Metal-to-plastic evaluation, material comparison tables, injection molding advantages, and engineering articles. For technical procurement and design teams.
The data first: PPS+GF40% has a density of 1.65 g/cm³ and an HDT above 260°C; AL6061 sits at 2.70 and SUS304 at 7.93. Plastics have lower tensile strength, so structure recovers the stiffness. The table below lists each material's specs and its honest engineering limitations.
| Property | SUS 304 | Zamak 3 | AL 6061 | PPS+GF40% | PA66+GF30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density (g/cm³) | 7.93 | 6.60 | 2.70 | 1.65 | 1.35 |
| Tensile Strength | ~505 MPa | ~283 MPa | ~310 MPa | 160–180 MPa | 140–160 MPa |
| HDT (1.8 MPa) | — | — | — | > 260°C | ~ 250°C |
| ⚠️ Limitations | Extremely heavy, high tool wear | Requires plating, creep risk | High CNC cost, requires anodizing | High shrinkage, warpage risk | Moisture absorption alters size |
＊Engineering plastics can achieve 20-50%+ weight reduction versus metal (common in drone-related components and accessories), but require deep expertise. Dimensional stability heavily depends on mold design and injection parameter control.
＊Metals are typically not rated for HDT, as melting point far exceeds common plastic test standards.
＊Plastic tensile values are typical as-molded ranges and are affected by moisture and fiber orientation.
Material quotes usually cover weight and resin price alone. Two things get overlooked: chemical and corrosion performance without coating, and per-piece cost once volume is high enough.
In acids, solvents, or long-term wet environments, engineering plastics can be used as molded, with no anodizing, plating, or protective coating. This is one of the most common drivers for metal-to-plastic in chemical equipment, outdoor energy, and electrified systems.
Aluminum often requires anodizing; zinc alloys need plating. Engineering plastics come out of the mold in final color and resist corrosion, removing a finishing step from the supply chain.
Plastic requires tooling, but at sufficient volume the per-piece cost typically falls below CNC or machined metal, especially on multi-year programs with thousands of parts per year.
Featured Engineering Articles
These are not marketing articles. Each piece is written from real process data and engineering boundaries, including what we cannot do.
A metal assembly of bracket, spacers, and fasteners often becomes one molded part with snap-fits, bosses, and locating pins formed in a single shot. Fewer part numbers, fewer purchase orders, less assembly labor, no plating or anodizing: savings that never show up in a per-piece material quote.
Read articleGlass fibers align with melt flow during injection. Strength along the fiber direction can be roughly double the cross-flow direction, and shrinkage differs between the two, which is the root cause of most warpage in GF parts. Gate position, planned at design stage, is the single most powerful control.
Read articlePPS+GF40% withstands 200–220°C continuous service, resists aggressive chemicals without any coating, is inherently flame retardant, and weighs 1.65 g/cm³ versus aluminum's 2.70. Aluminum keeps the advantage in absolute stiffness and thermal conductivity. For corrosion-exposed structural parts below its temperature ceiling, PPS+GF is usually the stronger total-cost answer.
Read articleShare the use case and constraints, and we can align on material and manufacturing direction for the next step.
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