For years, plastics such as ABS, polypropylene and polycarbonate, and nylon have been used to make everything from buttons to bottle caps, storage containers, mechanical parts, and far beyond. These plastics work well for many different uses, but may lack the strength and integrity of engineering-grade resins such as PEEK, Valox, Ultem, and others. The type of resin used for custom plastic injection molding can greatly affect both the application for which the parts are suitable, as well as how easy (or difficult) molding the parts will be.
Resins Offer Numerous Options
Selecting the correct material is essential when it comes to creating the parts you need. Resins, another term for polymers in the parlance of injection molding, are available in several thousand types. Engineering-grade resins are a special class. They require more complex processing, but offer properties simply not obtained through the use of other resins.
PEEK (polyether ether ketone) offers properties of chemical and mechanical resistance that remain intact even at high temperatures. These properties are very important, but just as important is PEEK is relatively easy to process. It can be molded into a variety of different shapes using several different types of molds. This is not always the case with engineering-grade resins, meaning your cost might be higher, and production times longer, with a resin that isn’t ideally suited for your needs.
Some engineering-grade resins, like Valox, can be tailored to fit your requirements across a wide range of variables, including chemical resistance, electrical properties, and heat. These properties, combined with surface appearance and the ease with which it can be molded into whatever shape you require, make Valox an exceptional choice for many different applications.
Traditional plastics may not offer enough heat resistance, or they may not be strong or stiff enough for certain applications. An engineering-grade resin like Ultem is effective for applications where heat resistance, strength, and stiffness are essential, or where chemical resistance is very important. Its copolymers offer even greater options when it comes to elasticity and mechanical properties. Like Valox and PEEK, Ultem can be molded relatively easily, offering a lot of flexibility when it comes to creating parts exactly to your specifications.
Custom Plastic Injection Molding
It’s easy to make a mistake when choosing a resin for your needs, simply because so much depends on your exact application. Not only is it important to know the conditions under which the part will perform, but also which resin type will provide everything you need in exactly the shape you require.
QT Manufacturing offers years of experience with custom plastic injection molding using both common plastics and engineering-grade resins. From designing your custom injection mold to building your parts and providing quality control, QT Manufacturing can make the process of getting your parts fabricated faster and easier. Contact QT Manufacturing online, or call (972) 221-0537 for a quote regarding your injection molding needs or to learn more about custom plastic injection molding.
