Mechanical engineering traditionally has been an industry focused on steel and metal alloys in order to ensure the higher mechanical strength and precision of parts needed to perform in that environment. However, industrial injection molding and the variety of high-performance and engineered thermoplastics available today have opened up new avenues to improving production.
Ensinger Precision Components has extensive experience working with thermoplastics used for mechanical applications and as components of industrial machines. Replacing metal components with plastics is now more common due to the benefits of utilizing high-performance plastics as traditional materials fall short in several areas.
Many environments that can be problematic for metals are no issue for plastics — such as wet systems containing salt water, acids, or sterilization and cleaning processes.
Some situations present cases where lubrication of mechanical components isn’t desired. Many plastic materials thrive under these conditions with excellent wear resistance.
Plastic materials weigh significantly less than their metal counterparts. This leads to possibly higher operating speeds and less energy needed to operate machinery.
Industrial injection molding, as well as extrusion and compression molding, are techniques accomplished at lower temperatures than those needed for metals. Plastics also allow for higher machining feeds, which reduces production time for mechanical components.
Many users often find that high-performance plastics lead to system cost reductions as well. These simplify and improve machine designs and performance, and lead to savings in time and other resources for manufacturers.
Often, high-performance plastics have been perceived to be too expensive to use as an alternative. However, the reality is that these special materials can often offer a solution where other traditional materials fail, opening up the doors to improved performance and machine output, thus helping to reduce cost overall.
Ensinger Precision Components provides engineering assistance to help you discover these solutions and benefits. Our complete line of manufacturing capabilities not only delivers the industrial injection molding services you need but also offers options in CNC machining and advanced manufacturing techniques — all backed by a robust quality assurance program. We’re also proud to be the North American hub for injection molding and plastic part manufacturing for Ensinger.