Nylon is a highly versatile thermoplastic material that is used in many specific injection molding applications today. An extremely durable and chemically-resistant plastic, nylon is commonly used in automotive electronic connectors, protective casings, enclosures, metal replacement parts, and high-wear mechanical components.
An Overview of Injection Molded Nylon Plastic – Polyamide (PA)
Nylon is a common name for a chemical family of materials called polyamides (PA). There are different structures within the polyamide family such as Nylon 6, Nylon 6/6, Nylon 12, Nylon 11, and Nylon 4/6 to name just a few. Each of these have different property advantages, principally related to their chemical resistance, their heat resistance, their water/moisture absorption, and their availability & cost. In addition to these differences, nylon is commonly blended at the material manufacturer to include fiberglass. This is because in many molded product applications, glass fibers are blended into the nylon material in order to substantially increase its tensile and flexural strength characteristics.
Additional specialized additives can further fine-tune nylon’s material properties. For example, phosphorus-based additives can make nylon more flame-resistant, or antistatic additives will improve its electrical properties.
To further improve the strength and pliability of molded nylon products, we can also condition the material – a special process in which moisture is carefully reintroduced into the material after molding, which can improve pliability and impact resistance.
The Advantages of Nylon Material in Injection Molding Services:
Nylon offers extremely tough mechanical properties: high tensile strength, impact resistance, and great shock absorption. With specialized additives, polyamide is able to reliably stand up to extremely high loads traditionally reserved for metal components, while also remaining extremely light and pliable. This unique combination of lightweight durability makes the material ideal for many industries, especially aerospace and automotive. As a general advantage, less weight to ship also makes for a more sustainable injection molded product.
- High melting temperature and heat resistant
- Highly resistant to many common chemicals and solvents, ideal for industrial equipment applications and enclosures for medical electronics
- A low friction and low wear material, making it ideal for moving mechanical components such as gears and bushings
- Extremely high tensile strength which can be further increased with additives to meet the unique requirements of many custom injection molding projects
Common Injection Molded Products Manufactured from Nylon:
- Electrical connectors – Automotive connectors and hose fittings
- Plastic Enclosures – Including injection molded electronics enclosures, nylon boxes and casings.
- Threaded Inserts – High-strength nylon threaded inserts and other molded metal replacement parts.
- High-Strength Mechanical Components – Including nylon gears, bushings, bearings, buckles, and slides.
Quality American Injection Molding Services for Custom Molded Nylon Products
AIM Processing is an ISO 9001:2015 certified Colorado-based manufacturer offering complete injection molding services for nylon and many other quality thermoplastic materials. From small parts to custom enclosures to metal replacement components, we provide industry-leading experience in bringing your molded products to market.
