From your cellphone down to your shoes, thermoset polyurethane foam is virtually everywhere. Due to its flexible chemistry, this versatile material can be engineered into any shape and customized component with endless physical properties. Foam first gained its popularity in the automotive industry

Ever find yourself making repairs due to wear and tear? If so, you may need a material that is more resistant to abrasion. Abrasion resistance is a process in which a material can withstand surface wear caused by friction. This key physical property is often found in many applications experiencing

Its 3:33 am, and you found yourself frantically awakening from a product design nightmare. Let me guess - youre concerned about transitioning your prototypes into a first production run? In this post, we focus on 5 tips you can use when designing for Reaction Injection Molding (RIM). If you havent

One of many common questions we often receive from product designers is What temperature range can polyurethane withstand?. Depending on the chemistry, thermoset polyurethanes can typically withstand a wide range of temperatures, unlike thermoplastics and rubber. From

The plastics family generally includes materials with a wide range of chemical compositions, including variations of carbon and hydrogen molecules. Examples of plastics consist of polyethylene, PVC, nylon, and ABS. Strictly speaking, thermoset polyurethanes are NOT considered plastic. Instead, the

Rubbers are a family of polymeric materials based on the chemistry of natural rubber latex. While there are many synthetic rubbers in the market, they share a basic chemical composition with natural rubbers. Rubber is a cost-effective solution for many applications, but its physical properties ofte

Metal chemistry, while diverse does not offer product designers the flexibility to specify multiple physical properties, instead limiting the options and becoming very costly to manufacture. If you are looking for a material that weighs less, easier to handle, generates far less noise, an

Product designers who are considering material choices for a product or components must keep manufacturing processes in mind as they make their selection. Two common manufacturing processes are injection molding and cast molding. Injection molding is the process by which a material is introduced in

Due to their chemical compositions, most elastomers, including rubbers, polyurethanes, and silicones, are natural insulators. Electrical conductivity can be improved in these materials by including conductive additives in the material’s manufacturing process. In the case of polyurethanes, using con

Thermoset polyurethanes are very tough and durable materials. Due to their properties, it is important that special care is taken when machining them. Polyurethanes harder than 70 Shore A can be machined using processes commonly used for machining metals. Polyurethanes softer than 80 Shore A tend t

Despite having a similar name and process like injection molding, Reaction Injection Molding RIM process has the capabilities of producing a wide range of physical properties through a two-part liquid system. Unlike Injection Molding, RIM is utilized in combination with thermoset polyurethanes, and

Over the decades, products have become smaller and more streamlined. As a result, micro molding emerged as a solution for product designers to design small products and components to match today’s modern technology. In this post, we will uncover micro molding and the benefits of micro molding, espe

Ever dropped or bumped into something and panicked in hopes that it didn’t break? Well, that huge sigh of relief you may have experienced was probably the outcome of a well-executed product design - from innovation to iteration. Understanding a materials impact resistance early in the product devel

Leaks are no one’s best friend. Despite cleaning a leaky mess, or the hassle of repairs, leaks can pose significant harm if not properly tested during assembly. In this post, we will discuss the importance of leak test seals, how leak tests are performed, and how to properly incorporate polyurethan

Rubber and polyurethane are two types of materials that are commonly employed in leak test seals. While there are many formulations to choose from within these two polymers, each material has its unique physical properties that can improve or weaken the performance of your leak test. To help stream

Structural foam is a term used to describe a wide range of materials with a microcellular structure. These highly moldable materials are typically formed through a unique foaming process and classified as strong, durable, and extremely lightweight. For this reason, structural foams are not solid ma

So let’s take a look at the basic tools used in workshop. Hacksaw-  A hacksaw is a fine-toothed saw, originally and mainly made for cutting metal. The equivalent saw for cutting wood is usually called bow saw. Most hacksawsare hand saws with a C-shaped walking frame that holds a blade under te

Being a Mechanical engineer you must’ve come across the lathe machine or heard of it. This machine can be said as the most popular machine among mechanical engineers due to its various uses. This is The Mechanical post and today you would be reading about What is a lathe machine? its parts, operat

You might have heard the term “automation” numerous times and why not? every process is now being automated around us. Automation is becoming the ‘new normal ‘ for industries worldwide. Many companies are opting for automation and smart manufacturing solutions to become “smart factories” of the fu

copying of images is prohibited TIG welding or GTAW stands for  ” Tungsten inert gas welding “ and “gas tungsten arc welding” respectively. What is welding? Welding is a manufacturing process which joins together metals and thermoplastics by applying heat, which in turn causes the parts