Materials make all the difference, particularly in the competitive electronics industry. If the product’s core suffers from poor quality, design and functionality may falter. And that can lead to poor usability for consumers, and we know where that goes.
Engineering resins are a class of polymers with superior mechanical and thermal properties. The electronics industry leverages engineering resins in numerous and extensive aspects of their manufacturing.
In today’s blog post, we’ll examine five benefits to using engineering resins in electronics manufacturing.
Enhanced Durability
How long will my watch last? Will I need to replace my TV in a year? These are a couple of samples of consumer questions that arise when a consumer considers an electronic purchase. Durability is an indicator of investment sophistication. Paying less is great, unless you are burdened with replacing that product annually rather than every ten years.
Due to this, electronics companies heavily consider the quality of their electronic components against daily use and cost of production.
High-quality engineering resins can hedge against drops, bumps, scrapes, and other types of harsh traumas.
Engineering resins, by virtue of their superior mechanical properties, significantly boost electronic products’ durability.
Engineering resins are designed to offer high strength and impact resistance. This makes them a viable option in helping resist physical damage that leads to product replacements for the company, or more investment by the consumer.
Let’s look at an example.
If you have a mobile phone (and you probably do), you may have a protective case (you may). Many consumers opt to encase their mobile phones as a way to prevent damage from accidental drops. Engineering resins such as Polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) have been widely used in producing many mobile phone cases.
However, hardware protection from physical trauma is only the beginning of engineering resins’ wide-sweeping protection. Engineering resins exhibit superior chemical resistance. This means that electronic components made from these materials can withstand exposure to various chemicals, ranging from cleaning solvents to harsh industrial environments, without degrading or failing.
In the electronics industry, product failures due to damage lead to excessive financial costs. Preventing this damage with engineering resins helps save companies and consumers money (and frustration).
Combats Heat
If you’ve ever placed your laptop on your lap only to suddenly realize it’s hot, then you’ve experienced one of the many challenges imposed by heat on electronic devices.
Electronic devices posses complex circuitry and high-speed processors that generate heat while we use our devices. When processing soars as a result of user activity, so too can heat.
Excessive heat can adversely affect the performance of the device and, in some cases, can even lead to premature failure. Therefore, it stands to reason that heat resistance can help save devices, and money.
Engineering resins possess an impressive ability to withstand high heat scenarios. Their high heat distortion temperature (HDT) means they can retain their physical and electrical properties even under intense heat. This is an ideal situation when temperature management is of the utmost importance in an electronic device.
Consider the example of Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) resin, a popular engineering resin in electronics manufacturing. It can withstand temperatures of up to 220°C. That’s hot. And it’s perfect for utilization in coil formers and switches found in laptops and gaming devices. Yep, PPS may help alleviate the hot lap scenario we discussed earlier.
The improved heat resistance of engineering resins helps manufacturers develop safer, more reliable, and longer-lasting electronic products.
Cost Effective
For electronics companies, saving money during manufacturing and throughout the consumer journey is a big deal. Manufacturers need to balance the quality and performance of their products with the overall production costs. Engineering resins offer cost-savings solutions.
Engineering resins allow for precision in the manufacturing process. This makes the manufaturing environment predictable, which eleminates the need for machining or finishing. And that saves money.
We touched on these points earlier, but heat resistance and product durability both contribute to fewer returns and warranty claims.
Engineering resins help enable mass production.
Lastly, many engineering resins can be recycled and reused, reducing the waste and disposal costs.
Portability and Weight
The days of portability are here, and likely to stay. If you’re device is bulky, you lose critical consumer appeal. Engineering resins offer manufacturers an ability to create lightweight, portable, yet impressive technology.
Why?
Because engineering resins have a high strength-to-weight ratio. Yes, in the same way we view professional athletes, engineering resins are powerful for their size. This means they can provide the necessary strength and durability while significantly reducing the overall weight of the device. We see examples of engineering resins at work in laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Polycarbonate (PC) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) are popular choices for electronic enclosures.
We often consider the size and weight of a device on the consumer side. In other words, consumers love devices that they can drop in a pocket. But smaller sizing also offers benefits to transportation and logistics. Lighter devices equate to lower freight costs and less energy consumption. This means lower cost for the company and a more sustainable product.
Design Flexibility
Engineering resins encourage design flexibility. This means that the fancy design of your smartphone isn’t just for vanity and customer appeal, but also functionality.
Engineering resins have excellent flow characteristics that allow them to be easily molded into complex shapes and designs. This means that manufacturers can accommodated numerous assemblies. Enjoy the sleek portability of your smartphone? Thank engineering resins. Engineering resins allow manufacturers to create visually appealing products.
Conclusion
Engineering resins influence a wide-variety of benefits in the electronics industry. These benefits include sleek, modern designs, durability, and cost savings for both the manufacturer and the consumer. Engineering resins will continue to help electronics manufacturers thrive and innovate.