Some Material Properties That Make Engineering Plastics a Good Alternative to Metal
There's no denying that for the longest time, metal has been the obvious choice of material for parts manufacturing, largely because of its great reserve of strength. But due to the limitations associated with the fabrication of metal parts, industry players had to look for alternatives to metal. One of the new materials available for use in the fabrication of parts is engineering plastics. As the name clearly suggests, engineering plastics comprise engineering-grade plastics whose material (physical, mechanical and chemical) properties outperform those of regular plastics. The availability of engineering plastics as a material option for parts fabrication offers a myriad of benefits to both industrial and consumer market segments.
Tensile strength
When comparing the tensile strength of different materials, metal is the gold standard. However, thanks to advances in plastic technology, plastic fabricators can now provide their customers with plastic materials that can match the tensile strengths of different metals. The icing on the cake is that plastics whose tensile strengths are comparable to that of particular metals cost less to manufacture and thus are cheaper to purchase. This quality makes plastics an economical choice, especially for those who find comparable metal products to be too expensive.
Chemical resistance
Using metal parts for applications that involve chemical exposure is never a good thing. This is because most metals easily become corroded when they come in contact with chemical substances. While the rate of corrosion can be slowed down by applying a protective coating on the substrate metal, the chemicals eventually wear down the surface treatments and cause corrosion of the substrate. This often results in costly repairs or replacements.
Engineering-grade plastics, on the other hand, are not as susceptible to damage from chemicals. Hence, the physical and mechanical properties of these plastics remain virtually unchanged when products get exposed to chemicals.
Conductivity of heat and electricity
Metal is an obvious choice of material for parts that need to conduct heat and electricity. However, not all applications require the use of a material that conducts heat and/or electricity. Plastic is a poor conductor of heat and a non-conductor of electricity. With plastic, there is no risk of unwanted heat transfer. In addition, plastic eliminates the need for electrical insulation, which costs extra. This makes plastic parts an ideal choice for undertakings that require thermal and/or electrical insulation.
While fabricated metal products are there to stay, it's clear that engineering plastics are fast gaining popularity as a good alternative to metal.
