Top 3 - Impact-Resistant Plastics

In manufacturing, we classify some plastics as “tough.” Toughness measures a material’s ability to resist high-impact forces without breaking, fracturing, or deforming. A tough material is strong and can bear loads of force, but it’s also ductile and able to stretch under pressure.

Tough materials are naturally more impact-resistant than other materials, but various factors can affect a material’s impact resistance. For example, plastics tend to be more brittle at cooler temperatures and tougher at warmer temperatures. Prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures and UV light tends to decrease a plastic’s toughness. Part geometry can also affect impact resistance — sharp internal corners can create?stress concentrations?that cause breakage, whereas round corners tend to make parts more durable.

Choosing the right material from the beginning can extend the service life of a part and prevent part failure down the line. Here’s what you need to know about some of the best impact-resistant plastics.

Best Impact-Resistant Plastics

At ABBYLEE, Here are some of the best impact resistant plastic options for creating tough parts.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

ABS?is known for its high impact resistance and mid-range cost, making it a popular choice in many different manufacturing industries. ABS is also easy to machine and bonds well with adhesives, paint, and coatings. The temperature at which ABS is manufactured affects its final properties — low temperatures yield more impact resistance, while high temperatures increase heat resistance.

ABS can be found in many components like instrument panels, luggage,?automotive?parts like car bumpers, housings for power tools and other appliances, and even children’s toys. Even though ABS is very versatile, product teams should know that this impact-resistant material is not suitable for use in food and beverage applications.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE?is a durable, versatile thermoplastic that offers fantastic impact resistance and tensile strength. Since its molecules are packed together so tightly, HDPE boasts incredible toughness and rigidity. HDPE is also resistant to chemicals,?corrosion, absorption, and abrasion. However, HDPE can only support low-to-moderate heat resistance.

HDPE is a relatively low-cost material and easy to fabricate. It can be found in chemical tanks and marine construction, outdoor equipment such as playgrounds, and even prosthetics. Despite its toughness, HDPE is susceptible to stress cracking under extreme pressures. Also, there is a risk of mold shrinkage when manufacturing HDPE via?injection molding.

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate?is an incredibly tough plastic that can be made transparent, like glass. For this reason, as well as its manufacturability, PC is a common glass alternative when high impact resistance is necessary. Many consumer goods are made from polycarbonate, including indoor and outdoor signs, helmets, protective goggles and face shields, windows, and more. PC is also used in architectural glazing designed to protect buildings from damage. This glazing is often used in medical facilities, government buildings, and transportation centers.

Unfortunately, polycarbonate can be prohibitively expensive for some product teams. Also, even though PC is very impact-resistant, it’s not very scratch-resistant. Teams must keep this in mind when determining whether or not PC is the best overall choice for their use case.

Unfortunately, polycarbonate can be prohibitively expensive for some product teams. Also, even though PC is very impact-resistant, it’s not very scratch-resistant. Teams must keep this in mind when determining whether or not PC is the best overall choice for their use case.

Choose the Right Impact-Resistant Plastics for Your Next Project

Choosing the best impact resistant plastic can increase the performance and longevity of your upcoming production run. Tough materials help your components withstand the test of time, even while undergoing large amounts of physical stress.

The aforementioned materials offer toughness and high impact resistance alongside other features — chemical resistance, manufacturability, dimensional stability, and compatibility with natural and man-made compounds — to optimize your component. An experienced manufacturing partner can help product teams feel confident in their material choices for impact-resistant plastic parts.

At ABBYLEE, our team of trusted manufacturers brings years of experience to your product design and processes. When your parts need to stay tough under extreme conditions, we can help optimize your designs and material choices from the very beginning.?Contact us?to get started!