Specific plastics for aerospace applications

The requirements being placed on new aerospace components are becoming more difficult than ever. The materials used in components are particularly important when it comes to the innovation and optimization processes for these parts. 

Our plastic stock shapes for use in the aerospace industry offer numerous advantages over other materials. In general, the following should be mentioned here:

• A weight saving of up to 60% compared with aluminium - this reduces energy consumption significantly
• Better and easier further processing into the component
• Greater freedom in the component design, which in turn reduces manufacturing and assembly costs
• Good chemical resistance
• Inherently flame resistant
• High specific strength thanks to fibre-reinforced plastics
• Impressive gliding properties with excellent dry-running properties and freedom from maintenance during use
• Low outgassing in a vacuum and good radiation resistance
• More cost-effective solution than aluminium or titanium

A further advantage of plastics is the application-specific modification by means of fillers and additives. For example, in many cases it is possible to replace metals with fibre-reinforced plastics, since these have greater rigidity compared with unreinforced plastics.  

In order to minimize the risks when it comes to material input, the plastic stock shapes must satisfy the detailed requirements of end customers and system suppliers. Depending on the area of application, different requirements apply. For each manufacturer, exists individually developed material specifications setting out the required material properties such as density, mechanical and thermal properties, and flammability. Ensinger works very closely with aerospace manufacturers and system suppliers to qualify the plastics for use in aerospace applications.

Our team of experts is happy to support the aerospace industry with the selection of suitable materials and with technical questions. You can reach us via our contact form, by e-mail to [obfemailstart]YWVyb3NwYWNlQGVuc2luZ2VycGxhc3RpY3MuY29t[obfemailend] or by telephone at 1-800-869-4029.

You can find further information on applications and solutions here: