The Right Material
Selecting the right plastic material is one of the most important steps in creating a durable and reliable part. Plastics come with a wide range of characteristics that influence performance such as strength, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, heat tolerance, cleanability, and food safety. With so many options available, choosing the right material can feel overwhelming. At Royal Custom Plastics, we help companies across food processing, cheese and dairy, automation, OEM manufacturing, and industrial equipment choose the best material for their application by focusing on both performance and longevity.
Understanding what each material offers is the key to making an informed decision. Below are some of the most common factors to consider.
1. Strength and Wear Resistance
If your part needs to handle repeated impact, friction, or movement, a material with high wear resistance is essential. Plastics like UHMW and Acetal are known for excellent durability, smooth operation, and long service life. These materials are often used in food processing equipment, conveyors, automation components, and heavy industrial environments.
Strength also affects how a part will hold up under stress. Some plastics outperform metal in applications that do not require structural load but do need repeated movement, zero corrosion, and long-term reliability.
2. Chemical Resistance
Many industries require materials that can withstand harsh cleaners, sanitizers, oils, or solvents. Chemical resistance prevents parts from degrading, swelling, or breaking down when exposed to these substances.
Food and dairy processing facilities often rely on plastics that can handle daily washdowns and aggressive cleaning protocols. Materials designed for these environments maintain structural integrity and help equipment meet strict sanitation requirements.
3. Heat Tolerance
Some plastics are designed to perform in high temperature environments while others will warp or break down when exposed to heat. Heat tolerance is especially important for applications involving hot liquids, heated machinery, or friction that generates warmth. Choosing the correct material prevents distortion and ensures consistent performance.
4. Food Grade Requirements
For companies in food, dairy, and cheese packaging, choosing a material that avoids cross contamination is critical. Working with plastics that meet FDA requirements helps protect your facility and your final product. These materials offer cleanability, smooth surfaces, and reliable resistance to chemicals and wear.
Because Royal Custom Plastics specializes in plastic machining only, there is no risk of metal contamination during production. This gives customers added confidence in the safety and reliability of their components.
5. Weight and Cost Advantages
Plastics are lighter and often more cost effective than metal. They reduce equipment weight, simplify installation, and minimize long-term maintenance. In many cases, switching from metal to plastic provides equal or greater performance with none of the corrosion concerns.
Weight reduction can also improve efficiency in automation and OEM manufacturing where equipment speed and precision matter.
6. Matching the Material to the Application
Some commonly used plastics and their ideal use cases include:
- ABS: Strong, impact resistant, and good for structural parts that need toughness.
- Acetal (POM): Excellent wear resistance and dimensional stability. Used in gears, conveyor components, and precision parts.
- Acrylic: Clear, rigid, and visually appealing. Often used where transparency or high gloss is needed.
- UHMW: Superior abrasion resistance and extremely low friction. Ideal for high wear environments.
- Nylon: Tough, versatile, and commonly used in industrial machinery.
Understanding the environment your part will see helps narrow the options. For example, a paper mill may require high abrasion resistance while a cheese processing plant needs a plastic that can survive constant sanitation.
7. Work With a Partner Who Knows Plastics
The best way to select the right plastic is to work with a team that understands both material behavior and how each plastic performs once it is machined. Royal Custom Plastics has many years of experience machining and fabricating plastics for demanding environments. Our team helps improve existing parts and supports new product development, even if you only have a rough sketch or concept.
We review your industry, application, and performance needs to recommend the right material from the start. This helps reduce downtime, extend equipment life, and ensure the final part functions exactly as intended.