Thermosets are an attractive alternative to metals and thermoplastics due to its exceptional physical properties and surface appearance. Thermoset composites remain stable in high and dynamic temperature applications, a beneficial quality in the rapidly shifting world of manufacturing.
Thermosetting resins are popular because they are processed at low pressures and viscosities. This allows for convenient impregnation of reinforcing fibers such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, or Kevlar.
Properties and Benefits of Thermoset Resins
A room temperature liquid resin is easy to work with. Laminators can easily remove all air during manufacturing, allowing the ability to rapidly produce products using a vacuum or positive pressure pump. Beyond ease of manufacturing, thermosetting resins can exhibit excellent properties at a low raw material cost.
While all thermoset plastics share the same basic manufacturing process, one of the best things about their material specifications is their flexibility. There are many types of different thermosetting plastics, including; epoxies, silicones, polyesters, polyurethanes, and phenolics. Each of these will have its own unique characteristic that will make it suitable for a different type of part. For example, epoxies typically provide elasticity, toughness, and excellent chemical resistance while phenolics will usually provide similar benefits with exceptional flame resistance.
Thermosetting is extensively used in everything – from electrical insulation to automotive manufacturing. Every day, new thermosetting composites are created to match a wider array of complicated industrial applications. The right thermoset plastic composite can not only match, but exceed, the material specifications of a huge variety of other production materials (without compromising the ease of manufacture that makes thermoset plastics so valuable).
Romeo RIM
Using advanced Thermoset technologies, our design and product engineers at Romeo RIM can be an extension of your design and engineering teams. This guest engineering value added service allows for design for manufacturability when done in the early stages of the design phase. Our low-cost competitive tooling can provide a significant tooling investment savings based on the application. If you have any questions about plastic injection molding or looking for a composites manufacturer, contact us today!
