Replace sheet metal with plastic

It is not a major change to replace sheet metal cladding and use plastic cladding. The advantages of using plastic instead of sheet metal are obvious: on the one hand, plastic is cheaper to produce. This is due to the lower material costs and the faster and more energy-saving processing. On the other hand, plastic parts are more sustainable than sheet metal parts. Although both can be recycled, the recycling of sheet metal and other metals requires the application of high heat. Plastic, on the other hand, can be shredded and reused as recycled granulate. Another strength of plastic lies in its malleability. Plastic can be processed much more finely, which means that the finished plastic parts can be better used for the respective purpose.

Since the introduction of plastics for industrial purposes in the 20th century, they have replaced older materials such as metal in many places. Plastic has established itself for many applications and impresses with its robustness, durability, customizability and low manufacturing costs at high production speeds. swissplast recognized this change early on and has since grown to become an outstanding expert in the plastics processing industry and a market leader. We manufacture plastic parts, plastic cladding or plastic cladding for you, which have major advantages over sheet metal parts, sheet metal cladding or sheet metal cladding. We can manufacture stable and sustainable plastic parts for your project with the utmost precision. Let our professionals advise you on the extent to which the use of plastic parts is worthwhile for you.

Plastics have less rigidity and strength than metal, which is why adjustments are often necessary when switching from sheet metal to plastic. In order to achieve the required stability, additional reinforcing structures or the use of fiber-reinforced plastics may be necessary. At the same time, plastics offer greater elasticity, which means that they can bend under load and then return to their original shape without remaining permanently deformed. This property makes them ideal for applications that require repeated mechanical loads. Nevertheless, careful material selection is crucial to ensure that the plastic component meets the same or even better performance requirements as the original sheet metal part.

Compared to metal, plastics often have a lower resistance to high temperatures, which limits their use in environments with high heat. Excessive heat can cause plastics to deform or lose their mechanical properties. Special heat-resistant plastics, such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyimide, must therefore be selected for applications in high-temperature areas. In addition, plastics tend to have a higher thermal expansion, which must be taken into account in the design by means of appropriate tolerances. At the same time, plastics offer advantages in cold environments as they are less brittle than many metals, which makes them more reliable in frosty environments.

One major advantage of plastics over metal is their resistance to corrosion. While metals such as steel can rust, plastics are resistant to moisture and many chemical substances. This makes them ideal for applications in damp or aggressive environments, such as in the chemical industry or outdoors. However, it should be noted that not all plastics are equally resistant to chemicals – some can be attacked by solvents or acids. UV resistance can also play a role: Without special additives, plastics can become brittle or lose their color in sunlight. Therefore, material customization is essential for certain conditions.

The production of plastic parts offers considerable advantages compared to sheet metal, especially for large production quantities. The manufacturing costs of injection molds are generally lower than for metalworking tools, which leads to a reduction in unit costs. In addition, plastics enable more complex designs in which several functions can be integrated into one component, such as clips, brackets or decorative elements. This saves time and costs during assembly. For smaller series, however, the tool costs can be comparable to sheet metal processing. The freedom of design and the possibilities for optimizing the design are important factors that make plastics economically attractive in many applications.

The switch from metal to plastic raises questions about sustainability. While plastics can improve the environmental balance during operation, for example by reducing weight, their production often requires more energy and fossil resources. Recyclability is therefore a crucial aspect: many thermoplastics, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, can be recycled and reused, which increases their environmental friendliness. However, not all plastics are equally easy to recycle, and thermosets pose particular challenges here. Companies switching to plastic should therefore rely on recyclable materials and closed-loop systems to ensure the sustainability of their products and optimize their environmental footprint.