Replacing metal has become convenient: the competitive advantages of thermosetting

With the advent and subsequent improvement in the use of thermosetting composites (high performance plastic materials), in most cases, results were definitely beneficial compared to the most commonly metal materials used so far, both in economic terms and performance. The companies that have embarked on the path of renewal, also thanks to the collaboration with Ansa Compositi, obtain average savings between 25% and 30% on products made of thermosetting materials. The thermosetting composites, in which Ansa Compositi is among the market leaders in their molding, are polyester, phenolic or epoxy resins, loaded with fibers and inert materials (thermally irreversible with amorphous structure and high cross-linking density), which are transformed by molding to injection and compression. Some of the features and advantages of using thermosetting composites are:

• Very high mechanical features
• Dimensional stability / extremely low linear thermal expansion coefficient
• Thermal stability
• Resistance to heat (once transformed, doesn’t melt and doesn’t soften anymore)
• Resistance to chemical agents
• It doesn’t oxidize
• Can be colored during molding (no subsequent painting step is required)
• Thermal, acoustic and electrical insulation
• Possibility to become electrically conductive by adding mineral fillers
• Design versatility and the possibility of complex parts without the need of subsequent filming after the molding
• Lightness (ease of transportation)

All industry can benefit from composite materials when the reasons for performance and economy have to go hand in hand. The Ansa Compositi Group will be delighted to examine the topic in greater detail and, in the case, to evaluate together the effective possibility of starting the replacement of metal materials with thermosetting composites.