Choosing the right tooling materials for manufacturing medical parts can be complicated, but with the right expertise and partner it can be a smooth process for long-term results.  

This is where having options makes a difference. Steel (hard) and aluminum (soft) tooling are both good options for creating the components used to manufacture medical parts. Selecting the option that will deliver the most value depends on your volume requirements, design complexity, and the lifespan of the mold. 

Aluminum Tooling: Fast Turnaround, Limited Cycles    

Specialized tool manufacturers can generally build aluminum tooling quickly, Aluminum tools are compatible with a variety of materials, cost less than steel, and have better heat conductivity. The ability to quickly gain or dissipate heat shortens production cycle times and offers a more consistent mold temperature, reducing the chances of warpage and increasing yields.    

Although aluminum boasts better heat conductivity and shorter production time than steel, its main drawback is that it can begin to wear down more quickly (typically after tens of thousands of production cycles) than steel. Worn tooling increases the chances for imperfections, a deal breaker for medical applications. Manufacturers may need to replace or repair aluminum tooling more often than steel tooling.    

Steel Tooling: High-Volume Production, Higher Upfront Costs  

Steel is a harder material than aluminum. This gives steel tooling many advantages: components can produce millions of parts over years without diminishing quality, the material allows for more complex designs, and the material is resistant to scratches and erosion. Steel tooling supports high-volume production runs for an extended period.  

However, steel tooling is also more expensive, and because steel is so hard, tooling may become difficult to repair or modify once produced. Steel doesn’t allow as much heat conductivity and so, molds take longer to heat and cool, increasing cycle times, potentially introducing warpage, shrinking, or sink marks. Additionally, high-featured designs or those that have unique requirements (e.g., thin, non-uniform walls) may require the use of steel molds to provide the required results. 

Choosing Your Tooling Material 

Both steel and aluminum tooling can be suitable options once the complete part design, budget and volume scenarios are fully considered. While the raw costs are distinctively different, the overall return on investment will depend on the lifespan of the tool and its usage.  

The decision comes down to the intended use of your tooling. Figure 1 shows a simplified version of the three factors to consider when determining which tooling material to use.  

Figure 1. Decision chart for steel vs. aluminum tooling 

Prototypes and Aluminum Tooling  

Prototypes are essential to developing new medical devices and other types of health technology. They allow engineers to test how their concept works in the real world, answering important questions, such as how well the part addresses the treatment’s core problem, how it fits with existing systems, and how easy it is to access and maintain. Without prototyping, these essential questions go unanswered, and the product is less likely to succeed during later stages.   

Consider using aluminum tooling for early prototypes if your volume needs are low – for example: less than 50,000 parts. Aluminum tooling will maintain its quality and reliability for the number of runs required to produce the prototype. Creating steel tooling for these low-volume runs may not provide the return on investment that aluminum will. Steel tooling is a more viable investment for high-production runs when volumes increase.   

Medical Industry Solutions From SyBridge  

Choosing the appropriate tooling for manufacturing your medical parts is crucial. The right tooling material will help guarantee the reliability of parts in high-volume production or the cost-effectiveness of parts in low-volume runs. Consider working with a tooling design and manufacturing expert to ensure consistent, reliable and high-quality outcomes. 

At SyBridge, our expert engineers can help you select the right tooling material to meet your needs. We bring decades of expertise in tool design and manufacturing of various types and levels and can guide you with the right choice for your application. 

Contact us  today to discover how SyBridge can produce the excellence you desire. 

The post How to Choose Tooling Materials for Medical Applications appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

When designing a part, it’s important to understand critical differences between comparable materials. For instance, substituting a thermoplastic instead of a thermoset to create a product that’s meant to withstand high temperatures would have disastrous results. 

The terms “thermoplastic” and “thermoset” appear in many of the same conversations regarding plastic part manufacturing, but they’re not interchangeable. This article breaks down the major differences between thermoplastics and thermosets, as well as key advantages and best applications for each material.

Thermoplastics: What You Need to Know

Mechanical/Chemical Properties

A thermoplastic is any plastic material with a melting point that becomes molten when heated, solid when cooled, and can be re-melted or molded after cooling. The process is completely reversible, and doing so will not significantly compromise the material’s physical integrity. 

Thermoplastics are usually stored as pellets to facilitate easy melting during the injection molding process. Common examples of thermoplastics include acrylic, polyester, nylon, and PVC.

• Nylon: Nylon provides a unique combination of strength and wear resistance that makes this family of materials well-suited for a range of applications.
• TPE and TPU: When product designers and engineers want a part to have certain properties like shock absorption, flex rebound, or high impact strength, they often turn to polymers made out of thermoplastic elastomers. 
• ULTEM (PEI): ULTEM® is one of the only resins approved for use in aerospace settings. It is also among the most versatile plastics on the market. 

Advantages of Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics are strong, shrink-resistant, and relatively easy to use. Their inherent flexibility makes them an excellent choice for manufacturers who require shock-absorbent products that can withstand wear and tear while retaining their shape. 

Thermoplastics are generally more cost-effective than thermosets because they’re easier to process. This is because thermoplastics are made in higher volumes and don’t require post-processing. Plus, thermoplastic molds can be made from affordable materials like aluminum. Thermoplastics are highly compatible with injection molding processes, and are ideal for making repeatable parts in high volumes. 

Additionally, thermoplastics are some of the more environmentally friendly plastics on the market as they are highly recyclable by design. As an added benefit, manufacturing with thermoplastics produces fewer toxic fumes than working with thermosets. 

Common Thermoplastics Applications

Manufacturers often use thermoplastics for prototyping because if the final product doesn’t meet certain standards, they can easily melt the part down and start over without producing a lot of scrap material.

Beyond part prototyping, thermoplastics can be used to create a range of familiar consumer products, as well as medical devices, automotive components, and more.

Thermosets: What You Need to Know

Mechanical/Chemical Properties

In contrast to thermoplastics, a thermoset is any plastic material that hardens once cured by heat and cannot be reshaped after the curing process. During curing, valence bonds in the polymer cross-link together to form three-dimensional chemical bonds that cannot be undone, even under extreme heat. 

Thermosets are usually stored in liquid form in large containers. Common examples of thermosets include epoxy, silicone, and polyurethane.

• Epoxy (EPX 82): An additive material developed by Carbon for its DLS process. This material is ideal for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. 
• Silicone (SIL 30): SIL 30 is an additive material developed by Carbon® for its digital light synthesis (DLS). Also known as SIL 30, this silicone urethane offers a unique combination of biocompatibility.
• RPU 70: Known for its toughness, strength, and ability to withstand heat, RPU can be used across multiple industries including consumer products, automotive, and industrial. 

Others like Phenolics are available as a granular product.

Advantages of Thermosets

Thermosets offer a wide range of benefits; overall, they are strong, stable, chemical-resistant, and have outstanding electrical properties. They won’t warp, degrade, or break down easily in extreme temperatures. 

Due to their strength and durability, thermosets are often used to reinforce another material’s structural properties. Among the most impact-resistant materials on the market, they are frequently used to seal products to protect them against deformation. 

Common Thermosets Applications

While thermoplastics offer a more diverse range of high and low functionality applications, thermosets can be used to create high-performance products in a wide variety of industries. 

Thermosets are ideal for building anything that comes into contact with extreme temperatures on a regular basis, such as kitchen appliances and electronics components.  

Start Building With Us

The crucial difference between thermoplastics and thermosets boils down to how they react to heat. Thermoplastics can be molded and remolded in the presence of heat without losing structural integrity, while thermosets can be molded only once. Of the two, thermoplastics are better suited for all-purpose products that need to be strong and flexible, while thermosets make better high-performance products. An experienced manufacturing partner can help you decide which material best fits your needs. 

When you partner with SyBridge, you partner with a dedicated team of engineers and manufacturing experts who will help you take your project to the next level. We’ll match your vision with optimal materials, manufacturing processes, and post-production services to ensure that you end up with a product of unmatched quality. Contact us today for a quote.

The post Thermoplastics vs. Thermosets: What’s the Difference? appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Acrylic, also known as plexiglass or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate are both lightweight, transparent plastics suitable for manufacturing parts via CNC machining. Acrylic is known for its strength and transparency, making it an excellent alternative to standard glass, whereas polycarbonate is incredibly tough and impact resistant, making it ideal for applications that require clarity as well as increased durability, such as safety glass.

While acrylic and polycarbonate are similar in many respects, there are some important differences between these two common materials that can make one better suited for a particular application over the other, or impact the machining process and thus lead time and cost. In this article, we’ll go over what you need to know about machining acrylic and polycarbonate so that you can select the best manufacturing option for your project and create designs that work with the material you choose.

Machining Acrylic and Polycarbonate: What You Need to Know

When it comes to machining acrylic, cast acrylic is often a better choice than extruded acrylic, as the latter is more likely to crack or chip during the machining process. This means that the toolpath strategies sometimes need careful selection to avoid chipping the part. Additionally, since acrylics aren’t very heat resistant, it’s necessary to use a sharp cutting tool in order to obtain a smooth surface finish. Acrylic’s low melting point means that it will also be necessary to use a lower cutting feedrate than other plastics during machining, since higher feedrates will generate more friction and heat, and potentially ruin your part. If necessary, acrylic may be kept in a freezer before machining to ensure that it remains as cool as possible.

With its toughness and impact resistance, polycarbonate is better for machining and is particularly well-suited to CNC milling. However, when machining polycarbonate, the sharpness of the cutting tool is still important, as polycarbonate sheets can melt if too much heat builds up during the machining process. Since polycarbonate is less likely to chip than acrylic, it tends to be easier to machine and allows for more standard toolpath strategies to be used. In addition, because there is a higher temperature working range, more aggressive strategies can be used with a smaller chance of causing issues, potentially saving time and money.

Applications for Acrylic and Polycarbonate

Both acrylic and polycarbonate are lightweight, machinable, and have unique characteristics that make them suitable for an array of applications across industries.

Acrylic is a popular material within the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries, and is often used for things like dry boxes, lenses, radiation shields, and desiccators. Additionally, its transparency, strength, and high impact resistance make it a great alternative to glass, and you can commonly find it used in greenhouses, aquariums, terrariums, security barriers, and more.

Like acrylic, polycarbonate is popular in the automotive, aerospace, and construction industries, but its resistance to heat and strong dimensional stability make it very popular in the medical industry, as polycarbonate parts can withstand limited autoclaves and irradiation sterilization. Among its more common applications, polycarbonate is often used for point-of-purchase retail displays, face shields, architectural features, clear manifolds, bulletproof windows, and much more.

Pros and Cons of Using Acrylic for Your Parts

Acrylic offers a range positive attributes, including:

• Transparency: Acrylic can allow up to 92% of light to pass through it, making it more transparent than some grades of glass and most other thermoplastics. It can also be colored without sacrificing its transparency, though it’s possible to manufacture more opaque acrylic parts, as well.
• Strength: Acrylic is much stronger and more impact resistant than glass. Most grades of acrylic are four to eight times stronger than glass.
• Environmental resistance: Acrylic is naturally resistant to scratches, weathering, and UV radiation, making it ideal for outdoor applications.
• Chemical resistance: Acrylic is resistant to many chemicals, including alkalis, detergents, cleaners, and dilute inorganic acids.
• Moisture absorption: Acrylic has low moisture absorption, which allows it to retain its dimensions when used in outdoor applications.
• Compatibility with coatings: Acrylic parts can be coated with anti-static, hard coat, or non-glare layers in order to improve their surface quality, extend their lifespan, and ensure they meet specific requirements.
• Affordability: Despite its strength, durability, and clarity, acrylic remains relatively inexpensive to manufacture and machine. For comparison, polycarbonate is about 35 – 40% more expensive.
• Color: Acrylic is available in a wide range of colors.

CNC machining acrylic is not without its disadvantages. As previously noted, acrylic is more susceptible to cracking and chipping than polycarbonate, and it’s slightly more difficult to machine, since it will lose structural integrity and begin melting at temperatures over 160°C. When designing acrylic parts for CNC machining, you’ll need to remember that relatively low melting point because it makes the material more susceptible to deformation during the manufacturing process. To avoid the risk of melting, and to achieve a quality surface finish, using a proper feed rate and pass depth is crucial. Similarly, to reduce chatter and achieve quality cuts, acrylic parts should be machined using tools with a short flute length and a cutting depth roughly half the diameter of the bit.

Your product’s intended use will also determine whether acrylic is the best option for your project. For example, acrylic’s extreme biocompatibility makes it a good option for bone implants, dentures, or other skin-contact applications; similarly, its resistance to weather, UV radiation, and scratching make it a good fit for parts which will be used outdoors. On the other hand, acrylic might not be the best choice for food containers that will be exposed to high temperature environments, such as dishwashers or microwaves, since acrylic parts will only maintain their dimensions up to 149°F (65°C), at which point they begin to soften. 

Pros and Cons of Using Polycarbonate for Your Parts

The positives of using polycarbonate include:

• Transparency: Polycarbonate is a naturally transparent thermoplastic that can transmit light just as effectively as glass, making it ideal for lenses, lighting, and bulletproof glass. Like acrylic, polycarbonate can be colored without sacrificing its transparency.
• Variety: There are several formulations of polycarbonate on the market, including glass-filled and FDA-compliant variants, so it’s likely that you’ll be able to find one that meets your project’s needs.
• Strength and impact resistance: Polycarbonate has a tensile strength around 200 times that of glass, and is highly resistant to impact. Accordingly, it’s often used in bullet-resistant glass and protective gear.
• Shrinkage and dimensional stability: Polycarbonate will maintain its dimensions under most conditions, and has a low shrink rate of 0.6 – 0.9%.
• Environmental resistance: Polycarbonate is naturally resistant to UV radiation and can withstand varying moisture levels and fluctuating temperatures, which makes it an excellent material for outdoor applications and eyewear.
• Chemical resistance: Polycarbonate is resistant to many chemicals, including diluted acids, oils, waxes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, and greases.
• Moisture absorption: Polycarbonate has slightly lower moisture absorption compared to acrylic.
• Compatibility with coatings: Like acrylic, polycarbonate components can be coated with anti-static, hard coat, and non-glare layers. Polycarbonate is also compatible with UV and anti-fog layers.
• High machinability: Since it’s so durable and tolerant to heat, polycarbonate is easier to machine than acrylic.

While polycarbonate has many positive attributes, there are some disadvantages to using polycarbonate for a CNC machining project, including its high cost and its susceptibility to denting. Additionally, since polycarbonate scratches easily, it’s more likely to require finishing, which is complicated by the fact that only certain finishing processes, such as vapor polishing and coating, work with polycarbonate parts.

Additionally, it’s important to note that polycarbonate parts are also prone to developing sinks or voids in thicker sections. To prevent this, it’s best to break thicker elements down into smaller, thinner sections to be assembled later. It’s easy to remember this tip by keeping costs in mind — machining a thick part out of a single block of polycarbonate will typically be more expensive than working with smaller pieces due to the cost of the raw materials and the machining time.

Finishing Options for Acrylic and Polycarbonate

There are several finishing options available for acrylic and polycarbonate, including some that will help your parts look and feel ready for end-use applications and even improve clarity:

• As-machined finish: The standard and most economical finish, ‘as-machined’ or ‘as-milled’ means that no additional post-processing is applied to the part. As-machined parts have tight dimensional finishes and may represent a faster, more affordable manufacturing option. In some cases, as-machined parts may have small but visible surface tool marks, blemishes, or scratches.
• Bead blasting: An economical finish that creates a uniform appearance, bead blasting tends to leave a dull or satin finish and is effective for removing tool marks and surface blemishes.
• Vapor polishing: This finishing option uses solvent vapor to transform matte or opaque surfaces into smooth, high gloss, or optically clear surfaces. Vapor polishing is often used on parts where rough surfaces are unacceptable or where clarity is paramount. 

With sufficient care during the cutting process, machined surfaces of acrylic and polycarbonate parts will typically be translucent, but can become nearly opaque if the material melts. Should melting occur, it may be possible to address surface opacity with post-processing options such as vapor polishing. However, it’s worth noting that as-machined finishes for acrylic and polycarbonate parts will not be optically clear, although it may be possible to achieve optical clarity if diamond tooling is used, but this must be specifically requested during the quoting process, as it will significantly add to cost.

Bottom line: Comparing Acrylic and Polycarbonate for Machining

Special care should be taken with designs that include machined acrylic due to the increased likelihood of stress cracking. With this in mind, it’s advisable to use razor-sharp cutting tools to avoid melting the acrylic or causing cracking; diamond cutters yield the best surface finish, though carbide cutters are much more affordable. It will also be necessary to use a relatively fast feed rate to prevent the acrylic from melting, but remember that going too fast can cause extreme cutting pressure and breakage.

While polycarbonate is generally better suited to machining thanks to its rigidity, toughness, durability, and higher melting point, the trade-off is that polycarbonate is less transparent than acrylic. However, if you need to create specific-use parts, such as protective gear, fuse boxes, or large, tough components, transparency may not be an issue. On the other hand, if you’re designing a product for which transparency is a top priority, taking the extra effort to machine acrylic may be worth it.

Bringing Your Part Designs to Life with SyBridge

Selecting a suitable material for your manufacturing project can be the difference between success and failure. While we’ve explored the positives and negatives of acrylic and polycarbonate, it’s worth remembering that they’re not your only options. Numerous CNC machining materials may be compatible with your part’s design and intended application, and choosing the right one can be a complicated process. 

Fortunately, a manufacturing partner like SyBridge can reduce that complexity and address the challenges certain materials present. Beyond helping you decide whether acrylic, polycarbonate, or another material will work best for your part, our team can offer access to the tools and expertise you’ll need to ensure production runs as smoothly and cost-efficiently as possible. And getting your project started is simple: just create an account and upload your designs to get a quote for your parts instantly. Or, to learn more about how we can make your project possible, contact us today.

The post Key Differences for Acrylic and Polycarbonate Machining appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Since its development in the mid-20th century, polycarbonate (PC) has been an increasingly popular material in manufacturing. Today, around 2.7 million tons of polycarbonates are produced each year globally. Over the years, various companies have created different formulas for polycarbonate, so there are several industry grades of polycarbonate to choose from. Some forms have more glass fiber reinforcement, while others have additives like ultraviolet stabilizers for protection against long-term sun exposure.

Strong and versatile, this amorphous thermoplastic is resistant to heat, impact, and many chemicals. As such, polycarbonate is ideal for components that need to be tough or repeatedly sterilized and is often used in the automotive and medical industries.

How Polycarbonate is Manufactured

Each company manufactures polycarbonates slightly differently, but polycarbonate materials have traditionally been created via the condensation polymerization of bisphenol A and carbonyl chloride. However, many companies have started to use diphenyl carbonate instead because carbonyl chloride is extremely toxic.

Regardless of whether carbonyl chloride or diphenyl carbonate is used, a bisphenol A solution in sodium hydroxide is required and then mixed with the carbonyl chloride or diphenyl carbonate solution in an organic solvent so polymerization can take place. When the polycarbonate forms, it will initially be in a liquid state. The solution will be evaporated to form granules, or ethanol will need to be introduced to precipitate the solid polymer.

Once created, polycarbonate is often sold in rods, cylinders, or sheets and can be used in various manufacturing processes. Polycarbonate is compatible with thermoforming, extrusion, and blow molding, but it’s most often used with injection molding. After all, as a thermoplastic, polycarbonate can be melted, cooled, and reheated without burning or significant degradation, making it an ideal injection molding material.

During injection molding, polycarbonate needs to be processed at a high temperature and injected into the mold with high pressure because polycarbonate is quite viscous. The melt temperature should be between 280°C and 320°C, and the mold temperature should fall between 80°C and 100°C. However, those numbers can vary depending on the grade of polycarbonate being used. For example, a high-heat polycarbonate will require a melt temperature between 310°C and 340°C and a mold temperature between 100°C and 150°C, whereas a PC-ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) blend’s melt temperature only needs to be between 240°C and 280°C and its mold temperature can fall as low as 70°C and up to 100°C.

Properties and Mechanical Specifications of Polycarbonate Material

While there are several grades of polycarbonates, each with their own molecular mass, structure, and properties, all polycarbonates have a few things in common.

For one, they are known for their toughness and high impact resistance. As a result, polycarbonate is often used for applications that require reliability and high performance.

Despite their toughness and strength, polycarbonates are light weight, allowing for extensive design possibilities and relatively easy installation when compared to other materials.

Polycarbonates are also very resistant to heat and flames. A polycarbonate can maintain its toughness in temperatures up to 140°C, which means polycarbonate parts can withstand repeated sterilization. Polycarbonates also have light transmittance rates above 90% and good chemical resistance against diluted acids, oils, greases, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and alcohols.

A polycarbonate’s properties depend on its molecular mass and structure, so each material is slightly different. To give you an idea of what you can expect, here are some typical key characteristics and specifications:

• Specific gravity: 1.21
• Melt temperature: 295 – 315°C
• Mold temperature: 70 – 95°C
• Heat deflection temperature: 137°C at 0.45 MPa
• Tensile strength: 61 MPa
• Flexural strength: 90 MPa
• Shrink rate: 0.5 – 0.7%
• Rockwell hardness: 118R

As you can see, polycarbonate manufacturing has plenty to offer. However, there are a few things you’ll want to be aware of before selecting this material for a project. For example, its mechanical properties can degrade after prolonged exposure to water over 60°C. Polycarbonate is also susceptible to scratching, more costly to manufacture than many other materials, and vulnerable to diluted alkalis and aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons. Additionally, the polycarbonate formulations without UV stabilizers can sometimes yellow over time when exposed to UV rays.

Common Uses of Polycarbonates in Everyday Life

Polycarbonate’s toughness and high impact resistance make it a popular material choice for automotive industry manufacturers, particularly when it comes to parts that must be clear or translucent and are subject to frequent impact, such as headlight and turn signal lenses.

In the medical industry, polycarbonate can be found in everything from incubators to dialysis machine housings. After all, polycarbonate is tough, resistant to heat, dimensionally stable, and able to withstand sterilization via FDA-approved methods including autoclaves and irradiation. Polycarbonate can be used in blood filters, reservoirs, and oxygenators, as well as surgical instruments. Plus, given its transparency, polycarbonate enables doctors to more easily monitor blood and track the administration of fluids.

Polycarbonate is also a material of choice in many household appliances, such as mixers, hair dryers, refrigerators, and electric razors. Other common uses for polycarbonate include exterior lighting fixtures, machinery guards, protective gear, bullet-proof glass, fuse boxes, television housings, roofing, skylights, greenhouses, suitcases, eyeglasses, and beverage containers, such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and refillable water bottles.

Getting Started With Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a strong and impact-resistant thermoplastic that’s used across a variety of industries. However, there are several different kinds of polycarbonate on the market, each with its own characteristics. Working with an experienced manufacturing partner like SyBridge can make all the difference for product teams who are unfamiliar with polycarbonate or are looking to manufacture parts and products with materials that may be more suitable for a specific application. Want to see if polycarbonate is the right material for your next project? Create an account and upload your part files or contact us today to get started.

The post Know Your Materials: Polycarbonate (PC) appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

During the beginning stages of any project, engineers and product teams should take the time to understand the mechanical specifications of each prospective material. This includes not only the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties that can be found in any data sheet, but also other factors such as how well the material performs under certain environmental conditions or how durable it is. Considering these and other factors helps product teams create a superior product while optimizing time- and cost-efficiency.

One of the most important factors to consider when manufacturing with plastic is durometer or shore durometer, which speaks to the hardness of a given material. Here’s everything engineers and product teams should know about this important measurement:

What is Durometer?

Durometer is a standardized way of measuring the hardness of materials like rubber or plastic. Hardness is a measure of how resistant a plastic is to deformation caused by mechanical indentation or abrasion.

Engineers can test a material’s hardness using a durometer tester. The apparatus looks like a round tire pressure gauge and has a needle on a calibrated spring extending from one end. To test for durometer hardness, an engineer places the needle against the elastomer or plastic and applies pressure. Once the needle has penetrated the material as much as it can, the measurement needle indicates the corresponding durometer hardness on the appropriate scale.

Although durometer can be measured on a scale of zero to 100, it’s not a unit of measurement. It’s actually a dimensionless measurement, meaning durometer numbers measure how hard or soft a material is relative to other materials that have been measured using the same durometer scale. Lower numbers indicate softer plastics, while higher numbers indicate harder plastics. For example, 90A polyurethane tubing is harder than 70A polyurethane tubing.

Different shore hardness scales were invented so that engineers and product teams could discuss the hardness of materials using a consistent, universal, and reproducible reference. The three most common shore hardness scales are shore 00, shore A, and shore D. Shore 00 is only used to measure the hardness of extremely soft rubbers and gels, shore A measures flexible rubbers that can range from very soft to hard, and shore D is only used to measure hard rubbers and plastics.

Product teams should know that durometer hardness doesn’t directly correlate to the flexibility of the end part. Rather, it’s an indirect measure of stiffness that teams can use to better understand the general feel of a material at a glance. Product teams should also know that they cannot compare materials that lie on different shore hardness scales. Durometer numbers are relative to the materials on their specific scale, meaning there’s no direct relationship between hardness on one durometer scale and hardness on another.

For example, a material with a durometer hardness of around 80 on a shore 00 scale is about as hard as a pencil eraser, but a material with a measurement of 80 on the shore D durometer scale has the hardness of a hard hat. Clearly, these measurements aren’t equivalent, although they share the same number, so product teams must remember to only compare the hardness of materials on the same scale.

How Durometer Hardness Factors Into Material Selection

When evaluating elastomers or plastics, engineers and product teams should think about their product’s end-use application and the project requirements. These factors will help narrow down the pool of potential materials and give product teams a clue as to what shore durometer scale they should focus on. If the part must be able to support a lot of weight over an extended period of time, for instance, teams should bypass the shore 00 scale altogether and only consider materials between the 70 and 100 range on the shore A hardness scale and/or the entire range of the shore D hardness scale.

Engineers should also balance desired hardness with other considerations like cost to determine which trade-offs they’re willing to make. For example, harder metals can be more expensive or difficult to machine. To work around this, engineers can use post-process hardening treatments to achieve higher durometers while maintaining ease of machining.

Still, material hardness is not the only factor that matters, and hardness is not necessarily indicative of other properties like strength or corrosion resistance. Stiffness and compression modulus measurements will give a more accurate reading on the sealing performance of a certain rubber than its durometer hardness.

To do their due diligence and select the best material for their specific requirements, product teams should evaluate options against a range of mechanical properties, including density, compression force deflection, application force, and thickness, in addition to durometer hardness.

Durometer Considerations for Injection Molds

The hardness of materials is especially important to consider when working with molds. Engineers must choose a mold rubber that will allow them to easily extract the original model and any subsequent castings from the mold once it has been cured — and shore hardness will have a direct impact on that.

For example, it wouldn’t be wise to use a 70A durometer elastomer to make a mold for a part with thin segments that stick out at different angles. A 70A durometer rubber is as hard as a car tire and doesn’t offer the flexibility necessary to extract such a delicate part without breaking it. An elastomer with a 30A shore durometer or lower would likely be flexible enough for this application.

Durometer Considerations for Additive Manufacturing

It’s also important for product teams to consider materials’ hardness when using additive manufacturing technologies. Many product teams aren’t as familiar with additive manufacturing materials, but if you know the durometer of an additive material, you can compare it to the durometer of more traditional plastics used in injection molding. This will give you a general idea of how the additive material will perform and provides a frame of reference.

Note that some additive materials have two durometers — an instant durometer and a five-second durometer. For example, a part produced using the Carbon Digital Light Synthesis (DLS)™ process likely won’t perform as expected until after it has been cured. Product teams using at-home printers or manufacturing in-house will notice a difference, but if you work with a manufacturing partner, you don’t need to worry about a material’s instant durometer because you’ll only see the final product. Still, it’s good to know that some materials require additional curing and post-processing to achieve their final durometer, so initial measurements are subject to change.

Get Started With SyBridge

To sum it up, durometer is a dimensionless but standardized measurement used to indicate the hardness of an elastomer or plastic relative to other elastomers or plastics on the same scale. Materials with higher durometers are harder, but teams should be careful not to compare materials across different scales because there’s no direct relationship between a given number on one scale and the same number on another.

Engineers and product teams should consider durometer during material selection, especially if their applications have specific hardness or softness requirements. However, evaluating shore hardness alone is insufficient. Teams should carefully consider all relevant design and performance requirements in order to select the best-fit material or materials. A seasoned manufacturing partner can simplify material selection and streamline the entire product development process.

At SyBridge, we specialize in helping product teams ensure their final products meet their needs. We know how crucial material selection is, and partnering with us means gaining access to our collective years of manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain expertise. By working with an experienced manufacturing partner like SyBridge, product teams can make the material selection process simple and stress-free, while accelerating project timelines and keeping costs low. Contact us today to get started.

The post What is Durometer? Understanding and Evaluating Plastic and Elastomer Hardness appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

The additive manufacturing industry is older than many people think. In fact, roughly the past 40 years are peppered with significant advances in 3D printing. Engineers started using stereolithography (SLA) technology for manufacturing prototypes in the 1980s and use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) quickly followed in the early 1990s. Fast forward to 2016, Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) hit the market and transformed the additive manufacturing industry yet again.

FDM is one of the oldest 3D printing technologies, and MJF is among the youngest, but both can quickly produce accurate parts. Which is best for your next project? Here’s what you need to consider before you make a final decision.

What is MJF 3D Printing?

HP’s expertise in inkjet printing technology and precision mechanics informed the company’s 2016 foray into the 3D printing sector. MJF technology builds parts up layer by layer in a bed of powder material to create strong and accurate components with fine details, consistent mechanical properties, and quality surface finishes.

Capable of producing 100% filled, functional, and detailed parts that don’t require support structures, MJF is suitable for creating robust prototypes or low-volume production runs. Popular applications include jigs, fixtures, electronic housings and mechanical assemblies.

How Does Multi Jet Fusion Work?

At the beginning of the Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing process, your engineer will place the moveable build unit in the printer, and the printer will deposit a layer of powder material, such as polyamide 11 (PA 11), polyamide 12 (PA 12), or TPA. Then, the printing and fusing carriage will move across the build area, and the inkjet nozzles will apply fusing agents. Once the layer is complete, the build unit will retract, the machine will deposit another layer of powder, and the process will repeat. Once the print is complete, the operator will then remove the build box, cool and separate the part from loose powder, and use a bead, air, or water blaster to remove any leftover powder.

What are MJF 3D Printing’s Advantages and Disadvantages?

MJF is up to 10 times faster than other 3D printing technologies, making it well-suited for rapid prototyping and mid-sized batches of end-use parts. Support structures aren’t required, which means you can save on materials and reduce production time. Plus, since MJF printers can print ultra-thin layers, you can produce dense parts with low porosity, high resolution, good mechanical properties, and consistent strength in all directions.

However, the technology is more expensive than some other additive manufacturing technologies, and it’s only compatible with a few materials.

What is FDM 3D Printing?

FDM is cost-effective and offers a range of printer sizes. It is ideal for printing during the initial concept development and mid-fidelity prototyping phases to gain a general idea of how your final part will look, feel, and fit with other components. FDM can also be used for end-use products.

How Does FDM Printing Work?

Creating a part using FDM requires a printer, a digital model, and a spool of filament. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), polycarbonate (PC), and nylon (PA) are among the most popular filament materials.

After slicing your digital 3D model, your printer will melt and extrude the plastic filament from a nozzle as it moves along the X, Y, and Z axes. The build platform will move down (or the extrusion head will move up) after each layer, and the process will begin again. Most layers are 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm tall, but you may need to use smaller layer sizes if you need smoother surfaces, a curved print, or a high level of detail.

What are FDM 3D Printing’s Advantages and Disadvantages?

FDM has lots to offer, from fast turnaround times to compatibility with a wide range of materials and colors. When using an FDM printer, you can use ABS, nylon, and more to create strong and functional prototypes or end-use parts. Industrial FDM machines have build sizes as large as 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm, and you can just as easily print a custom part as you would a mass-produced part.

FDM also has a few drawbacks. For one, it doesn’t offer the same quality, reliability, or dimensional accuracy that other 3D printing technologies do. Nozzles can clog up, or print beds can become miscalibrated, causing failed prints. Like with MJF, if your part cools at different rates, you may notice warping. You might also see visible layer lines and lower resolutions.

Additionally, FDM parts are anisotropic and often require support, so you’ll need to consider orientation and support structure placement while designing your part. You may also need to post-process your parts via sanding, polishing, acetone vapor smoothing, or epoxy coating or choose a more expensive dissolvable support material.

Multi Jet Fusion vs. Fused Deposition Modeling

When comparing FDM vs. MJF, each process has pros and cons, and there are certain situations where it makes sense to use one over the other. You need to consider:

• Your part quality: If you’re creating a simple prototype, you should use FDM. However, if you need an end-use part with a smooth, high-quality, consistent finish, opt for MJF and avoid additional post-processing.
• Your part’s desired strength, durability, and other properties: While MJF prints are nearly isotropic, FDM prints are weaker in the Z dimension due to the heat and stretching from the extrusion process. Additionally, MJF parts are often stiffer, denser, and more durable than FDM parts, so if you need a long-lasting functional part, consider using MJF. If you need a conceptual prototype, use FDM to reduce costs.
• Your design’s complexity: MJF doesn’t require support structures and uses smaller layers, so you have more design flexibility and the ability to print more complex structures.
• Your part’s material: MJF is only compatible with a few materials, so you should opt for FDM if you want a wider selection of material and color options.
• Your production requirements: If you need to produce several functional parts or have a tight turnaround time, you should consider MJF. MJF machines can print around 300 cm3 per hour, compared to FDM’s average production speed of 10 cm3 per hour. Plus, you can more effectively use your print volume to scale production.
• Your environmental impact: Since an FDM print can use 20% of its material in its support structures, FDM has the largest waste of all 3D printing technologies. MJF has a relatively low environmental impact because around 85% of MJF powder can be recycled.

3D Printing With SyBridge

MJF and FDM both offer relatively short turnaround times and quality parts. When deciding between the two, you need to consider production requirements, environmental goals, and the desired part quality, complexity, material, and properties.

If you’re unsure whether you should use MJF or FDM, SyBridge’s experts can help you choose the technology that best suits your project. We can also optimize your design and produce your parts using industrial-grade printers and materials. Contact us today to get started.

The post MJF vs. FDM: What You Need to Know appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Nylon is a strong engineering plastic known for its resistance to heat, abrasion, friction, and chemicals. Nylon’s semi-crystalline microstructure provides an excellent rigidity to flexibility ratio, and it can be combined with or reinforced by other materials to improve its performance and characteristics. Nylon can be used in a variety of applications across sectors, from textiles to switch housings to food packaging.

Nylon is an excellent 3D printing material, but there are some key considerations and design tips you need to keep in mind to achieve the best results. Here’s everything you need to know about 3D printing with nylon, broken down by additive manufacturing process.

3D Printing Nylon with Multi Jet Fusion

HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology prints quickly, captures the more intricate details of your design, and offers high dimensional accuracy. During this process, the MJF printer distributes a layer of powder onto the building platform. Then, a chemical fusing agent is sprayed on top of each new layer of powder, helping the powder absorb energy from the printer’s infrared light and form the final part.

There are a few key considerations for 3D printing nylon with MJF:

• You’ll have to design your part with at least 1mm thick walls. However, if you’re designing a living hinge, the minimum wall thickness should be 0.3mm.
• The minimum thickness for walls and the minimum distance between two features, also known as the channel gap, should be 0.762mm.
  You should always include escape holes in your design to remove nylon powder after printing.

In addition, make sure your design includes enough space between features and avoid designing large or flat parts when using nylon for powder-bed additive manufacturing processes. If you don’t, your final part will be susceptible to warp.

3D Printing Nylon Material with Fused Deposition Modeling

Though nylon and nylon-based composites are best suited for additive manufacturing processes like MJF and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), you can also 3D print nylon using fused deposition modeling (FDM). With FDM, the nylon filaments are melted and the molten material is extruded through a nozzle onto the platform. The part is then built layer by layer.

When 3D printing nylon filament, keep in mind that:

• Unlike MJF, you may need to include support structures in your design.
• Preheating your platform, switching off your printer’s cooling fans, or using a printer with a heated chamber or an enclosure can minimize warping.
• Your printer needs to have an all-metal hot end capable of handling temperatures above 250°C and a bed that can reach up to 65°C.

Also, nylon absorbs a lot of moisture from the air, which can lead to poor layer adhesion, surface roughness, tiny holes, and bubbles. Special steps must be taken to keep nylon material moisture-free in order to avoid these issues.

3D Printing Nylon with SyBridge

Keeping these tips and design considerations in mind can help you create functional 3D printed nylon parts. If you plan to use nylon for your next 3D printing project, consider working with an experienced manufacturer to simplify and accelerate the process and ensure the best results.

When you partner with SyBridge, our team of design experts will make sure your design is optimized for manufacturing and print your part using the latest additive technology. Ready to 3D print high-quality nylon parts quickly and cost-effectively? Contact us today to get started.

The post Key Considerations for 3D Printing with Nylon appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

CNC machining is a subtractive manufacturing process that uses cutting tools to remove material from a solid block, revealing the shape of the final part. To make the machining process easier and create a superior final part, the metals used must be workable. Also, the material properties of the metal part can be enhanced after the machining process has been completed. That’s where heat treatments come in. Here’s everything you need to know about how to heat treat metal and the most important benefits of heat treatments.

The heat treatment process

Heat treatment processes involve heating up the metal until its microstructure changes and then keeping the metal in that state (soaking) before cooling it to harden the material. How long you soak a metal depends on which heat treatment process you’re using, which metal you’re using, and your part’s size. The longer the soak time, the greater the microstructure changes, which will impact the mechanical properties of the metal.

The rate of cooling and surrounding conditions can also alter the metal’s structure and properties. While brine can cool metals the fastest, you can also use oil, water, forced air, or furnaces.

Heat treatments may be applied throughout the manufacturing process, giving parts their initial, intermediate, or final properties. When CNC machining parts, you might apply a heat treatment before beginning the machining process, as this can reduce lead times and make the metal more workable. In other cases, you might apply heat treatments to the metal after machining to make it harder and more durable.

Common CNC heat treatments

Annealing

Carried out to reduce the hardness of the metal and increase its ductility, the annealing process involves heating and soaking metal at a critical temperature before cooling it. This helps relieve internal stresses and makes the metal less likely to break or fracture while being machined. You can use several annealing techniques, such as full annealing, recrystallization annealing, partial annealing, and final annealing to achieve your desired final properties.

Normalizing is another annealing technique that involves heating the metal up and then cooling it at room temperature at a much faster pace than typical annealing. Once the metal reaches 40 °C hotter than its upper critical temperature, it will soak before cooling in the air. Normalizing relieves internal stress caused by quenching, casting, or welding to prevent metal failure, which strengthens the metal and produces small, refined, and uniformly sized ferritic grains.

Case hardening

To harden a part’s exterior without altering its interior, you can use the case hardening process. Case hardening, also known as face hardening or surface hardening, creates less brittle, more workable parts than other methods that increase hardness throughout the metal. One form of case hardening involves heating your metal in a carbon-rich environment (carburization), as this increases the metal surface’s strength and carbon content.

Precipitation hardening

Precipitation hardening or aging creates strong and lightweight metals, making it a popular choice for heat treating components for the aerospace industry. If you have a malleable metal, you can heat it to a high temperature, quench it, and heat it to a lower temperature for an extended period to disperse the precipitates evenly throughout the metal’s grain structure and increase its strength and hardness.

Stress relieving

CNC machining, forming, rolling, and straightening can all cause stress to build up within parts, which can weaken them and reduce their overall quality. Stress relieving will remove residual stresses and improve the part’s mechanical properties without altering its structure or hardness. This process involves heating metals to temperatures just below their lower critical border. The cooling process is always slow, making it possible to create uniform parts with consistent mechanical properties.

Quenching and tempering

This two-part heat treatment increases the hardness, ductility, and resilience of iron-based alloys. During quenching, the metal is heated to a high temperature, changing its crystalline structure from ferrite to austenite and allowing it to absorb more carbon. The metal will then be rapidly cooled to lock in the microstructure changes. Since quenching creates very hard parts, it usually comes after CNC machining.

To reduce brittleness, relieve internal stresses, and improve the part’s longevity and mechanical properties, you can then temper the metal by heating it to a moderate temperature that’s below its critical point.

Benefits of heat treating metal

What does heat treating do to metal? Heat treating metal can greatly increase its strength, which makes heat treating a popular choice among manufacturers in the automotive and aerospace industries. Unfortunately, when you increase a material’s strength, you can also end up reducing its toughness and increasing its brittleness. To ensure your metal doesn’t become too brittle, you may need to anneal or temper your parts to relieve internal stresses. Following stress-relieving procedures, your heat-treated metals will be much easier to work with and machine.

Plus, by applying heat treatments to metal alloys, you can modify the metal’s microstructure or chemical composition to alter its corrosion resistance, magnetism, durability, heat conductivity, and electrical conductivity. You can even put a metal part through many heat treatments to achieve your desired performance.

Heat treating metal with Fast Radius’ help

By heat treating your metal, you can create stronger, less brittle, and more machinable metal parts. You can even improve your metal’s electrical properties with heat treatments. However, some heat treatments are better than others depending on the material, so doing your research is essential. When it comes to choosing the right heat treatment for your part, consider the type of metal you’re using and the properties you want it to have. You can also work with a trusted manufacturing partner to determine the best heat treatment method for your needs.

At Fast Radius, our team of experienced engineers and designers can help you decide which heat treatment method is best suited for your project. Plus, we will provide end-to-end support for the entirety of your production run. Contact us today to get started on your next project.

The post The Benefits of Heat Treating Metal appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM), a common form of 3D printing that offers low cost per part, short lead times, and the ability to create larger parts than most other additive technologies. Ideal for creating prototypes, final products, and anything in between, FDM uses a heated nozzle to extrude thermoplastic filaments and build components layer by layer.

FDM is compatible with a wide range of filaments, so finding the perfect one for your needs can be overwhelming. Learning about each material’s advantages, disadvantages, properties, and common applications is an essential step in determining which material to use. Is acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) right for your next project? Here’s everything you need to know about ASA plastic material.

What is Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate?

ASA was originally developed as an alternative to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Both materials have similar mechanical properties and structures, but ASA is formulated by introducing a grafted acrylic ester elastomer (in the form of a powder) during the copolymerization of acrylonitrile and styrene. Formulating ABS, on the other hand, requires butadiene rubber. ASA also lacks double bonds, which makes this material more resistant to weathering, heat, chemicals, and UV radiation.

Since ASA comes in the form of resin, filament, films, or sheets, it can be used for a wide variety of manufacturing processes like 3D printing, thermoforming, injection molding, structural foam molding, and extrusion blow molding. You can also coextrude ASA filament alongside other polymers. In this case, only the ASA layer would be exposed to high temperatures and weathering.

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate Properties and Mechanical Specifications

ASA plastic is a tough and strong material known for its high impact, wear, and UV resistance. ASA can also withstand extremely high and low temperatures as well as several chemicals like saturated hydrocarbons, aqueous salt solutions, weak acids and alkalis, and many oils. Parts built using ASA have nice glossy surfaces and will retain their color, gloss, and mechanical properties when exposed to outdoor environments. When it comes to post-processing, ASA is well suited for many techniques, such as sanding, painting, milling, drilling, gluing, or cutting. You can also quickly smooth layer lines on ASA parts with acetone.

Some of ASA’s mechanical properties include:

• Tensile strength, yield: 4750 psi
• Tensile strength at break: 4630 psi
• Flexural modulus: 287 ksi
• Compressive yield strength: 10900 psi
• Compressive modulus: 297 ksi

If you’re considering using ASA for your next 3D-printing project, keep in mind that ASA readily absorbs water from the air and is susceptible to certain concentrated acids, esters, ethers, ketones, and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Popular Applications for ASA

Given its resistance to impact, chemicals, weather, and UV light, ASA plastic material is often used in outdoor applications like commercial siding; electrical housings; outdoor furniture; and sports, lawn, and garden equipment. Manufacturers in the automotive industry use ASA in everything from car exterior panels to side-view mirror housings due to its strength and durability. For similar reasons, many product teams use ASA when creating jigs, fixtures, and other manufacturing aids.

Why Choose ASA?

Choosing the best material for your project is challenging — especially when it comes to ASA vs. ABS. After all, ASA was created as an alternative to ABS, so they have similar chemical makeups and result in similarly sturdy components.

However, there are a few reasons you might choose ASA over ABS. If you’re creating a part for outdoor use, ASA is the better option. While ABS parts become brittle when continually exposed to sunlight, ASA won’t. Also, ASA plastic is more durable and more resistant to impact, chemicals, weather, and environmental stress cracking than ABS. For similar reasons, ASA also stands out when compared to polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG).

Getting Started With ASA

ASA is a durable and versatile material compatible with a wide variety of manufacturing processes, but how can you be sure that it’s the right choice for your part? Product teams must do their research to understand which materials are best suited for their needs, but they don’t have to do it alone. Getting some help from a trusted manufacturing partner can simplify and accelerate the material selection process.

When you partner with SyBridge, we’ll use our extensive experience working with a wide breadth of materials to help you select an appropriate material for your component. We’ll also guide you through the rest of the manufacturing process, from design to production. Ready to discover what’s possible and start your next project? Contact us today.

The post Know Your Materials: Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Polyethylene is a thermoplastic with a variable crystalline structure. This popular material is used in everything from shopping bags, to pipes, to prostheses and other medical devices. With several grades, types, and formulations of polyethylene available, it’s essential to learn about each material’s properties, advantages, and disadvantages before deciding which type to use for your product. Here’s everything you need to know about ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW or UHMWPE) from its molecular structure to its many uses.

What is UHMW?

An extremely dense form of polyethylene, UHMW is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic composed of long chains. UHMW forms when ethylene molecules bond, and the resulting UHMW molecules are much longer than the molecules found in other forms of polyethylene thanks to the presence of metallocenes. These compounds can serve as a catalyst and usually consist of positively charged metal ions located between negatively charged cyclopentadienyl anions.

With compression molding, sintering, ram extrusion, or gel spinning, UHMW can be produced as a sheet, rod, strip, or tube. Though the polymerization of UHMW wasn’t commercialized until the 1950s, it was quickly recognized as a versatile material suitable for many applications.

UHMW’s Properties and Mechanical Specifications

UHMW plastic is very strong thanks to each molecule’s impressive length and high molecular orientation. In fact, UHMWPE fibers are among the strongest and lightest on the market today. UHMW is tough, slick, and durable with high tensile strength. It’s also highly resistant to corrosive chemicals, wear, abrasion, impact, moisture, and cold temperatures.

As the name suggests, UHMWPE has a very high molecular weight between 3.1 and 100 million grams per mole. Some of UHMW’s mechanical properties include:

• Tensile strength, yield: 18.9 – 5800 psi
• Tensile strength, ultimate: 2030 – 102000 psi
• Flexural strength at yield: 2000 – 5800 psi
• Flexural modulus: 58.0 – 210 ksi
• Compressive strength: 580 – 12000 psi
• Compressive modulus: 42.0 – 100 ksi
• Hardness, shore D: 57 – 120

When considering using UHMW plastic for your next project, you should know that UHMWPE fibers are less resistant to heat than other high-strength plastics. UHMW polyethylene fibers have a melting point between 144 °C and 152 °C and shouldn’t be used for extended periods at temperatures above 80 °C to 100 °C. Also, even though UHMW plastic is known for its ability to withstand cold temperatures, it will become brittle at temperatures below -150 °C (or -240 °F).

Popular UHMW Applications

Due to its strength and durability, UHMW is often used in belt scrapers, chain guides, idler rollers, sprockets, packaging machinery components, and gears. Other UHMW plastic uses include bearings, conveyor systems’ star wheels, guard rails, and food processing machining parts.

UHMWPE’S strong and light fibers make it an ideal material for body armor. It provides increased ballistic protection and resistance to cuts while remaining comfortable to wear. Many prostheses also contain UHMW due to its biocompatibility, strength, and wear resistance. UHMW’s abrasion and moisture resistance make it a popular choice for building docks, and its resistance to cold temperatures makes it an ideal material for snowplow blades, snowmobile skis, skid steers, and truck bed liners.

Why Choose UHMW?

It’s challenging for many product teams to decide between HDPE and UHMWPE. After all, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are both linear versions of polyethylene plastic that are affordable as well as resistant to abrasion, chemicals, and impact.

HDPE is well suited for use in fuel tanks, piping, and outdoor furniture, and unlike UHMW, it is ideal for injection molding. However, it may crack under stress. In contrast, UHMW is incredibly dense and strong — in fact, its strength rivals steel. UHMW’s combination of high tensile strength, wear resistance, impact resistance, and self-lubrication make it an ideal material for industrial applications as well as high-performance equipment.

Getting Started With UHMW

UHMWPE is a strong, water-resistant, and biocompatible plastic that’s suitable for a wide range of applications, from docks to orthopedic implants. It’s highly versatile, durable, and easy to fabricate, making it an ideal choice for many projects. Working with an experienced manufacturing partner when selecting materials can simplify the process and elevate your final product.

When you partner with SyBridge, we’ll work with you and offer in-depth information to help you navigate the manufacturing process. Backed up by years of manufacturing experience with a wide range of materials, we can guide you to the best material that will help you achieve your manufacturing goals. Ready to get started? Contact us today.

The post Know Your Materials: UHMW appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.