New material available: PPS

Description of the project

Prototech Asia was contacted by a customer involved in thermoplastic injection. The customer had a project requiring the testing of new plastic material: phenylene polysulfide (PPS).

The customer faced a problem of temperature resistance with its initial material and wanted to change the material to PPS. Before launching industrial production and making a major investment in tooling, the customer wanted parts made from the right material that could be tested in real situations and allow this choice of material to be validated.

This file included a set of two parts to be produced in three copies each. The latter had to be made of PPS material loaded with 30% fiberglass. PPS offers very good technical characteristics, in particular, high resistance to chemical agents. This explains why its cost is relatively high. It is in general used to manufacture complex and small-sized parts with tolerances. In addition, it conducts electricity. As a result, it is often used in projects related to the electronics industry.  Parts obtained from PPS plastic machining are easily recognizable, producing a slightly metallic noise in contact with shocks.

Prototech solution

This file required production in the real material. Our workshop decided to design the prototypes by 3D machining. In fact, additive techniques use equivalents instead of the right material. We, therefore, ruled out the use of 3D stereolithography and 3D printing. Once the prototyping phase was finished, the customer was able to run its technical tests and validate the project, allowing it to launch the production of a very specific injection mold for parts made of PPS material.

Photo of machined parts made of PPS, reinforced with 30% fiberglass

More about PPS

PPS (phenylene polysulfide) is selected for these advantageous mechanical properties. It offers good mechanical strength, stiffness and creep strength and chemical properties (very good resistance). It naturally meets the UL 94 V-0 standard and is available unloaded or reinforced with fiberglass. It can be used in some cases to replace thermosetting plastics and metals. Responding to severe constraints, it offers a large number of applications. For example, it can be found in the electronics, automotive and medical sectors.

Prototech Asia is able to produce prototype parts from different technologies and plastics. If you have projects in progress, send us your request via our quotation page.