High-performance plastics have revolutionized today’s manufacturing: Even Mil-Spec and ITAR regulations designate heavy-duty plastics for components that were once crafted exclusively with metals. Polycarbonate in certain grades is essentially unbreakable; it’s the most impact-resistant clear sheet material available, with up to 250 times the strength of plate glass.
These impact-ready, high-durability plastics offer a ready material solution for demanding manufacturing applications and custom machining projects, including intricate OEM components.
What Are OEM Parts?
OEM is an acronym for original equipment manufacturer (or manufacturing), but has come to be associated with a wide range of industrial producers. Component manufacturing, product engineering, industrial manufacturing, and even sub-assembly manufacturing all fall under the broadly described OEM umbrella.
These manufacturers are responsible for the design, engineering, and manufacturing of complete systems and products, including sub-assemblies or components. These OEM professionals sell their materials to other manufacturers to be assembled into products before they go to market.
OEM parts carry the designation of “original.” Trusted by manufacturers and consumers, these are the precise parts that were designed for a piece of equipment, and can be trusted for an exact fit and proper performance.
OEM Replacement Parts: A Machined Plastic Solution
High-quality plastic materials are easily machined to suit any specification. CNC machining and digital cutting technology produce parts to exact specifications with rapid production rates and superior efficiency to metalworking.
In fact, OEM components formerly made from aluminum or steel can be reproduced in plastic for a perfect fit at a higher value. Common examples of these parts include:
- Sleeve bearings and fittings
- Valve bodies
- Gears and automotive components
- Compressor parts
- Chemical handling pump parts and seals
- Semiconductor processing
- Pharmaceutical and biotech funnels and molds
- Industrial bearings, bushings, and wear strips
- Process vessels
- Gaskets and diaphragms
- Timing screws
- Replacement nuts and bolts
Advantages of Plastic Machined Parts
Machined plastic parts offer unmatched precision and high quality, with easy customization for OEM projects. Digital technology even enables direct translation from your print specifications to the manufacturing process. Other benefits include:
- OEM plastic parts can offer up to six times longer life than metal equivalents.
- Plastics manufacturing reduces waste and offers superior design flexibility.
- Plastic materials offer high-strength performance with reduced part weight and high tensile strengths.
- Most plastic formulations provide superior chemical and corrosion resistance in comparison to metals, as well as low density and high thermal expansion.
- Plastic manufacturing is repeatable, fast, predictable, and reliable.
Due to the versatility of manufacturing processes, converting metal OEM parts to plastic can even reduce part counts, as several metal components can be combined into a single plastic part!
Original Equipment Manufacturing and High-Quality Plastics
OEM parts are recognized for their quality and reliability, so an OEM component is trusted by consumers, manufacturers, and engineers alike. In fact, engineers and operational professionals rely on the expert manufacture of OEM parts to ensure that technical knowledge and design are incorporated in even the smallest components.
Resources:
- http://www.emcoplastics.com/oem-industries/
- http://www.machinedesign.com/materials/replacing-metal-plastic
- https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2017/10/05/280887.htm
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