Home appliance buyers increasingly specify plastic gears, bearings and wear parts instead of metal, wood or glass. Here is where they are used, why they work, and what to watch out for.
This guide is written for engineers, purchasers and project managers who need a practical answer, not a resin data sheet.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines plastic gears, bearings and wear parts by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include backlash controlled assemblies; PTFE and oil filled compounds; bore tolerance H7 to H9. Materials most often specified are Glass Filled Nylon, Polyamide, Polyoxymethylene, Polyether Ether Ketone, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the home appliance sector the decision is usually driven by heat resistance and noise control, with colour consistency as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include control panels, washer tubs, kettle bodies.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyamide | 1.13-1.15 g/cm³ | 60-85 MPa | -40°C to 120°C |
| UHMWPE | 0.93-0.94 g/cm³ | 30-45 MPa | -150°C to 80°C |
| Glass Filled Nylon | 1.36-1.38 g/cm³ | 130-190 MPa | -40°C to 150°C |
Polyoxymethylene is frequently the default selection here: POM is the standard replacement for small metal parts that must hold tight tolerances.
The list below covers both high volume and specialised uses.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
The route below is the one most factories use for this type of part.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
These are the criteria that actually predict whether the part will perform in service.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Standard production tolerance follows the relevant ISO or DIN tolerance class for the process; tighter tolerances are possible after machining or grinding, but they add cost. Define the tolerance only on the functional dimensions.
Yes. Standard samples are normally free of charge and shipped within three working days; custom samples are charged at cost and credited against the first production order.
Colour is controlled with a masterbatch reference approved by the customer, and every production lot is checked against the approved sample under standard lighting before shipment.
A new tool typically takes 25 to 45 days depending on cavity count and complexity, followed by T1 samples within one week. Existing tools can usually start production within 10 to 15 days of order confirmation.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
If you are planning a new home appliance project, send us your drawing, annual volume and target properties, and we will come back with a material proposal, a tooling plan and a budget quotation.
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