advantages of plastics over metals

Ask any metal manufacturer the same question and you will get a list of reasons why metal is superior. Requires less heat (than metal or glass) for giving a shape. Plastic resins are continually evolving, becoming more suitable to accommodate modern product demands of being lightweight, durable, thermally conductive, and easy to manufacture. Best CNC Router and Desktop CNC Machines for Prototyping, Best 3D Rendering Software for Beginners and Experts in 2020, Various types of Metal 3D Printer Technologies. Rubber over metal- Molding of a flexible rubber substrate on top of a metal cast/part. 1. Lightweight properties are important when considering the cost and ease of installation, especially for pipe and tanks. It is still a clear advantage that plastics can provide when consistent reuse occurs. Benefits of Plastic Over Metal. It is also known as the strength/weight ratio. Let’s discuss above disadvantages of plastic parts over metal in detail: Plastics have a disadvantage of higher injection molding tool development cost. The Advantages of Plastic over Metal As many industries become increasingly aware of the benefits of metal-to-plastic conversion, high-volume injection molding is quickly becoming the method of choice for part manufacture. For instance, a plastic molding machine is ideal when dealing with polymers. Metal parts require secondary finishing operations to achieve required aesthetics and corrosion resistance. One obvious advantage comes to mind is lower manufacturing cost and reduced weight. Metal-based medical tools have now been replaced with plastic alternatives. Without extensive and costly secondary finishes and coatings, metals are easily attacked by many common chemicals. 1. However, many polymers cannot take exposure to extreme temperatures and don't always hold their shape in water. While each plastic resin has its own properties, all Fabriplastic polymers in general offer superior flexibility when compared to metals. Plastic parts offer several universal benefits over metal, including: Can have higher tensile strength vs. many types of metal Therefore plastic parts have a disadvantage of higher lead time compared to metal parts. Lower electrical and thermal conductivity. Other materials, like rubber, are less than ideal for making many of the things we use plastics for instead. Polymer parts do not require post-treatment finishing efforts, unlike metal. Ten years dedicated to custom engineering plastics parts manufacturers +86-020-82257313 [email protected] Home; Products. Parts designed and manufactured by Diversified Plastics offer many advantages over metal — particularly in environments with high exposure to water and chemicals or where weight and/or friction are factors. We will keep updating this article on advantages and disadvantages of plastic over metal. With the invention of plastic injection molding techniques, the interest of manufacturers in using plastics for medical applications has seen a huge surge. The engineering team here at Custom Plastics has decades of experience in assisting companies during the design phase of projects and are experts at letting our customers know what types of designs can and cannot work for plastic extrusion and injection molding. Even with these gains on the auto front by metal makers, plastics continue their onslaught onto the automakers' components menu. Over 31,000 people in the United States are directly employed in the manufacturing of plastic bags. Engineering plastics have become much more commonplace in the manufacturing industry over recent years, due to possessing a number of advantages over other materials. Advantages of Plastic over Metal When we talk about replacing metal parts with plastics. designers across various industries are reducing product cost by incorporating plastics parts. Concepts like single-use medical examination kits which make use of sterilized plastic instruments, as well as dis… New plastic materials offer strength and stiffness comparable to steel, and innovative processing capabilities allow us to machine plastic parts with tight tolerances. Plastic over metal- Molding of a plastic substrate on top of a metal cast/part. Properties like lightweight, durability, thermal conductivity, faster manufacturing, etc are some key advantages of using plastics over metals. Over 60 years of extrusion experience, with continuous value-added features incorporated over the years. Lower Production Cost One of the main advantages to using plastic as a construction material is the cost to produce and use plastics – it is less expensive than most other materials. So how does the process of overmolding actually work? Light weight in plastics is due to three factors: low density, reasonably high strength, and ability to be molded or extruded in thin-walled shapes. (a) Following are the top advantages of using plastics over metals for various industrial applications: 1.) Can replace wood (from chairs, furnitures and what not). Unlike metals and ceramics, polymers don't require finishing to look good and last for a long time. Our ISO 9001 Quality System assures repeatability, conformance, and continuous improvement. Log in. Some disadvantages of using plastics are that they pollute the environment, pose a danger to wildlife, … Some Disadvantages & Advantages of an TLC.. Plastic offers many advantages over metal, including cost, design, processing, and performance. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Advantages of Plastics are many- made from residual content of petrol/diesel, propylene and ethylene gas are the raw materials for polypropylene and polyethylene. Plastics have actually been used in cars since the 1950s, but it’s the latest innovations that are really changing the industry for the better. As a result product assembly time and cost is reduced. This method is used for the separation of non volatile compounds. Polyethylene Buckets. How designers across multiple industries are reducing costs and increasing profits by incorporating plastic instead of metal in new product designs. Plastics typically come from non-renewable resources. If a part is too expensive for the market, it will never sell, regardless of how amazing a new part design is or how much it will change the industry it is suited for. Plastics of the following advantages over metals: Plastics are highly flexible as compared to metals. Injection molding tool development has longer lead time. Plastics can not be used for very high and low temperature ranges. Click this link for more details on snap joints. In composite fiber laminate applications, tenacity is the usual measure of specific strength. Can have higher tensile strength vs. many types of metal. Polymers such as plastic can be easily formed to make almost any imaginable shape and they are normally durable. Below is a specific gravity (kg/dm3) comparison of a few common metals compared to commonly used plastic resins: Although part weight reduction can be attributed to a large portion of cost savings for companies, plastic parts also generally cost less than their metal counterparts. The rest is used for energy and transport. Plastic wastage during injection molding can be reduced by using hot runner injection mold.Â. Traditionally, plastic itself is often a less expensive raw material compared to metal. These include wear and chemical resistance. Lower packaging and shipping costs. Advantages. At Custom Plastics, Inc., we can provide in-house, value-added finishing services. Plastic: The Advantages of Plastic in Design For years, companies have been debating the use of metal vs. plastic parts. Whereas machined metal parts do not require special tooling. One obvious advantage comes to mind is lower manufacturing cost and reduced weight. Additionally, the manufacturing process of plastic utilizes faster cycle times compared to metal, achieving lower production costs of plastic components versus metal components. But For smaller volumes Plastic Prototyping techniques are used to get samples quicker. Additionally, overall part weight is reduced and the manufacturing process becomes more efficient by going with plastic over metal with minimal secondary operations needed. What are some advantages of using plastic over metals? Nylon Buckets. Plastics are corrosion resistant and non-conductive in nature. Many plastics have exceptional weight to strength ratios, meaning that for the weight of the product they are very strong. Indeed, engineering plastics have replaced metal in the manufacture of many different products. Polymer materials handle far better than metals in … Apart from weight and cost, plastic parts have the following advantages compared to metal parts. Superior design flexibility. When it comes to manufacturing parts and components, most companies use either plastic or metal material. In a recent "Automotive Plastics Report," Market Search, Inc., Toledo, OH, identified five areas in which plastics suppliers will find strong opportunities over the next five years: injection molding. Therefore plastic parts can not be used where high heat and thermal conductivity is required. Resistance to a wide range of chemical agents including acid rain and salt spray, conditions under which metal parts would suffer. Different parts require different injection molds. Combined with it’s toughness and versatility, this makes it the go-to material for all kinds of electronics. Reduced waste. Elk Grove Village, IL. The advantages of using composites over metals highly depend on the application. Therefore, it is used for making many utensils and storing various chemicals. Design Flexibility. The plastics industry in the U.S. is currently the eighth-largest one presently operating. Along with so many advantages, Using plastic parts instead of metal can have following limitations as well. Plastic products play a major role … Which has relatively lower cycle time. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Chemical resistance : Plastics are generally less susceptible to damage from chemicals or chemical reactions, such as oxidation or rusting, than metals. What was missing from the article, and from Dietrich's report, was commentary on the substantial economic and health benefits that come from the use of plastic pipe over conventional metal pipes. It’s even been used to create bullet proof vests that are stronger and lighter than some of the other materials they’ve been … Tolerance Stackup Analysis : Worst Case ... Heat Sink Thermal Resistance and Size Ca... Best CNC Router and Desktop CNC Machines... Best 3D Rendering Software for Beginners... Superior Design Flexibility (Integrating multiple parts into one part). In other words, many industrial applications can … Join now. Pom Injection. Even now, over half a century later, many manufacturers are still not really aware of the benefits of choosing plastic parts that they can’t get from using metal parts.Plastic isn’t only extremely durable and extremely reliable; it … Specific strength is a material’s tensile or compression force per unit area at the point of failure, divided by its density. But cost and weight are not the only factor that industries are using more plastic parts in their products. The advantages of using composites include: 1. Therefore plastic has the advantage of manufacturing parts with negligible wastage compared to metal parts. Weight Advantages. The advantages of using plastics are that they are lightweight, water resistant, durable, strong, economical and resistant to corrosion and chemicals. Plastics are made out of different resins. Whereas metal parts are machined from relatively larger blocks. This results in lower cost to manufacture parts from plastics over metal. The production of most plastic products is not energy intensive compared to metals, glass and paper. The automotive industry is a perfect example of this struggle – the federal government has established new standards requiring that by 2025 automotive brands must average 54.5 MPG throughout their consumer vehicle line-up for cars and light trucks; a daunting task for automotive designers who have to redesign their vehicles with materials that are cost effective, just as durable as their metal counterparts, but weigh significantly less. To sum up, product designers across various industries are reducing product cost by incorporating plastics parts. Lower cycle time helps in reducing plastic part manufacturing cost compared to metal parts. Read on to learn all about it from the plastics professionals. Reduced part weight. Reducing overall part weight has a dramatic impact on a company’s bottom line through savings in shipping, packaging, and installation costs. Nearly any transportation-related field can also benefit by investigating the advantages of metal replacement plastics: shipping containers, railroad manufacturing, heavy trucks and RVs, aircraft applications, and more. So they cannot be corroded easily. This is the main reason that plastic is commonly used in construction. Plastic parts are manufactured with an injection molding process. But cost and weight are not the only factor that industries are using more plastic parts in their products. This results in much reduced maintenance and repair costs. List the advantages of plastic over metal Get the answers you need, now! Engineered polymers and plastics are continuing to replace aluminum and other metals in automobiles, with the average car interior now being made up of over 50% plastics. Buckets that are constructed from rigid and abrasion-resistant nylon are ideal for their ability to stand up to extreme abuse. Plastics are cheaper as compared to metals. Ask your question. 2. Thermoplastics parts are lighter in weight. Your email address will not be published. The following properties of plastic make it the material of choice for making many articles: Plastics are non-reactive: Most of the metals get corroded by air and water. The Advantages of Plastic over Metal. In this article we will discuss various advantages and disadvantages of plastic over metal parts. Recycling processes can change the comparison at times. The plastics industry only consumes 4% of the world’s oil production as feedstock. What are some advantages of using plastics over metals? Additionally, new concepts have been made possible with the use of plastic parts. Plastic resins are continually evolving, becoming more suitable to accommodate modern product demands of being lightweight, durable, thermally conductive, and easy to manufacture. Metals generally provide the following advantages over plastic fabrication: Heat resistance: Metals typically have a higher melting-point and are less likely to degrade under elevated temperatures. Injection molding gear. This is generally performed on the thin sheet of aluminum or thin sheet of glass or plastic. It is generally cheaper and can easily be produced in much larger quantities than metal. They have higher life dependency. The, If you are starting a new project or are looking to convert a current product from metal to plastic, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 847.439.6770 or email us at, 1940 Lunt Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. In Thin layer Chromatography also called (TLC) is widely used method for the separation and detection of an molecule from a given mixture of compounds.. Therefore plastics offer advantages of eliminating secondary finish operation. Companies are constantly dealing with tight margins and increasingly competitive marketplaces which puts an enormous amount of pressure on engineering teams trying to develop new products that are both cost-effective and of sound design. Here is the detailed discussion on the advantages of plastic parts over metal parts: Plastic has the advantage of higher strength to weight ratio and they are very tough in nature. 2/25/15 — Ask any plastic manufacturer if a part should be designed in plastic or metal and they will give a list of reasons why plastic is always the way to go. In our experience, as we talk with clients during their initial design phases, we have found there is a general lack of knowledge and many misconceptions surrounding the benefits of engineering-grade plastic resins. AIP explains the advantages of using plastics over metals in our infographic below, with special emphasis on how each industry benefits from using polymers. This process has an advantage of manufacturing complex features, geometries and integrating multiple metal parts in one plastic part. The benefits of using plastics over metalshas been one of the major reasons for this growth. AIP explains the advantages of using plastics over metals in our infographic below, with special emphasis on how each industry benefits from using polymers. Plastics manufacturing process has advantages of Integrating assembly features in plastic parts itself. Therefore engineers are replacing metal parts with the plastic parts for various applications. Plastic parts are manufactured by flowing molten plastic in the mold. Plastics offer various advantages compared to metal parts while fulfilling all functional requirements. List of the Disadvantages of Plastics. Although metal products still exist, many companies have switched over to plastic for various reasons. Therefore plastic part weight and cost are less compared to metal parts. Just as the auto industry is dealing with reducing automotive weight and increasing efficiency, industries across the board are dealing with the issue of improving their part designs to outperform their competitors while reducing overall part costs. Plastics are more durable than ceramics, glasses, and metals. The major advantages of plastics over ceramics, glasses and metals are: 1. Remote controls, computers, TVs, kitchen appliances – you name it and chances are it’s made of plastic. Log in. It is generally cheaper and can easily be produced in much larger quantities than metal. Plastics are produced in faster cycles than metals which helps keep manufacturing costs down as well. Lighter weight: Plastics typically weigh less than metals of comparable dimensions. In addition to lower raw material and manufacturing costs, working with plastic allows product designers to incorporate multiple part components into a single mold or extrusion, reducing assembly costs and increasing the overall durability of the final product. Advantages of plastics over ceramics, glasses, and metallic materials are as follows: Plastic over ceramics: 1) Plastics denture are more preferred by doctors because ceramics dentures are less durable and have less chemical bonding with the plastic base. Certainly there will always be a need for metal, but for many industrial and consumer markets, plastic is becoming the material of choice for many convincing reasons, and the most important of which is cost reduction. Plastics now offer similar tensile strengths of metal, can be thermally conductive, resistant to heat and chemicals, and offer many other properties once thought of to be unique to metals. Metal vents, whether they are aluminium or galvanized, are prone to corrosion in wet environments especially if damaged. The type of equipment used in operations depends on the material. Advantages of Plastic. The plastics industry only consumes 4% of the world’s oil production as feedstock. Manufacturing process is very difficult to control. Plastic parts are manufactured by flowing molten plastic in injection mold. Reduced manufacturing costs. This material is non-corrosive, tough and flexible, which makes polyethylene perfect for free-flowing product applications. Faster manufacturing times. With the help of our engineering team, companies are often relieved that we are able to modify and adjust part designs to maximize efficiencies and reduce secondary tooling costs that often plague companies after the initial sample run is complete. Table 2 summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of high temperature thermoplastics over metals. 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