Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on Thermoset Molding Processes
As a moldable plastic composite, thermosets can be molded in similar molding processes as thermoplastics such as nylon, ABS, and polypropylene. They can be injection molded, compression molded, and transfer molded. Each molding process offers different benefits and disadvantages depending on the finished part’s geometry, assembly, and commercial aspects of the program. OEMs and molders must take into consideration all variables of a part and how it is used to determine the best molding process to make the part. While there may be multiple molding processes that can successfully produce the part, some processes may be more advantageous based on pricing or quality specifications. (more…)
Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on Thermoset Use in Automotive Components
Thermosets are a material of choice for some automotive applications due to the unique material properties that thermoset composites offer. Thermosets are able to be injection or compression molded, lending themselves to complex geometries that may be difficult or costly to achieve in metal or stainless steel. Property-wise, thermosets have chemical resistance against many types of automotive fluids such as oils, transmission fluids, and coolants. Whereas a thermoplastic molded part may degrade in such chemicals, thermoset parts remain durable and strong, allowing a product assembly to remain safe for use. Another material benefit of thermoset composites towards automotive applications is thermosets heat resistance and ability to withstand high operating temperatures. (more…)
Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on Thermoset Molding Electrical Products
Thermosets are performance-grade composites or plastics, suitable for molded parts used in challenging and aggressive environments. Parts exposed to electrical current and high operating temperatures have long been molded with thermosets due to the materials’ physical and chemical stability. Thermosets remain durable in electrical applications and exhibit strong dielectric insulation, making them suitable for electrical covers, circuit breakers, terminal blocks, and other electrical components housing internal components or electrical wiring. With superior electrical properties over many engineered thermoplastics, thermosets are an excellent, low-cost material choice for electrical parts or assemblies that may experience electrical voltage, elevated temperatures, or thermal shock. (more…)
Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on How Can Inserts be Used in Thermoset Molding
Designing a part for injection molding can allow for complex part geometry. Aside from molding intricate and complex parts, designers must also take into consideration how different parts are assembled or fastened together in a product assembly. One of the most common and inexpensive way to join two parts together is through the use of threaded inserts. Designers and OEMs rely on inserts as fastening mechanisms to mate multiple parts of an assembly. In thermoset molding, inserts can be installed in a secondary process after the part is molded, or they can be molded in and assembled within the molding cycle. Each process has it’s own benefits and advantages. (more…)
Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on Using Thermosets for High Heat Molding Applications
Thermosets are used in molding applications requiring an end-part or product assembly to remain dimensionally stable within challenging and aggressive environments. These environments may include exposure to high temperatures, corrosion, or chemicals. Molded thermoset parts exhibit very good dimensional stability, even in high heat and high operating temperatures. Thermosets have heat resistance up to continuous temperatures of 400-500F depending on the material formulation, whereas thermoplastic molding materials such as a nylon or ABS may disfigure, melt, or carbonize and jeopardize the integrity of a product or assembly. Parts molded from a thermoset remain dimensionally stable, allowing the molded component or assembly to remain protected and durable over the lifespan of a product. If your part or product assembly must withstand high operating temperatures and aggressive end-use elements, choosing a thermoset as your molding material may help keep your product assembly remain safe and functioning as intended. (more…)
Posted by Woodland Plastics on | Comments Off on Molded Thermoset Use in Automotive Industry
As a performance-based material, thermoset composites offer molded components with material property advantages of chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, and the ability to remain dimensionally stable and durable within applications experiencing high heat and operating temperatures. These properties allow molded thermoset parts to be used in automotive applications exposed to tough environments where thermoplastic components could degrade and/or compromise the safety and performance of a product assembly. Due to the safety nature of automobiles and rigorous testing components must pass, automotive under the hood and structural applications have long used molded thermoset parts and components. (more…)
Due to the excellent material properties with regards to heat and corrosion resistance, and it’s ability to withstand different outdoor elements and weather, parts and components molded from thermosets are commonly used within the Utilities and Power Grid industries. OEMs rely on thermosets for electrical protection to keep lines up without being jeopardized when exposed to aggressive outdoor elements such as snow, heat, and rain. These applications include electrical housings and enclosures that house electronics and wiring, along with traditional circuit breakers and power blocks to not only protect internal components and electronics from damage, but keep the assembly safe to handle and install for line-workers and maintenance. (more…)
Engineers and product designers convert existing products from metals or metallic materials to thermosets in applications for a variety of advantages and benefits to the application. Thermosets offer the moldability of plastics in that they can be molded in a variety of complex geometrical shapes. Whereas metal product applications may require costly secondary machining, lapping, or honing operations to finish a part; thermosets may be molded to tolerances of +/-.005”. In addition to saving on secondary operations, utilizing thermosets in a product design can consolidate multiple parts of an assembly, as well as lower part weight over metal components and assemblies. For high-volume applications, thermosets offer a scalable solution to meet increasing product demand and volume requirements. (more…)
Thermosets are used in molding applications requiring an end-part or product assembly to remain stable within challenging environments. These environments may include exposure to high temperatures, corrosion, or chemicals. Molded thermoset parts exhibit very good dimensional stability, even in high heat and operating temperatures. Thermosets have heat resistance up to 400-500F depending on the material formulation, whereas thermoplastic molding materials such as a nylon or ABS can disfigure, melt, or carbonize and jeopardize the integrity of a product. Parts molded from a thermoset remain dimensionally stable, allowing the molded component or assembly to remain durable over the lifespan of a product. If your part or product assembly must withstand high operating temperatures and aggressive end-use elements, choosing a thermoset as your molding material may help keep your product assembly remain safe and functioning as intended. (more…)
Thermoset Plastics are a niche grade of molding material compared to common engineered thermoplastics such as PA66 (nylons), ABS, Polypropylene. While thermosets are much less known, they have actually been around much longer. The first plastic material created, bakelite, created by Leo Baekeland in 1907 was a type of thermoset composite. Despite use dating back a century ago, thermosets are much less widely used in molding applications. For applications that do not require stringent material properties, many designers and OEMs look to thermoplastics, which are commodity grades that can be remelted and remolded. Using thermosets on the other hand require an application needing a material with much stronger properties such as temperature and corrosion resistance, high electrical strength, and low deflection properties. (more…)
Thermosets are a material of choice for some automotive applications due to the unique material properties that thermoset composites offer. Thermosets are able to be injection or compression molded, lending themselves to complex geometries that may be difficult or costly to achieve in metal or stainless steel. Property-wise, thermosets have chemical resistance against many types of automotive fluids such as oils, transmission fluids, and coolants. Whereas a thermoplastic molded part may degrade in such chemicals, thermoset parts remain durable and strong, allowing a product assembly to remain safe for use. Another material benefit of thermoset composites towards automotive applications is thermosets heat resistance and ability to withstand high operating temperatures. 
Thermosets are performance-grade composites or plastics, suitable for molded parts used in challenging and aggressive environments. Parts exposed to electrical current and high operating temperatures have long been molded with thermosets due to the materials’ physical and chemical stability. Thermosets remain durable in electrical applications and exhibit strong dielectric insulation, making them suitable for electrical covers, circuit breakers, terminal blocks, and other electrical components housing internal components or electrical wiring. With superior electrical properties over many engineered thermoplastics, thermosets are an excellent, low-cost material choice for electrical parts or assemblies that may experience electrical voltage, elevated temperatures, or thermal shock. 
As a performance-based material, thermoset composites offer molded components with material property advantages of chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, and the ability to remain dimensionally stable and durable within applications experiencing high heat and operating temperatures. These properties allow molded thermoset parts to be used in automotive applications exposed to tough environments where thermoplastic components could degrade and/or compromise the safety and performance of a product assembly. Due to the safety nature of automobiles and rigorous testing components must pass, automotive under the hood and structural applications have long used molded thermoset parts and components. 
