If you specify High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) for thick gauge thermoformed machine housings, a handful of properties decide whether the part survives forming and service. These are the values worth checking on every data sheet.
The notes below come from day to day production and export work with overseas buyers.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines thick gauge thermoformed machine housings 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 class A painted finishes; moulded in colour and post painted; panel sizes over 2000 mm. Materials most often specified are Polypropylene, High Density Polyethylene, PC/ABS Alloy, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the automotive and mobility sector the decision is usually driven by dimensional stability and heat resistance, with impact strength as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include dunnage trays, commercial vehicle trim, interior panels.
Typical values for a general purpose grade are listed below; filled, stabilised and speciality compounds will differ.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Density Polyethylene | 0.94-0.97 g/cm³ | 20-32 MPa | -50°C to 80°C |
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
| Polycarbonate | 1.20 g/cm³ | 55-70 MPa | -40°C to 120°C |
High Density Polyethylene is frequently the default selection here: HDPE combines toughness with chemical inertness, which is why it dominates pipe and tank markets.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
Density 0.94-0.97 g/cm³, tensile strength 20-32 MPa, continuous service temperature -50°C to 80°C and melt range 130-137°C are the four values to circle on the data sheet. Everything else is secondary for most automotive and mobility projects.
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.
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.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
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.
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.
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 automotive and mobility 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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