Deciding on the right material to use in the manufacture of any particular part or product is one of the key factors in its successful use. When you’re moulding or machining engineering plastics into sometimes incredibly complex shapes, you’ll need them to do their job effectively and last for a long time - especially if they’re destined for extreme conditions.
Therefore, it’s essential that the materials they’re made from are strong and resilient, and sometimes an off-the-shelf material is not the right solution. This is where custom material modification comes in, because you’ll be creating a material that is perfectly suited to allow the part to function effectively over a long time period.
The hidden cost of ‘close enough’ materials
It may only be a small piece of equipment, and you may be looking for ways of keeping costs under control, but choosing a material that is less than perfect could backfire massively.
Materials that aren’t 100% suitable for the working conditions are more prone to wear and tear. The greater the wear and tear, the more likely it is that the part will become gradually less effective, resulting in less efficient operation which could lead to bigger energy bills.
Parts made out of the wrong material are also more likely to break, leading to expensive downtime while you replace them, especially if the broken parts are located in hard-to-reach parts of the machinery. If you rely on equipment that is sited in remote or inaccessible areas, changing broken parts will take a lot longer, making it even more expensive to replace them.
Therefore, in the long run, it makes better business sense to invest a bit more at the outset to ensure each part is made out of exactly the right materials.
Custom material modification for engineering plastics
We use high quality, high strength materials such as PEEK and PTFE as our base materials. Both are exceptionally strong and robust materials, with the additional advantages of heat and chemical resistance, as well as non-stick properties.
However, both materials can be made a lot stronger with the addition of fillers that will help improve overall performance. Different fillers, such as carbon, glass fibre, bronze, and steel, will add different strengths to the PEEK or PTFE, so the final blend will depend on what you need the end use to be.
Why engineers partner with AFT for material modification
In addition to designing and manufacturing bespoke parts, we are specialists in PTFE and PEEF, as well as other high-performance materials. When materials need to be the strongest and best for the task they’re being made for, our experienced team of specialists will work closely with you to ensure that you not only have the best bespoke material for your parts, they are also designed and manufactured to the highest specifications.
The combination of our bespoke materials expertise and precision engineering means even the most complex part is an exceptional product that is strong enough to do its job even in the toughest conditions. Essential when the part is designed for mission-critical applications.
Our adherence to the most stringent ISO standards for safety, reliability and performance ensures compliance. And our strong commitment to sustainability gives us the edge if you are looking for more sustainable suppliers.
Contact us to find out how our custom material modification services and bespoke manufacturing can help your business.
