Hello and welcome to a new blog post where we discuss an important material selection topic.
When developing a plastic part, clear and meaningful specifications are essential—they help control variations in function, appearance, and cost. By translating product requirements into detailed plastic specifications, you set the foundation for selecting the optimal material and ensuring consistent quality. Also, the specifications will help for sourcing plastic parts with the correct material.
What should a robust plastic specification and plastic part specification include?
✔️ Material brand, grade, and generic name (e.g., Ryton® R-4-200BL, PPS)
✔️ Surface finish
✔️ Desired parting line location
✔️ Flash limitations
✔️ Permissible gating and weld line areas
✔️ Void intolerance zones
✔️ Allowable warpage
✔️ Tolerances
✔️ Color
✔️ Decorating needs
✔️ Performance criteria
Example of turning a product requirement into a plastic specification:
If your product requirement is “the part must withstand high temperatures, needs to have low tolerance, and have a glossy black finish,” this translates into a plastic specification such as:
- Material: Ryton® R-4-200BL (PPS) for heat resistance
- Color: Black, high-gloss surface finish
- Tolerance: ±0.05 mm
- No voids allowed in load-bearing areas
- Gating away from visible surfaces
Figure 1 demonstrates how plastic specifications act as a bridge between product requirements, material selection, and support for sourcing. First we turn product requirements into proper plastic specifications, which we can use for polymer selection. After identifying the plastic grade we can add it with commercial name to our specification list and use it for sourcing or to find alternativ materials, as well as sourcing the plastic parts themselfs.
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| Figure 1: Plastic specifications as bridge between product requirements, material selection, and support for sourcing. |
Conclusions
Having proper specifications not only streamlines the material selection phase, but also greatly supports sourcing—especially when you need to identify or qualify alternative materials. Clear specifications ensure you can compare options confidently and maintain quality, even when supply chains change.
Getting these details right means your part will meet all functional, aesthetic, and economic goals. Start with clear specs—finish with a successful product!
Thanks for reading & #findoutaboutplastics
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