Optimize Your Parts with Metal to Plastic Replacement
How Amco Converts Metal to Plastic with SolidWorks Flow Analysis
Amco Polymers is in the business of making better and more efficient products by creating plastic pieces that have the strength and resilience to compete with metal.
Why Consider Metal to Plastic Replacement?
As you may be aware, metals and plastics behave differently. A thicker metal usually implies the product has more durability. However, with plastic, it is possible to optimize a design to maintain a parts’ integrity using thinner wall sections.
The durability of plastic can also mean different things; it can come from strength or elasticity. For example, rubber bands are strong and flexible, but stiffer plastics can also be strong.
How Does Amco Replace Metal Parts with Plastic?
In order to convert a part from metal to plastic, we need to take the existing design and optimize it by eliminating as many moving parts as possible. A product that may take multiple metal pieces can be made with one single plastic piece. An example of this is a car bumper, which would need several metal pieces to be complete, but only requires one plastic part.
Amco utilizes SolidWorks, a flow analysis program, to help with that optimization. We use it to understand things like how thin to create the product without jeopardizing the integrity or the number of gates needed, as well as how to utilize stress-strain curves and creep curves to ensure that the plastic is designed to last the number of years required.
One common mistake is using a Finite Element Analysis (FEA), which will measure the load at time zero, but is unable to predict future stability. We want to make sure that the plastic pieces can bear the same load over 6 months, or 6 years, or longer depending on the design. This dedication is why Amco is the clear choice in resin distribution.
Are you interested in metal to plastic part replacement?
Please contact us today to see how we can help with your metal to plastic conversion needs!