Plastic Metal Replacement Services

Lower costs with light, strong plastic products
metal replacement
  • Shorter production times
  • Easy to recycle
  • Perfect for a wide range of products and capabilities

Aztec Plastic has specialized in metal replacement for more than 50 years. There are many reasons why plastic has become the ideal material in manufacturing parts and prototypes. Industry demands and innovations in plastics have greatly improved the capabilities of plastic materials, and the science of manipulating plastic has also been streamlined.

At Aztec Plastic, we use a wide variety of polymers and polyamides to replace metal components. Because of their high strength, excellent chemical resistance, and physical and mechanical properties, they can stand up to harsh environments previously considered to be impossible for industrial plastics to withstand. With advancements in plastic injection molding, 3D printing, machining, and grinding, plastic can be manipulated more effectively than ever before.

Primary benefits of plastic metal replacement

Stronger than ever. Plastics are generally much lighter than metals, but in the past they were not as strong. Thanks to the addition of carbon fibers, plastic and thermoplastics can even outperform metal in specific strength (material strength divided by its density).

Shorter production time. It’s important to meet the demands of your market. Plastic Thermoforming is far less labor intensive, and offers shorter production times than traditional metal manufacturing. Plastic injection molding and 3D printing reduce costs, because manufacturers use less energy and labor when compared to the more time consuming metal fabrication processes.

Increase versatility. Molding and decorating products and parts out of plastic, instead of metal, allows you to create complicated products with varying colors and surfaces without increasing costs or production times. Conversely, metal fabrication can be difficult, and options are often limited.

It’s lightweight. Metal is extremely heavy. With the production of some products, like automobiles, heavy duty properties are necessary. However, when manufacturing metal parts, the increased weight can be complicated logistically and expensive. However, thermoplastic parts can be as much as six times lighter than its steel counterparts, so that every expense, from shipping to manufacturing costs, can be reduced. Plus, with their increased strength, many industrial plastics are now suitable for replacing metal.

Plastic metal replacement may have positive environmental effects

In many cases, using plastic instead of metal has the added benefit of being easily recycled at the end of a product’s life cycle. Scrap thermoplastic parts or components, for example, can be ground into a pellet form and reused almost immediately in another injection molding process. Metal, on the other hand, needs to be re-smelted, a costlier, more energy intensive process. In addition, many thermoplastics and thermosets can withstand harsh chemical, organic, and weather conditions. Whereas metals may rust or corrode, plastics will keep going strong for a much longer period of time, reducing the need for replacement parts.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our metal replacement services.
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