There are some materials that aren’t always given the attention they deserve, and engineering plastics certainly fit into that group. Generally unheard of to those not in the manufacturing industry they actually have a huge part to play in our daily lives, and there’s much more to them than meets the eye.
Let’s start by looking at the properties of such plastics. They exhibit far superior mechanical and thermal properties when compared to other materials which makes them ideal in the manufacturing industry—they’re heat resistant, rigid and flame retardant, offering a high level of mechanical strength and chemical stability to ensure they can live up to the pressures of the environment, being regularly used to create parts as opposed to whole products.
Plastics of this nature can be used in a range of different applications, making them a key part of many manufacturing processes. They’re often used for parts where durability and resistance is key, and the formability of these plastics only adds to the advantages. They’re easy to use and simple to mould which means they’re regularly used above more traditional engineering materials (like metal or wood, for example), with the possible applications being incredibly far ranging.
Ultimately, plastics of this nature are wholly suited to the manufacturing industry for the sheer level of functionality and the enhanced physical properties they’re able to offer. Polyamides, acetal, PEK, polycarbonates and similar materials can be vital to manufacturing processes of all kinds, bringing high-end benefits that no other material can offer.
