Thermoplastic or thermoset? Differences, advantages and how to choose the right material for your application

Choosing the right material is a key step when designing a plastic component for industrial applications. Thermoplastics and thermosets have different characteristics and performance properties, making them more or less suitable depending on the application and operating conditions.

Thermoplastic materials, such as polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) and PVC, become moldable when heated and solidify as they cool. Strong, lightweight and offering excellent aesthetic properties, they are extremely versatile and suitable for producing components with different shapes and geometries for a wide range of industrial applications.

Another advantage is the possibility of recovering and recycling the material: thermoplastics can be melted and processed again, allowing, where the material and process make this possible, production waste to be recovered and reused.

Thermosetting materials, such as Bakelite, undergo an irreversible transformation during the molding process and, once cured, cannot be melted and reshaped. Bakelite is particularly valued for its insulating, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as for its rigidity and long-term durability.

Thermoplastic or thermoset: which one should you choose?

There is no single material that is best in every situation: the choice depends on the characteristics of the application and the required performance.

• Thermoplastic componentsare generally suitable when lightweight construction, strength, design versatility and good aesthetic properties are required. The wide range of available polymers also makes it possible to achieve different characteristics according to specific requirements, while the possibility of recovering and recycling the material offers an additional advantage in terms of more efficient resource use.
• Thermoset components, particularly those made of Bakelite, are especially suitable when rigidity, electrical insulation, heat resistance and long-term durability are required. Thanks to these properties, Bakelite is used, for example, to manufacture knobs, handwheels and handles, including for applications in environments characterized by high temperatures or demanding operating conditions.

Gamm components

Gamm manufactures plastic components for industrial applications using thermoplastic and thermosetting materials selected according to the requirements of different applications.

Thermoplastics are currently the main materials used in our production, but our knowledge of different materials and molding processes enables us to manufacture industrial components capable of meeting a wide range of application requirements.

Material selection always starts with the final application, taking into account operating conditions, stresses, temperatures and technical requirements. Our collaboration with qualified raw material suppliers allows us to select high-quality materials and meet specific design requirements.