacturers’ Plastics Pyramid
Similar to metal, plastics have a wide range of characteristics that define how and where they can be used. Choosing the right plastic material is critical to product success. Plastic injection molding manufacturers rely on something called the “Plastics Pyramid” to sort plastics by characteristics.
First, plastics are separated by crystalline vs. amorphous characteristics. Then they are divided by additional characteristics, with the plastics found at the bottom of the pyramid being the most commonly used. These commodity plastics like acrylics, PVC, and HDPE are widely available, cost-effective, and suitable for most consumer applications. Moving up, we find the engineering plastics, including nylon, polycarbonate, and acetal. These are stronger and more temperature resistant than the commodity plastics. Going even further up the pyramid, we find the most specialized types of plastics. These are the high-performance plastics like PEEK, PPS, and PTFE, which all have exceptional heat and chemical resistance. At the peak of the pyramid are the imidized plastics. These are the strongest and most temperature resistant plastics available, typically used by the aerospace industry, but becoming more widespread for use in thermal insulation and electrical applications.
As you move further up the pyramid, cost increases, and the technical capabilities of the injection molding partner become more specialized. Not all injection molding manufacturers can work with high-performance plastics, so if you decide to incorporate these specialty plastics into your next project, contact Baytech Plastics first. We have experience working with plastics of all types, from consumer plastics to highly specialized plastics for use in the medical device industry. Our facilities boast more than 30 machines, ranging from 40 to 2600 tons capacity with plastic injection molding capabilities that include: gas-assisted, small machine, large machine, structural foam, and thermoplastic methods as well as numerous finishing services.
If you’re stuck trying to figure out how to make your design last longer, be stronger, or wear less, contact Baytech Plastics for help. We’ll put our experts to the task to find a solution that is effective and affordable.
Call (705) 526-7801 or contact us online to get started.