Within many industrial applications, there is a growing need for durable, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant components to improve product performance and reduce cost. This is where thermoplastic fabrication comes in.

At Ensinger, our team has extensive experience with high-performance plastics, thermoplastic fabrication, and value-added manufacturing. Our expert team has outlined the processes, applications, and benefits of the thermoplastic fabrication process.

What Is Thermoplastic Fabrication?

To understand thermoplastic fabrication, it is first important to understand how thermoplastics differ from other plastics. Thermoplastics have many beneficial properties that aren’t seen in other types of plastics. They can be reshaped with heat, and exhibit high chemical resistance and durability.

Thermoplastic fabrication involves the creation of products by adding or removing material, which differs from machining and molding which use machines that cut or shape the plastics. Thermoplastic fabrication is commonly used to create custom parts, assemblies, and prototypes, including those that require tight tolerances and complex designs.

Common Thermoplastic Fabrication Processes

There are many key fabrication methods, including:

  • Plastic welding: Heat-based, using hot gas, extrusion, or infrared, to bond plastics together. Commonly, plastic welding is used to create sealed joints in products.
  • Bending and forming: Used in the precision formation of sheets or rods, specifically to meet the dimensional needs of products.
  • CNC machining and routing: This advanced machining method is used to finish fabricated parts to the tightest of tolerances via computer numerical control systems.
  • Bonding and assembly: The joining of fabricated components with adhesives or mechanical fasteners for the creation of complete systems.
  • Annealing and heat treatment: Used for stress relief on the product, improving dimensional stability and long-term performance.

Advantages of Thermoplastic Fabrication

Thermoplastic fabrication offers many advantages over other production and finishing processes.

Chemical and Corrosion Resistance

Since thermoplastics are resistant to both corrosion and most chemicals, they won’t degrade in harsh environments. This makes them ideal for use in environments where they may be exposed to water, harsh weather conditions, chemicals, and more, including chemical processing and water treatment applications.

Design Flexibility

Thermoplastic fabrication processes allow you to create custom products with unique geometries and tight tolerances. These processes also allow for custom assemblies and low-volume runs as needed.

Cost Efficiency

Thermoplastic fabrication reduces tooling costs, since these processes do not require specific tooling to be created for each project. It is ideal for prototyping and low-volume production.

Durability and Performance

Thermoplastics exhibit excellent wear properties, mechanical strength, and a long service life. This gives them the ability to be used in demanding environments and applications.

Cleanroom Compatibility

Both thermoplastics and the fabrication processes used are compatible with cleanrooms. This makes them suitable for semiconductor, medical, and life sciences applications.

Applications Across Industries

While many industries can benefit from thermoplastic fabrication, some of the most common applications include:

  • Semiconductor: Custom process components, manifolds, and housings
  • Medical and Life Sciences: Lab equipment and fluid handling systems
  • Industrial Equipment: Guards, housings, and wear components
  • Fluidics: Precision-machined manifolds, flow channels, and fittings for complex fluid control systems in analytical and medical applications
  • Aerospace: Since thermoplastics are lightweight and fabrication can create parts with tight tolerances, these components are ideal for ground support systems, aircraft interiors, and non-flight critical structures.

Why Work with Ensinger for Thermoplastic Fabrication?

At Ensinger, our experienced team has deep material expertise in high-performance plastics like PEEK, PVDF, PTFE, and many more. With our advanced in-house fabrication and machining capabilities, our team can take on all your projects. We even offer engineering support for material selection, design, and prototyping to ensure your products are exactly as you imagine. All of our processes are ISO-certified, giving us the ability to create products with tight tolerances and that meet high-performance standards.

Get Precision Plastic Fabrication for Demanding Applications from Ensinger

Need precision-fabricated plastic components for your application? Contact Ensinger to discuss your project or request a quote.