There is no best plastic, only the right plastic for how your part is used. Start with five questions: temperature, contacts (food, chemicals, UV), loads (impact, flexing, friction), appearance, and standards (food contact, medical, fire).
The plastics we mould most often
In a hurry? Try our 6-question plastic selector, it points you in the right direction in one minute.
- PP: light, cheap, chemical resistant, living hinges, food-contact grades. Limits: cold impact, bonding.
- ABS: rigid, good surface finish, paintable. Limits: UV, solvents.
- PC and PC/ABS: transparency, impact, heat, flame-retardant grades. Limits: scratches, some chemicals.
- POM: low friction, wear resistance, dimensional stability. Limits: bonding, strong acids.
- PA (nylon): tough, heat resistant, often glass-filled. Limit: absorbs moisture.
- PPSU: repeated steam sterilisation at 134 °C. Limit: price.
Example: PPSU orthodontic gauges.
Food contact
Food-contact parts need a compliant material grade with its declaration of compliance, and compliant colourants. Recycled material remains very limited for this use.
Not sure which material? Send us your 3D file.
