Materials
Metals & Engineering Plastics
Engineering Plastics
| Material | Designation | General characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Nylon | PA6 / PA66 | Tough and wear resistant with good strength-to-weight; the general-purpose choice where load and abrasion occur together |
| Cast Nylon | — | Higher stiffness and dimensional stability than extruded nylon; available in larger sections |
| Acetal / Delrin | POM | Dimensionally stable with low friction and excellent machinability; holds tolerance in continuously moving parts |
| UHMWPE | — | Very high abrasion resistance, low friction and non-stick; performs where sliding contact or abrasive flow would wear other materials |
| HDPE | Food grade | Impact resistant, chemically inert and food compatible; cleans readily and absorbs almost no moisture |
| Polypropylene | PP | Chemical resistance, food compatible, light weight |
| ABS | — | Rigid and impact resistant with a good moulded surface finish |
| PTFE | Pure and filled | Highest chemical resistance, lowest friction, wide temperature range; sealing and low-friction duty |
| PEEK | — | High-performance polymer for high temperature, high load and chemically aggressive environments |
Metals
| Material | Grades | General characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Mild Steel | Carbon steel | General-purpose structural and machined parts; economical and readily machined, requires protection against corrosion |
| Stainless Steel | SS 304 | Standard corrosion-resistant grade; food contact and general process duty |
| SS 316 / 316L | Higher chemical and chloride resistance; 316L for welded assemblies | |
| SS 410 | Hardenable martensitic grade; wear resistance with moderate corrosion resistance | |
| SS 420 | Higher-carbon martensitic grade; hardness and edge retention | |
| Alloy Steel | To specification | Higher strength and fatigue performance for loaded shafts and gearing |
| Aluminium | — | Light weight, good machinability, non-magnetic |
| Brass | — | Free machining, corrosion resistant, non-sparking |
| Bronze | Phosphor bronze | Bearing and bush duty; good wear performance against steel |
| Customer-Specific | To drawing | Other grades arranged on request |
Final material suitability depends on the component drawing, load, speed, operating temperature, chemical exposure, food-contact requirements, wear conditions and customer validation. Tell us the position the part runs in and we will manufacture to the grade your drawing specifies — or discuss the material if the drawing leaves it open.
New to specifying polymers? Read our guide to choosing an engineering plastic — Nylon, Acetal, UHMWPE, PTFE and PEEK compared.