Apr 26, 2019 | News, Phenolic Machining, Phenolics, Plastic Machining
While it is absolutely true that phenolic materials like G10-FR4 are incredibly durable when compared to other materials, offer superior water and impact resistance and even have an average failure rate that is as low as 0.0004% in some cases, that doesn’t mean they’re impervious to every situation. Case in point: extreme weather. If your end product is destined for a harsh environment that could be prone to bouts of extreme periods of high or low temperature, there are a few key things about phenolics machining that you must be aware of moving forward.
What You Must Know About Extreme Weather and Phenolics: Breaking Things Down
The most important thing to understand about the nexus between extreme weather and phenolics machining is that even though the materials themselves are unquestionably durable, they can still fail – and you need to keep that in mind from the very early stages of the selection process.
If a material in your next project exceeds its approximate heat deflection temperature, for example, that can lead to distortion – and an eventual failure of the finished product itself. Likewise, prolonged exposure to extreme heat or cold outside of what the material was designed to handle can absolutely cause it to deform – thus severely limiting its lifespan in the process. This is why you need to choose your materials carefully, considering not just what you need them to be able to do – but also the environmental conditions that they’ll be expected to do it in.
Likewise, keep in mind that thermal degradation is also a potential issue when plastic materials are subjected to long periods of very high temperatures. Not only will they begin to lose their strength and toughness, but they’ll also be more likely to crack, chip or even break. If all of this is considered early on in the research and development phase it can absolutely be mitigated – but it needs to be at the forefront of your mind or else you’re exposing the entire project to potentially major issues later on.
Finally, understand that while the majority of all negative impacts of extreme weather on phenolic machining would fall under the “elemental failure” category, there are other aspects to be aware of, too. Chemical failure is common with periods of very high and low temperatures, for example. If temperatures get too high, the materials can melt or warp. If they get too low, the materials can crack and even shatter.
Mechanical failure is another potential issue, and this happens when materials are exposed to external forces (with extreme weather being just one example) that they were never designed to deal with. This too isn’t technically considered a result of the extreme weather in the strictest sense of the term – it’s just that those external forces weakened the material, little by little, until a small problem became a much bigger (and more expensive) one over time.
Contact JMJ Profile Today
At JMJ Profile, we don’t just have decades of experience with nearly every type of plastics machining that you can think of – we’ve also successfully completed projects designed for any and all types of extreme weather, too. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that phenolics machining is every bit as much an art as it is a science. Yes, the materials themselves bring with them a level of natural durability that is practically unparalleled. But without the right approach and a steady hand at the heart of it all, your efforts may very well be over before they’ve started.
JMJ Profile has that approach and is that steady and and we’re honored for the opportunity to prove it to you on your next big project.
If you have any additional questions about the intricacies of extreme weather and phenolics machining, or if you’d just like to sit down and discuss your needs with someone in more detail, please don’t delay – contact us today.
