Page 51 - Plastics News December 2025
P. 51
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
be used to replace metal components, which will It is more than just a simple case of replacing
drastically decrease the overall mass, leading to material with high-performance engineering pol-
fuel efficiency and enhanced product perfor- ymers that transform the world of additive man-
mance. These weight reductions are achieved ufacturing. These polymers are active enhancers
without compromising strength and in fact, pro- to the performance and results of industrial 3D
vide the best combination of long-lasting perfor- printing systems.
mance and competitiveness.
They are not only good thermally, but also pro-
Also, engineering plastics contribute to quicken- vide consistent printing performance, particular-
ing to-market. Incidentally, in the field of indus- ly where Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Se-
trial 3D printing, there is no necessity to prepare lective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Multi Jet Fusion
tooling and, therefore, it is possible to produce (MJF) are concerned. Engineering plastics un-
parts of production grades as quickly as possi- dergo consistent cooling and mechanical bond-
ble. This does not only allow the development ing during the 3D printing process, and produce
cycles to be shorter, but also provides demand- parts with superior surface finishes and less pos-
responsive manufacturing. Businesses are able sibility of warping or delamination.
to make small quantities or customized parts
without the expensive molds or elaborate tool- Reliability of parts of engineering polymers is
ing arrangements. also increased. Most engineering grade mate-
rials contain inherent resistance against creep,
Economy of costs also comes up as a key ben- fatigue and wear, and can thus be utilized in the
efit. Although high-performance polymers in building of components that are exposed to
AM can seem more expensive in the short term constant mechanical forces or endure prolonged
compared to conventional materials, they can loads. This property is specifically useful in mak-
essential replace metal and lead to significant ing gears, bracket and structural components of
long-term cost-savings due to operational over- industrial machineries.
heads. Manufacturing using engineering plastics
reduces wastage, because it can be produced The other important enhancement is attributed
on-demand, and it requires no inventory stor- to the fact that engineering plastics can be used
age. in conjunction with advanced post-processing
methods. Components manufactured using
Moreover, engineering plastics are useful in these materials can be machined, coated, bond-
maintenance and repair processes. Companies ed or polished with the same degree of precision
can also depend on additive manufacturing to as conventionally manufactured components.
produce exact replacements instead of getting This would enable hybrid modes of manufactur-
the rare or discontinued parts and save on time ing in which additive manufacturing can be incor-
and continuity of operations. porated with CNC machining or molding in order
to polish critical surfaces or features.
How High-Performance Engineering Polymers
Improve Additive Manufacturing Besides, plastics engineering encourages sus-
December 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 51
