Category: F.A.Q.

The difference is the chemical composition of the two materials that generates different physical-mechanical resistances. At a first sight, one of the principal remarkable difference is the aspect of the original raw material. Thermoplastic material consists of grains. These grains end up into the injection press and, by the action of heat (>200° C), they get melted, injected into the cold mould, solidified according to the geometry of the cavity inside the mould and finally the moulded piece can be extracted from the mould.

Basically, it deals with a passage of physical state: from solid (grains as first step), to liquid (thanks to the heat) and, finally, solid again (thanks to cooling ). It is a reversible process, that means it can be moulded again.
Another example of production could be the brake-fluid reservoir for motorbikes: dimensional precision, high resistance to weather conditions and chemical agents, good mechanical resistance and aesthetical aspect.

Thermoset material instead, is presented as a composite, a mass of material made of resin and fibre (glass or carbon). This gets pushed cold into the hot mould (>150°C) in which it is chemically transformed (crosslinking) by liquefying and right after by solidifying according to the geometry of the cavity where it has been pushed into. Therefore, it does not only deal with a passage of physical state but especially with a chemical transformation which is, among other things, irreversible (it can no longer go back to the starting state to be moulded again).

Normally, there are two base materials for thermoset:

BMC (Bulk moulding compound), material reinforced with glass fibre or carbon fibre, appears as a homogenous mass (like modelling clay, to be clear). This material has an exceptional dimensional stability to high heat and mechanical stresses.

It is used, for example, in the electromechanical branch (for example medium amperage industrial switches) and also automotive: let’s think, for example, of some components of automotive and motorcycle lights.

Then there is the material called SMC (Sheet moulding compound), a composite material reinforced with glass fibre or carbon fibre that comes in long rolled sheets. Also in this case, we are talking about a material with very high thermal and mechanical properties, even higher than BMC thanks to the compression moulding process used to produce the pieces. Consider that it is used, for example, in the construction of high amperage industrial switches and structural components for example in the railway sector.

Contact us immediately to discover if our integrated approach can bring added value also to your company.

Giorgio Testa
giorgio.testa@ntsmoulding.com

The market is increasingly asking for an integrated service that goes beyond manufacturing. We already know that we can’t limit ourselves to offer “only” molds and molded pieces to our customers, athis is the reason why we are increasingly integrating our “core” services with new high value services, such as a real technical and technological consultation to the project.
In this perspective, we are carrying out strategic collaborations with expert engineering societies, working in the branch of electronics, mechanical, material chemical, prototyping.

We have always believed that professional contamination is a great growth factor for us and for those around us. This approach based on open innovation, we are sure about it, will allow us to offer our best to satisfy more and more complex requirements of many current and future customers.

ONE STOP STRATEGY

After all, we have embraced the “one-stop purchasing” philosophy: literally one stop shop. In contemporary marketing, this is a term that indicates the possibility to go to one place only, to find everything for one’s demand. We have thought that this concept could successfully be lent to plastic.

Our customers, in fact, also like to have a single interlocutor to whom they can address their requirements, from design to series production, and with whom they can exchange professional opinions to optimize the value of the overall project at its best.

For this reason we are committing ourselves to make NTS a complete solution provider, able to satisfy with unchanged professionality both ordinary and extraordinary needs, from the beginning to the end.

Advantages of one stop strategy are:

• Single referee with industrial know-how multiplication in different fields;
• Focused and customized consultation
• Optimization of project costs and times
• More optimized and innovative projects
• Continuous professional enrichment in a partnership style, you grow I grow

Contact us immediately to discover if our integrated approach can bring added value also to your company.

Giorgio Testa
giorgio.testa@ntsmoulding.com

It is one of the added value services offered by NTS to those customers who wish to innovate their product.

It deals with an exclusive service of consultancy and technical support, integrated if needed also with specific know-how of our partners, starting from the choice of the raw material to the re-design of the geometries of the piece with the customer, from the prototyping to the construction of the mold and series molding.
NTS designs and generates such a resistant and performing piece in composite material (glass fiber and resin) that it can totally replace the corresponding part with metal matrix. This activity is always carried out  with the goal of sustainability and economical convenience.

Metal Replacement is one of the services distinguishing NTS philosophy, aimed to understand the customer’s goals and reach them with high added value products and services.

Which industries can take advantage of Metal Replacement?

There are many application branches: from automotive components (gears, levers, mechanical housings, electrical motors, optical units) to industrial machineries components, where there are different series productions.

Generally, the recognized advantages of Metal Replacement are: a higher process productivity, lower production costs of the piece.

Another aspect not to underestimate: duration and maintenance of the mold producing the plastic part is better than the one in metal matrix.

Some advantages of Metal Replacement:

• Keep and optimize physical features (mechanical, thermic, chemical) required by metal design and, more, improve dielectric and insulation features;
• Weight lightening of the part;
• Lower instability of raw material costs;
• Lower production, molding and finishing costs;
• Higher geometrical and design flexibility;
• Vibration and noisiness reduction;
• Surface finishing, tolerances and colors can be obtained directly from the mold.

Do you want to discover more?

Contact us right now.