From Engineering to High-Performance Polymers, Are you Ready?

“Lighter, Stronger, Cheaper” has almost become the industry motto for engineering polymers.

Engineering polymers are widely used in Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Medical, and Construction industries to replace traditional materials like wood and metals. Driven by consumer demands for durability and industry trends for light-weighting and fuel efficiency, the use of engineering polymers has steadily increased.

According to Markets and Markets consulting company, the engineering polymers market will grow from US$80.7 billion in 2018 to US$115.1 billion in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2%.  By 2026, the high-performance polymers will reach US$35.27 billion at CAGR of 9.3% from 2016.

What are Engineering and High-performance polymers?

Polymers are categorized as either standard, engineering or high-performance polymers and commonly placed into a performance pyramid as shown below:

At the bottom of the pyramid are commodity polymers such as PP and PS which are used for general purpose moulding where mechanical and service temperatures are not critical. They are usually cost-effective and easy to process.

In the middle level of the pyramid are engineering polymers such as PA and PC.  These polymers are often used to replace metals due to their benefits in light-weighting, high strength and resistances to heat, abrasion and chemicals. Another advantage is the flexibility of modification according to the specific requirements of changing trends in the industry.

On the top of the pyramid are high-performance plastics such as PEEK, PAEK, and PPS which can provide excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance at service temperatures over 150°C. They are usually moulded for advanced products such as gears and connectors in electrical, medical, aerospace and telecommunications industries where the working environment is very demanding.

Is your company moulding engineering or high-performance polymers? Join us for our next article where we identify 3 three common customer pain points and introduce our related solutions.