A guide to choosing plastic screws
Plastic fasteners vs metal fasteners.
Metal fasteners have always been popular and their design has become highly developed over the years. So that makes them the obvious choice for your application, right? Not so fast. Plastic screws possess a range of properties that can actually give them the edge over their metal counterparts in certain industries. They’re now being used more frequently in high-pressure environments, and actually this article is much more than plastic screws, it's plastic bolts, plastic nuts and everything in between.
How do I choose which plastic fastener to use?
When choosing a plastic fastener, it’s important to consider the particular needs of your application. For example, is strength more important than non-corrosive or non-conductive properties? How will the plastic interact with other materials? And do any specific size or shape requirements come into play? These are all questions to ask yourself to ensure you get the right plastic screw for the right job.
Here are five reasons why plastic screws could be the right choice for you and help you to understand the key differences:
1. Plastic screws don’t rust
All metals, apart from gold, platinum and palladium, will corrode and rust when they’re exposed to wet and salty conditions. Over time this degrades the strength of the fastener. You don’t have this problem with screws made from plastic as they won’t rust or corrode. The properties of PVC, Isoplast and PET include the inability to absorb water and resistance to chemicals and acids.
2. Plastic screws are UV resistant
Plastics like polyimides or FEP are significantly more capable of withstanding the damaging effects of UV rays than metal screws, even in space. This takes us back to the Hubble Telescope and the International Space Station, and explains why they are such a success in these applications. When using plastic fasteners for marine applications, you also need to use screws and bolts that don’t absorb UV energy to avoid the material developing free radicals that will speed up corrosion.
3. Plastic screws are versatile
Multipurpose and adaptability are keys words when it comes to plastic screws. Different plastics have different advantages, so whether you’re looking for strength, flexibility, rigidity, corrosion resistance, sealing or electrical properties, there’s a wide choice out there that can literally be moulded to your needs. Their design and assembly can be simplified, so that sometimes one plastic fastener can be used in place of several metal components. From an aesthetic perspective, plastic screws can also be created in any colour, and it won’t scratch off like coloured metal screws which need to be painted or coated.
4. Plastic screws are lightweight and strong
Flexible and strong, plastic screws can also be as much as 10 times lighter pound for pound as metal screws. If you need super strength, you can opt for a plastic fastener that’s reinforced with a steel core. Plastic fastener materials can have a glass or metallic filler added to the base resin to improve strength, stiffness, temperature range and gravity.
5. Plastic screws are cost effective
Common plastic fastener materials are generally less expensive than metal screws, so the savings can soon add up for your application.
But what about different plastics and their benefits?
Before you can decide which plastic is up to your specific application, you need to know how their unique properties make them excel.
Nylon – it’s of the most widely used plastics in the world and has great strength and wear resistance.
PVC – it’s got a superior level of corrosion and weather resistance, plus a high strength to weight ratio.
Polypropylene – it has a unique combination of physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties.
Polycarbonate – it has high heat deflection, together with low frequency and high voltage insulating characteristics.
Download free CADs and try before you buy
Free CADs are available for most solutions, which you can download. You can also request free samples to make sure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you.
Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.
Questions?
Email us at sales@essentracomponents.co.uk or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 0345 528 0474.