A Simple Guide to Decorative Thermoplastic Material

Many engineers look upon decorative plastics and thermoplastic materials as entirely new to the aircraft industry, but such is not the case. The primary difference between the materials used now is that they are now used in the applications where structural loads are involved, in the interiors, and in seats.

The use of thermoplastic in aerospace:

The thermoplastics are being used mostly for their transparent properties, mostly used in custom plastic parts or products, whether large or small, flexible or stiff, and any shape possible. Due to their high abrasion and chemical resistance, these can provide advantages for specific applications as compared to other solutions, particularly for the products used in aircraft. Customized thermoplastics tend to excel with greater durability when these are used in products that can experience wear and tear, for instance, in aerospace, interior design, or the air duct. The materials can vary in the performance they provide, these can generally provide higher toughness, lower mass, high-strength to weight ratio, and better surfaces out of the press.

These customizable and decorative plastics are used for interior applications, as mentioned in air ducts, cabin partitions, floor panels, and luggage bins. Another use is in structural applications including wing ribs and spars. Also, because of the benefits, plastics are now being used in the exterior of aircraft for things such as fuel tank covers. The reason this is being used is because of the excellent thermal stability provided at elevated temperatures.

Why plastic material for the Aerospace industry?

The advances in thermoplastic manufacturing and processing allow aircraft manufacturers and suppliers to take the advantage of the unique properties of thermoplastic material. One benefit of plastics that offer many advantages over other traditional aerospace materials is the manufacturing flexibility and efficiency it provides. Moreover, these can be recycled and also support environments and sustainability efforts which means the material can be molded and remolded into new forms if any mistake occurs in the process. These can be readily stored at room temperatures and have an unlimited shelf life which reduces and allows for more flexible production activities. When the useful life of thermoplastic ends, it can be potentially melted down to a product that requires less wear and tear.

The reason for a renewed emphasis on plastic is because of the many advantages it offers over aluminum and other traditional aerospace materials, such as being lightweight, with high strength and durability. With the use of thermoplastics, there is no change in the overall design of the existing machined parts; these can be easily tailor-made with a manufacturer having strong expertise and history in the aircraft interior industry.

Thermoplastic materials can outperform all other metals by providing thermal and mechanical stability as these are heat-resistant, non-corrosive and lightweight components with insulation properties, flame and chemical resistant. The use involves its multifaceted scope which is the main reason for its growth especially in the manufacturing of aerospace industry products. Among the trends and the multifaceted scope, there is continual improvement in the construction of aircraft materials. As more and more aspects of the vehicles are turning to hefty electronics for fuel efficiency, the lightweight, durability, stability, and decreasing the heaviness of the components is imperative for the aircraft.

What specific customization can be done to the thermoplastic material?

1- The very first step is to choose the textile, or finishing, though the pre-forming process remains the same. With the right partnering, can allow aircraft manufacturers to tailor the sheets, fiber, and shapes specifically for every component requirement.
 
2- The next step to take care of is the functionality, which is critical when customizing or choosing decorative plastic for the purpose. This calls for diligence, and only an experienced can add precise specific functions tailored to the requirements in aerospace.