[ KNOW HOW ]
A competitive advantage
Since the early 2000s we got interested and then passionate about specializing in metal replacement.
Thanks to our competence, we are now able to provide a high-quality service to our customers, who are willing to renovate the design, the performance, the sustainability and costs of their products through Metal Replacement.
What is metal replacement
The metal replacement is a process where components that have always been produced in metal are re-engineered to be components produced in high performance plastics and reinforced technical polymers.
In case some components include metal parts which can not be replaced, it is still possible to combine metals and plastics through overmoulding, making it the most of the properties of both materials.
What is metal replacement
The metal replacement is a process where components that have always been produced in metal are re-engineered to be components produced in high performance plastics and reinforced technical polymers.
In case some components include metal parts which can not be replaced, it is still possible to combine metals and plastics through overmoulding, making it the most of the properties of both materials.
Advantages of Metal Replacement
Design Freedom
The injection moulding process allows to produce complex geometries, which are hardly achievable through other methods and are usually more expensive.
Aesthetic Result
An excellent integration of mechanic and aestethic features are achievable in a single process through the right choice of polymers and the designing of the finish/texture of the moulds.
Lightweight
Thanks to its lower specific weight, a component in technical polymers can weight up to 75% less than the same component produced in metal (with the same perfomance).
Fuctional Integration
Thanks to the injection moulding, overmoulding and the opportunity to choose polymers with isolation, heat or electric conductivity properties, we are able to integrate all those features that were previously obtained combining more than a component in a multi-step process in one single component.
Tribological Properties
Polymers can give the component many different features, such as: resistance to humidity, corrosion and other chimical agents; self-lubricating properties; avoiding frictional issues, wear and the need for maintenance and lubrication.
Reduction in components, production phases and costs
The functional integration and the designing flexibility allow a reduction in number of the components, production phases, extra-processing and assembly, which leads to a significant decrease in costs too.
Lead time reduction
Less production phases and short cycle times ensure a decrease in the lead time.
Environmental Sustainability
It’s astonishing how much more eco-friendly a component produced through metal replacement is: fewer and less energy-intensive production processes, more lightweight components with reduced raw material consumption, lower costs for transport and use, easily recycling/reuse components, reduced carbon footprint (the Co2 overall emissions are equal through all the stages of the product’s life).
Design Freedom
The injection moulding process allows to produce complex geometries, which are hardly achievable through other methods and are usually more expensive.
Aesthetic Result
An excellent integration of mechanic and aestethic features are achievable in a single process through the right choice of polymers and the designing of the finish/texture of the moulds.
Lightweight
Thanks to its lower specific weight, a component in technical polymers can weight up to 75% less than the same component produced in metal (with the same perfomance).
Fuctional Integration
Thanks to the injection moulding, overmoulding and the opportunity to choose polymers with isolation, heat or electric conductivity properties, we are able to integrate all those features that were previously obtained combining more than a component in a multi-step process in one single component.
Tribological Properties
Polymers can give the component many different features, such as: resistance to humidity, corrosion and other chimical agents; self-lubricating properties; avoiding frictional issues, wear and the need for maintenance and lubrication.
Reduction in components, production phases and costs
The functional integration and the designing flexibility allow a reduction in number of the components, production phases, extra-processing and assembly, which leads to a significant decrease in costs too.
Lead time reduction
Less production phases and short cycle times ensure a decrease in the lead time.
Environmental Sustainability
It’s astonishing how much more eco-friendly a component produced through metal replacement is: fewer and less energy-intensive production processes, more lightweight components with reduced raw material consumption, lower costs for transport and use, easily recycling/reuse components, reduced carbon footprint (the Co2 overall emissions are equal through all the stages of the product’s life).
Our service
During the last 20 years of Industrial research and management of metal replacement’s projects, we have succeeded in guiding our customers to unhoped-for goals.
Aesthetic metal replacement
A careful designing of the component and the polymer’s flow in the mould combined with the use of materials with nanocomposites, allow to directly achieve products with metallic finishes and high-quality aesthetic results.
This also avoids post-production processes such as painting, chrome plating and other surface treatments.
functional metal Replacement
Through our consulting service/technical support and the use of reinforced technical and high performance polymers, we are capable of rethinking, designing and replacing metal components in new, better performance resin products.
[ EXAMPLES ]
Products
Case history
