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Plastic Playbook: Choosing The Right Polymer
Manage episode 505788991 series 2919180
Choosing the right polymer for your plastic parts can significantly impact the success of your product. In this episode, Adrian and Paul Adams from Sofeast explore the most common polymers used in manufacturing, from everyday workhorses like ABS to high-performance engineering plastics and sustainable bioplastics.
They cover the strengths, weaknesses, and real-world applications of each group, plus share a cautionary case study where a material change led to product failure. The episode wraps up with advice on additives, testing, and key considerations to ensure your material choice supports your product’s success.
Episode Sections:
- 00:00 – Introduction
- 00:55 – Why Polymer Selection Matters
- 04:49 – ABS and Its Blends – The Workhorse Polymer
- 08:27 – Commodity Polymers – PP, PC, HDPE
- 16:20 – Engineering Polymers – Nylon, POM, PCTG
- 26:19 – Case Study: A Costly Material Change
- 32:42 – Flexible & Sustainable Options
- 38:42 – Key Additives and Modifiers
- 40:17 – Wrap-Up and Key Takeaways
Need help choosing the right polymer for your product? Contact us for a conversation.
Related content...
- Plastic Injection Molding Questions: 17 FAQs Businesses Need Answers To
- Plastic Enclosures for Electronics Projects (Plastics Sourcing Guide)
- How to Test Plastic Material Properties
- Avoiding 9 Plastic Injection Molding Defects: Key Preventive Measures
- Injection Mold Textures: How to Choose the Right One?
Strength (MPa) Typical Impact
(Izod, J/m) Key Limitations Best For Applications Like... COMMODITY / WORKHORSE POLYMERS PP (Polypropylene) The Low-Cost Champion 25 - 40 20 - 80 Poor UV resistance, difficult to bond, can be brittle with fillers. Food containers, living hinges, consumer goods, automotive interiors. Lightweight, chemical resistant, versatile. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) The Chemical & Moisture Barrier 20 - 30 40 - 200 Low strength and stiffness, poor temperature resistance. Milk jugs, shampoo bottles, chemical tanks, food-safe packaging. Excellent chemical resistance, moisture barrier, food-safe. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) The All-Rounder 40 - 50 200 - 400 Poor UV and weather resistance, low heat resistance. Electronic housings, automotive trim, consumer product shells, LEGOs. Best balance of strength, rigidity, impact, and surface finish. ENGINEERING / PERFORMANCE POLYMERS PC (Polycarbonate) The Impact-Resistant Shield 55 - 75 600 - 850 Prone to scratching, susceptible to chemical stress cracking. Safety glasses, bullet-resistant windows, transparent machine guards, electronic covers. Exceptional impact strength, transparent, high heat resistance. PC+ABS Blend The Balanced Hybrid 45 - 55 300 - 500 Properties are a compromise; not as good as pure PC or ABS in their top traits. Automotive dashboards, laptop housings, power tool bodies. Perfect balance of PC's strength/heat and ABS's processability/finish. PA (Nylon / Polyamide) The Strong & Tough Workhorse 80 - 120* 40 - 150 Absorbs moisture, which affects dimensions and properties. Gears, bearings, automotive under-hood parts, mechanical components. High strength, stiffness, wear resistance, and heat resistance. (with 30% GF) POM (Acetal) The Precision Engineer 60 - 70 60 - 120 Poor resistance to strong acids and bases. Precision gears, conveyor belts, fasteners, zippers, fuel systems. High stiffness, low friction, excellent fatigue resistance. PCTG (Tritan™) The Tough & Safe Transparent 50 - 55 700 - 900 Higher cost than PC or ABS. Medical devices, baby bottles, small appliances, drinkware. High clarity, excellent impact/chemical resistance, BPA-free. FLEXIBLE / ELASTOMERIC POLYMERS TPE (General) The Soft & Squishy Gripper 20-Oct N/A (Elongation: 300-600%) Lower durability and chemical resistance than TPU/TPV. Soft-grip handles, bottle stoppers, squeezable toys. Soft, flexible, easy to process, cost-effective elastomer. TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) The Abrasion-Resistant Tank 25 - 35 N/A (Elongation: 400-600%) Can be susceptible to humidity during processing. Phone cases, watch bands, athletic shoe soles, protective covers. Extreme abrasion and tear resistance, tough, flexible. TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanizate) The Weather-Resistant Seal 15-Oct N/A (Elongation: 300-500%) Softer, less rigid than TPU. Automotive seals & gaskets, weather-stripping, outdoor hose coatings. Excellent heat, weather, and UV resistance like traditional rubber. SPECIALTY / SUSTAINABLE POLYMERS PLA (Polylactic Acid) The Sustainable Candidate 50 - 70* 15 - 30 (Brittle) Very brittle, low heat resistance, degrades in humid environments. Disposable cutlery, packaging, 3D printing filament (prototyping). Biodegradable, bio-based, rigid. (highly variable)
Get in touch with us
-
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
109 episodes
Manage episode 505788991 series 2919180
Choosing the right polymer for your plastic parts can significantly impact the success of your product. In this episode, Adrian and Paul Adams from Sofeast explore the most common polymers used in manufacturing, from everyday workhorses like ABS to high-performance engineering plastics and sustainable bioplastics.
They cover the strengths, weaknesses, and real-world applications of each group, plus share a cautionary case study where a material change led to product failure. The episode wraps up with advice on additives, testing, and key considerations to ensure your material choice supports your product’s success.
Episode Sections:
- 00:00 – Introduction
- 00:55 – Why Polymer Selection Matters
- 04:49 – ABS and Its Blends – The Workhorse Polymer
- 08:27 – Commodity Polymers – PP, PC, HDPE
- 16:20 – Engineering Polymers – Nylon, POM, PCTG
- 26:19 – Case Study: A Costly Material Change
- 32:42 – Flexible & Sustainable Options
- 38:42 – Key Additives and Modifiers
- 40:17 – Wrap-Up and Key Takeaways
Need help choosing the right polymer for your product? Contact us for a conversation.
Related content...
- Plastic Injection Molding Questions: 17 FAQs Businesses Need Answers To
- Plastic Enclosures for Electronics Projects (Plastics Sourcing Guide)
- How to Test Plastic Material Properties
- Avoiding 9 Plastic Injection Molding Defects: Key Preventive Measures
- Injection Mold Textures: How to Choose the Right One?
Strength (MPa) Typical Impact
(Izod, J/m) Key Limitations Best For Applications Like... COMMODITY / WORKHORSE POLYMERS PP (Polypropylene) The Low-Cost Champion 25 - 40 20 - 80 Poor UV resistance, difficult to bond, can be brittle with fillers. Food containers, living hinges, consumer goods, automotive interiors. Lightweight, chemical resistant, versatile. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) The Chemical & Moisture Barrier 20 - 30 40 - 200 Low strength and stiffness, poor temperature resistance. Milk jugs, shampoo bottles, chemical tanks, food-safe packaging. Excellent chemical resistance, moisture barrier, food-safe. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) The All-Rounder 40 - 50 200 - 400 Poor UV and weather resistance, low heat resistance. Electronic housings, automotive trim, consumer product shells, LEGOs. Best balance of strength, rigidity, impact, and surface finish. ENGINEERING / PERFORMANCE POLYMERS PC (Polycarbonate) The Impact-Resistant Shield 55 - 75 600 - 850 Prone to scratching, susceptible to chemical stress cracking. Safety glasses, bullet-resistant windows, transparent machine guards, electronic covers. Exceptional impact strength, transparent, high heat resistance. PC+ABS Blend The Balanced Hybrid 45 - 55 300 - 500 Properties are a compromise; not as good as pure PC or ABS in their top traits. Automotive dashboards, laptop housings, power tool bodies. Perfect balance of PC's strength/heat and ABS's processability/finish. PA (Nylon / Polyamide) The Strong & Tough Workhorse 80 - 120* 40 - 150 Absorbs moisture, which affects dimensions and properties. Gears, bearings, automotive under-hood parts, mechanical components. High strength, stiffness, wear resistance, and heat resistance. (with 30% GF) POM (Acetal) The Precision Engineer 60 - 70 60 - 120 Poor resistance to strong acids and bases. Precision gears, conveyor belts, fasteners, zippers, fuel systems. High stiffness, low friction, excellent fatigue resistance. PCTG (Tritan™) The Tough & Safe Transparent 50 - 55 700 - 900 Higher cost than PC or ABS. Medical devices, baby bottles, small appliances, drinkware. High clarity, excellent impact/chemical resistance, BPA-free. FLEXIBLE / ELASTOMERIC POLYMERS TPE (General) The Soft & Squishy Gripper 20-Oct N/A (Elongation: 300-600%) Lower durability and chemical resistance than TPU/TPV. Soft-grip handles, bottle stoppers, squeezable toys. Soft, flexible, easy to process, cost-effective elastomer. TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) The Abrasion-Resistant Tank 25 - 35 N/A (Elongation: 400-600%) Can be susceptible to humidity during processing. Phone cases, watch bands, athletic shoe soles, protective covers. Extreme abrasion and tear resistance, tough, flexible. TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanizate) The Weather-Resistant Seal 15-Oct N/A (Elongation: 300-500%) Softer, less rigid than TPU. Automotive seals & gaskets, weather-stripping, outdoor hose coatings. Excellent heat, weather, and UV resistance like traditional rubber. SPECIALTY / SUSTAINABLE POLYMERS PLA (Polylactic Acid) The Sustainable Candidate 50 - 70* 15 - 30 (Brittle) Very brittle, low heat resistance, degrades in humid environments. Disposable cutlery, packaging, 3D printing filament (prototyping). Biodegradable, bio-based, rigid. (highly variable)
Get in touch with us
-
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
109 episodes
All episodes
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