Terminology to Learn When Choosing Plastic Material for Your Product

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Many products today are made from plastic, including packaging, windows, and even the outside of appliances and car bodies. There is a wide variety of plastics available for any product you might manufacture, and very often a plastics maker will create something personalized for your application. When you are ready to shop for a raw plastic for your products, note a few terms you'll need to learn so you know how to make the right choice of materials.

Flexural strength

This refers to the strength of plastic when it's bent or curved. Plastic containers such as buckets will need a stronger flexural strength than plastic windows, as windows are not curved and bent. Note, however, that this flexural strength doesn't necessarily apply to how strong the plastic is against impact or shattering, but only to how well it holds together when it's curved.

Creep

Creep refers to how strong material is when under constant pressure. This is important for items like plastic washers and connectors; they are under pressure from the materials they're holding together. A stronger or higher creep value will keep those connectors from cracking over time. However, you may not need a higher creep value for items that are not always under pressure, such as packaging or windows.

Temperature resistance

This term is self-explanatory, but note that you may only be concerned with the temperature resistance for very hot or just very cold exposure. For example, hairdryers are exposed to high heat whereas portable coolers are rarely exposed to heat but are meant to keep items cold. When noting resistance, note the exact meaning of this phrase rather than thinking "resists extremes in temperature" will be sufficient for your plastics application and use.

Chemical resistance

When choosing your type of plastic, don't overlook the chance that it may need a high chemical resistance. For example, buckets may not be used to store cleaning supplies but those liquids may easily leak from their containers into a bucket holding all those bottles and containers. Plumbing fittings also need a high chemical resistance, as they may be exposed to drain cleaners and other such items and not just water and waste. Note also that chemical resistance refers to how well a plastic holds up under chemical breakdown; exposure to direct sunlight and bacteria might harm a plastic with low chemical resistance, so opt for something with a better resistance for items that may be used outside, in a medical setting, and the like.

17 June 2016