Resin selection, and the limits of each choice
Materials
Materials
The resins below appear across GSUN's applications. Each row states what the material is good for and where it stops being suitable.
| Resin | Used for | Selected when you need | Where it stops being suitable |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABS Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene |
Housings, tool boxes, luggage shells, handles and wheels. | Good surface finish, dimensional stability and impact strength at room temperature. Takes painting, plating and printing well. | Poor UV resistance without additives. Not suitable for prolonged outdoor exposure as supplied. |
| PP Polypropylene |
Tool shells, storage bins, living hinges, general parts. | Low density, chemical resistance and fatigue resistance. The standard choice for integral hinges. | Higher mold shrinkage than ABS, so tolerance expectations must be set against the shrinkage rate of the specific grade. |
| PC Polycarbonate |
Transparent covers, higher-specification luggage shells, impact-critical housings. | High impact strength across a wide temperature range, optical clarity, higher heat resistance than ABS. | Notch sensitive and requires thorough drying. Stress cracking occurs with some solvents and cleaning agents. |
| HDPE High density polyethylene |
Dispensing bottles, spray bottles, containers. | Chemical resistance to dilute acids, alkalis and many aqueous formulations. Low moisture absorption. | Strong solvents, concentrated acids and elevated temperature exposure need a grade-specific compatibility check before use. |
| PS Polystyrene |
Transparent lids, low-cost storage components. | Dimensional stability, clarity in the general purpose grade, low cost. | Brittle under impact. Not suitable for load-bearing or drop-tested parts. |
| PA6 / PA66 Polyamide (nylon) |
Structural tool handles, load-bearing cart fittings, gears. | High strength and stiffness, wear resistance, fatigue resistance. Glass-filled grades raise stiffness further. | Hygroscopic. Requires controlled drying before molding and dimensions shift with moisture uptake in service. |
| POM Polyacetal |
Moving parts, latches, bearings, buckle mechanisms. | Low friction, high stiffness, excellent dimensional stability and creep resistance. | Poor adhesion for painting and printing without surface treatment. Degrades with acid contact. |
| TPE / TPR Thermoplastic elastomer |
Soft grips, bumpers, seals, handle pads. | Soft touch and slip resistance. Bonds to PP or ABS substrates in overmolding when the grades are matched. | Adhesion is grade-dependent, not resin-family dependent. A bond that works with one TPR grade may fail with another. |
Colour, finish and secondary operations
| Operation | In-house or partner | What you specify |
|---|---|---|
| Colour matching | Pantone or RAL reference, or an approved physical colour chip, plus the acceptance criteria for colour difference. | |
| Pad printing and screen printing | Artwork, print area, ink colour and the adhesion test the print must pass. | |
| Painting | Paint system, gloss level, film thickness and adhesion criteria. | |
| Plating and vacuum metallising | Substrate resin, plating specification and the environmental documentation required in your market. | |
| Assembly | In-house. Functional testing to your specification. | Bill of materials, who supplies each component, and the functional test specification applied at the end of the line. |
| Laser marking | Marking content, whether serial numbers vary per piece, and the contrast requirement. |