Molding Practices

5 Smart Ways to Choose the Right Resin Material

When it comes to plastic injection molding here at Universal Plastic Mold, it’s very important to select the right material formulation for your performance requirements and your needs. The exact resin material we select will depend on the intended application of the part, the budget for the project, and your goals as well. While there are a huge array of factors that must be considered when choosing the perfect plastic resin for an injection-molded part, we’ve chosen to focus on five key aspects here to get you stared. Most often, you’ll need to consider a combination of multiple factors instead of just one, which will help narrow the list of options. Keep in mind that the list below is simply a guide, and the UPM team is here to help guide you through the material selection process to ensure the very best results.

1. Impact Resistance

If the application for your plastic part requires impact resistance, that will be an important consideration in selecting your ideal resin material. The most impact-resistant resins include polyethylenes like HDPE, LDPE, and LLDPE as well as polycarbonates, ABS, high-impact polystyrene, and others. The degree to which these resins will resist damage from impact will also depend on the temperature of the application, so we’ll be sure to factor that into your material formulation selection.

2. High-Temperature Capabilities

If your plastic part’s application involves high operating temperatures or large variances in temperature, we’ll need to select a resin material that’s up to the task. Generally, we’re going to recommend materials like liquid crystal polymer (LCP), nylon, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyether imide (PEI), thermoplastic polymer resin (PET), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and others for high-temperature applications.

3. “Green” Materials: Recycled Resins

If environmentalism and sustainability are concerns for your project, you’ll likely want to choose a green resin material that includes some percentage of recycled plastics. UPM is one of the largest consumers of recycled and reprocessed plastics, making us experts in working with these resins. With the ever-growing popularity of green and recycled products in today’s marketplace, our experience will add real value to your project.

4. Surface Finish, Appearance, & Performance

Often, customers come to us with very specific requirements for the way their products’ surfaces look and perform. Whether it’s a shiny, polished finish helping a product to leap off of the shelves or strong chemical resistance, sterilizability, and low moisture absorption, we will recommend the ideal plastic material for your application’s unique surface appearance and performance needs.

5. Stiffness vs. Flexibility

The exact nature of your plastic product application will also dictate your requirements for the material’s stiffness or flexibility. If it’s stiffness you’re seeking, we may recommend something like HDPE, PEEK, PEI, PET, or similar. If you’re after a flexible plastic material, there’s LDPE, LLDPE, TPE, TPV, TPU, and others. No matter what your performance requirements, we can formulate a custom material that will deliver exactly the right tensile strength and flexural modulus.

As with any decision, we’re always seeking the best possible balance of required attributes and performance characteristics. When you come to UPM with your plastic injection molding needs, our team will learn everything about your application and performance requirements, consider your budget and project timeline, and then recommend the ideal plastic resin material to deliver the desired appearance and performance.

Are you ready to start discussing your upcoming project with the UPM team? All you have to do is call us at 1-888-893-1587 or contact us today, and we’ll be happy to guide you through the material selection process. We’re standing by to make sure you get the most value, the best performance, and an unmatched customer experience throughout the plastic injection molding process.

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