When comparing thermoplastics with other conventional materials, for modern and innovative designs, the thermal stability and strength are comparable, but the advantage to using thermoplastics by most companies across several industries is its high impact resistance due to the flexible nature of polymer chains. This means that any product produced using thermoplastic will be more resistant to breaking, have less damage during crashes, and overall safer than the products designed with materials like metal.
Thermoplastics are plastic polymers that are well suited for many applications. When they are heated allowing for molding, these can easily cast into any shape or texture and will eventually harden upon cooling. When frozen these become brittle almost like glass and are more likely to break or fracture. Moreover, because of the unique chemical properties of thermoplastics material many automotive companies use it in the production of parts as it can be remolded and recycled without affecting the end material and its properties. Let's take a look at what makes it a material of choice among industries:
Variety of design options to choose from:
The forming of thermoplastics gives the manufacturer and the company a lot more control over the final shape, texture, and finish on the surface. The forming of thermoplastic can be created into a slick, hard finish, a slightly soft surface, or anything in between depending on the material and techniques used during molding.
Plus, you can easily customize it and make something extra-ordinary when you need a product to bounce or have little give for comfort. Formulating a thermoplastic material by adding other co-polymers can amplify the effects while allowing you to get any finish you want.
Better resistance to chemicals:
Thermoplastics are compatible to be used in medical device manufacturing, automotive, to aerospace industry. The same feature helps the material to resist other chemicals and weather conditions without chipping, melting, or cracking easily. That means that the part has a longer lifespan than parts made from other materials. Chemical resistance and durability are the main reasons for companies choosing thermoplastics in the first place. And, because these are extremely lightweight, they are a popular choice when weight is a factor in your overall design. Especially, in the aerospace industry, these have eventually replaced the metal parts, making them durable and a lightweight alternative for heavy materials.
For instance, there are dozens of caps, fittings, tanks, and other parts that are in constant contact with both mechanical shocks, reactive chemicals, and different weather conditions. So it is important that you choose thermoplastic for several parts to ensure that these handle all the challenges of engine or body panel use. Moreover, when certain co-polymers or additives are blended with thermoplastics these can meet certain performance standards and compliance requirements.
Provides flexibility and efficiency in production:
The thermoplastic manufacturers have advanced in manufacturing products made from thermoplastics which also allows aircraft and automotive manufacturers to take advantage of the unique properties of thermoplastic material. The fact that thermoplastics have unlimited shelf life, reduces waste during manufacturing and increases efficiency during the production activities.
Thermoplastics can be recycled:
As thermoplastics can be recycled, that means it supports environmental and sustainability efforts. When a flash occurs, which contributes the need to trim the material to fit the required part or when some parts fail and be rejected. In this case, the material can be melted and molded into a new form, allowing for mistakes to be corrected and repairs to be made flexibly. Rather than being discarded or increasing wastage, which then adds up the cost, even on those small portions from runner or trims made to size, the thermoplastic material can be easily recovered by melting and repurposed for another demanding application.
