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Applications of Engineering Plastics

Some common applications for engineering plastics are listed below. All of these parts can be manufactured and supplied by Stug Australia Pty Ltd.

For detailed information on materials and their properties, select from the links below or contact one of our engineers to discuss your requirements. They are available to assist you with material selection and design advice to provide cost-effective solutions for your particular application and ensure your product will give optimum performance within your design parameters.

If your application is not listed here you can find materials selection information on this website or contact our engineers to determine which material, plastic or metal, would be most suitable.

Application Most used plastics Abrasion resistant liners HMWPE, UHMWPE Acid trays PVC, PP Agitators Nylon, Acetal, PVC Anti-corrosive liners PVC, PP Architectural features Acrylic, Polycarbonate     Baking tray liner PTFE Bearings Acetal, Nylon, PETP, PP Bench tops PP, HDPE Boat chopping board HDPE - cut to fit your bait or fish box Boat windscreen Acrylic, clear or smoke tinted Bolts & nuts

Nylon, PVC, PP

Bottle line wear plate UHMWPE, HMWPE Buffer pads Nylon, Polyurethane Bushes Nylon, PETP, Acetal, PE     Chain guide UHMWPE, HMWPE Chevron packings PTFE Conveyor mechanisms PP, UHMWPE, Nylon Cooling towers PP Cutting boards HDPE - cut to custom size & shape     Display Acrylic     Electrical insulators PTFE, Bakelite Exhaust ducts PVC, PP     Feedscrolls Nylon, Acetal, Polyethylene - see Feedgear Food production PTFE, PETP, Polyethylenes, PP, Polycarbonate Fume ducting PVC     Gaskets PTFE, Polyurethane Gears Nylon, Acetal, Bakelite Guards Polycarbonate, PP Guide strips UHMWPE, HMWPE, Nylon Guide wheels Nylon, Acetal     Heat-seal surfaces PTFE High precision parts Acetal, PETP Hoppers PP, PVC     Insulators Acetal, Nylon, PTFE, Bakelite     Kicker arms Nylon     Lantern rings PTFE Level indicators Acrylic, Polycarbonate Lighting Acrylic, often prismatic or opal Liners, chemical resistant PP, PTFE, PVC Liners, low friction UHMWPE, HMWPE     Machine guards Polycarbonate Marine applications PP, PTFE, Polyethylene, Acetal,Acrylic Metal detector chutes PP, Polyethylenes     Non-stick surfaces PTFE Nuts & bolts PP, Nylon, PVC     Piston rings PTFE Piston seals & cups Polyurethane Plating tanks & hoods PP Pressure plates UHMWPE Pump components PP, Nylon, Acetal, PETP, Polyurethane, PVC     Rollers Nylon, Acetal, Polyethylenes     Safety glass & guards Polycarbonate Scraper blades Nylon, PTFE, Polyethylenes Seals Acetal, PTFE, Polyethylenes Security windows Polycarbonate Self-lubricating parts Nylon LFX Sight glass Acrylic, Polycarbonate Skylights Opal or prismatic acrylic Sleeves Acetal, Nylon, PETP Slide bearings PTFE Slideways PETP Snap fit assemblies Acetal Splash protectors PVC Spools Acetal, PP Star wheels Nylon, UHMWPE, HMWPE, PVC Switch boards PVC, Bakelite     Tanks PP, PVC Terminal boards Bakelite Thermal insulators PTFE Thrust washers PETP Timing screws Nylon, Acetal, Polyethylenes - see Feedgear Transparent components Acrylic, Polycarbonate Trophies Acrylic     Valve bodies PP, Nylon Valve components PP, Nylon, PTFE Vandal-resistant glazing Polycarbonate     Water, operating under Acetal, PETP, PTFE Washers Acetal, Nylon, PTFE, Polyurethane Wear guides & strips UHMWPE, HMWPE, Nylon Wear pads Polyurethane, Nylon Wear plates UHMWPE, HMWPE, Nylon Wire rope sheaves Nylon Worms Nylon, Acetal, Polyethylenes - see Feedgear

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Engineering plastics are broad-ranging. As such, choosing the right material for your machining project gets tricky at times. Furthermore, the properties of various types of engineering plastics inform their respective use for specific machining processes and applications. Nevertheless, you can leverage plastic prototyping options to make more optimal choices. Here are some of the commonest types of engineering plastics.

1. Polycarbonates (PC)

PC plastics include carbonate groups in their chemical make-up. This engineering plastic type comprises thermoplastic polymers that combine toughness, rigidity, durability, and impact strength. They are easy to machine or mold to desired shapes. Additionally, polycarbonates offer good thermal, electrical, and weathering properties, unlike standard plastics. Some PC plastic grades are also optically transparent. Thus, this combined property makes it suitable for manufacturing motorcycle helmets, bumpers, and optical discs.

2. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

As the name suggests, ABS is a copolymer formed by the polymerization of acrylonitrile and styrene in the presence of the additive polybutadiene. ABS offers high performance owing to its properties such as heat resistance, flame retardancy, chemical resistance, electrical insulation, easy coloration, impervious surface, impact strength, etc. Additionally, the relative content of the monomers forming the ABS can modify to enhance insulation and heat resistance properties further. These features, alongside the low production cost, make it well-suited for CNC machining and 3D printing. Experts often apply ABS for dashboards trims, wheel covers, and car bumpers.

3. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

PMMA plastics, fondly called acrylic, are another common engineering plastic used for improved capabilities, especially in the construction industry. It has high surface strength, temperature performance, chemical resistance, optical transparency, and an appealing appearance.

Furthermore, PMMA also has excellent wear resistance and is lightweight, which compares well to aluminum. To crown all of this, it can undergo suitable processing by molding or machining to specific plastic parts such as taillights and protective shields.

4. Polyphenylene Oxide (PPO)

The list of common engineering plastic types remains incomplete without PPO. This crystalline thermoplastic grade provides high rigidity and hardness, impact strength, wear resistance, good dimensional stability, and electrical properties. Not to mention, modified PPO also offers exceptional heat distortion resistance above 100oC up to 195oC. As a result, most manufacturers apply this engineering plastic material for automotive parts, electrical components, and instruments that require high heat resistance and stability.

5. Polyoxymethylene (POM)

This engineering thermoplastic offers high wear resistance, rigidity, and hardness. Similarly, POM plastic gets easily processed into various high-performance parts. Therefore, POM is mainly used for gear wheels, fasteners, auto parts, ball bearings, and products with skeleton functions.