To give you some help with plastics & advice on the most suitable one for your needs, this guide lists the most common material types available, a description of each one's basic properties and some typical trade names, costs & uses for mouldings made from each material - also on-line: injection mould tool advice
| Material Types, Trade Names & Abbreviations |
Density g/cm³ |
Description, Details & Typical Applications |
|
| Acetal Delrin/Hostaform/Lucel |
POM | 1.42 | Natural - opaque white, very tough, low/med.
cost Gears and bearing; taps and aerosol valves. |
| Acrylic Diakon/Oroglas/Plexiglas |
PMMA | 1.18 | Transparent and brittle, low/medium cost.
Lenses; car light housings and reflectors. |
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Cycolac/Magnum/Novodur/Terluran |
ABS | 1.06 | Natural opaque and tough, low/medium cost.
Telephone handsets and vacuum cleaner housings. |
| Cellulose Acetate Dexel/Cellidor/Setilithe |
CA | 1.20 | Transparent, tough, from flexible to rigid, high cost. Spectacles frames and screwdriver handles. |
| Polyamide 6 (Nylon) Akulon/Ultramid/Grilon |
PA6 | 1.14 | Almost opaque/white, very tough, medium/high cost. Bushes, bearings, curtain runners & combs. |
| Polyamide 6.6 (Nylon) Kopa/Zytel/Radilon |
PA6.6 | 1.14 | Almost opaque/white, rigid & tough, medium/high cost. Levers, housings, handles etc. |
| Polyamide 11+12 (Nylon) Rilsan/Grilamid |
PA11+12 | 1.18 | Opaque to clear, rigid & tough, very
high cost. Air filters, safety masks, spectacle frames etc. |
| Polyester-Thermoplastic Celanex/Crastin & Lupox/Rynite |
PBT PET |
1.42 1.34 |
Rigid & stable, medium/high cost. Electrical sockets, housings and parts. |
| Polycarbonate Calibre/Lexan/Makrolon |
PC | 1.20 | Transparent; very tough and resilient,
high cost. Street lamp covers and safety helmets. |
| Polyethylene - Low Density Alkathene/Escorene/Novex |
LDPE | 0.92 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & flexible, low cost. Kitchenware and many sealing lids & closures. |
| Polyethylene - High Density Eraclene/Hostalen/Stamylan |
HDPE | 0.96 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & stiff,
low cost. Chair seats and milk crates. |
| Polyether Sulphone Victrex/Udel |
PES | 1.37 | Clear, tough, v.high chemical resistance+cost. Valve seat linings, metal replacement parts etc. |
| Polypropylene Novolen/Appryl/Escorene |
PP | 0.91 | Natural waxy appearance; tough & stiff,
low cost. Beer crates and spade handles. |
| Polyphenylene Oxide Noryl/Thermocomp/Vamporan |
PPO | 1.07 | Tough & stable, high cost. Electrical parts requiring tight tolerances. |
| Polyphenylene Sulphide Ryton/Fortron |
PPS | 1.65 | Brown, v.good heat resist., v.high strength+cost Fuel system parts, guides, bearings etc. |
| Polystyrene - General Purpose Lacqrene/Styron/Solarene |
GPPS | 1.00 | Transparent and brittle, low cost. Cosmetics packaging and ball-point barrel pens. |
| Polystyrene - High Impact Polystyrol/Kostil/Polystar |
HIPS | 1.05 | Natural translucent and tough, low cost. Food containers; cotton reels; toys - model kits. |
| Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride Polycol/Trosiplast |
UPVC | 1.40 | Transparent to opaque; tough, low cost. Outdoor applications - gutters, drainpipes & fittings. |
| Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride Welvic/Varlan |
PVC | 1.30 | Transparent to opaque; tough & flexible,
low cost. Shoe soles and electrical insulation. |
| Styrene Acrylonitrile Luran/Arpylene/Starex |
SAN | 1.07 | Transparent and brittle, low cost. Table and picnicware. |
| Thermoplastic Elastomer/Rubber Hytrel/Santoprene/Sarlink |
TPE/R | 1.10 | Tough & flexible, high cost. Electrically insulated parts, seals, bushes & washers. |
