Nicolet Plastics provides expert advice about the plastic mold materials that drive the cost, function, versatility and production of your parts. Partner with Nicolet Plastics and explore plastic material options that will improve your design and your bottom line. What plastics are used in plastic injection molding? And to what purpose? We provide the answers.

Name (Generic): Acetal
Brand Names: Delrin, Celcon		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Poor
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: Medium		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: Medium-Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Fair

Name (Generic): Nylon 6/6
Brand Names: Zytel		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Excellent
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Good
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Poor
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Fair

Name (Generic): Nylon 6/6, glass filled
Brand Names: Zytel		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Good
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Excellent
Strength: High		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: Medium		Flash: Fair
High Temp Strength: High		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Fair

Name (Generic): Polypropylene
Brand Names: Maxxam, Profax		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Low		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Excellent
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Poor
Strength: Low		Sink in Thick Sections: Poor
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Poor
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Brand Names: Dow HDPE, Chevron HDPE		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Low		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Excellent
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Unknown
Strength: Low		Sink in Thick Sections: Poor
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Poor
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Polycarbonate
Brand Names: Lexan, Makrolon		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium-High		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Fair to Good
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: Medium-High		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Brand Names: Lustran, Cycolac		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Low		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Good
Strength: Medium-Low		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Polycarbonate/ABS Alloy
Brand Names: Cycoloy, Bayblend		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good-Excellent
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Good
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: Medium		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Polyetherimide
Brand Names: Ultem		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: High		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good-Excellent
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Fair
Strength: High		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: Medium		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: High		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Poor

Name (Generic): Polyethermide, fiber reinforced
Brand Names: Ultem		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: High		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Fair
Strength: Very High		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: Medium		Flash: Excellent
High Temp Strength: High		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Poor

Name (Generic): Polybutylene Terephthalate
Brand Names: Valox, Crastin		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium-High		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Fair
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Unknown
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Fair
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Polystyrene
Brand Names: Styron		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Low		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good
		Fills Small Features: Good
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Unknown
Strength: Medium-Low		Sink in Thick Sections: Fair
Impact Resistance: Low		Flash: Fair
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

Name (Generic): Thermoplastic Elastomer
Brand Names: Isoplast, Santoprene		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Low-Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Poor
		Fills Small Features: Excellent
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Excellent
Strength: Low		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: High		Flash: Poor
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Excellent

Name (Generic): Acrylic
Brand Names: Plexiglass, Acrylite		Moldability Charactersitics
Relative Cost: Medium		Warp and Dimensional Accuracy, Molded: Good
		Fills Small Features: Fair
Mechanical Properties		Voids in Thick Sections: Excellent
Strength: Medium		Sink in Thick Sections: Good
Impact Resistance: Low		Flash: Good
High Temp Strength: Low		High Temperature Hard on Mold & Ejectors: Good

For more in-depth resins and plastics information, visit www.IDES.com.