When the manufacturing industry has access to new, advanced materials or processes, it brings dormant ideas to life and creates realities that formerly existed only in the imagination. Just as a painter’s creative potential is amplified by a broader palette of colors, innovative polymers, when combined with advanced manufacturing technologies, expand design freedom for product developers.
RMB Products is introducing new materials to its lineup of high-performance thermoplastic polymers, including polyamides, polyketones (PK), polyetherkeytonekeytone (PEKK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and select carbon-filled or reinforced compounds. This stocks the toolbox with powerful new solutions for several industries.
As part of this expansion of available materials, RMB is testing new laser sintering materials for plastics firms to use in their initial market entry. In addition, RMB is developing proprietary resin formulations that will become available for rotational molding. These cutting-edge plastics will offer customers new options that provide a broad range of chemical inertness, superior temperature resistance, lightweight strength, and more.
These advanced materials will help equipment manufacturers reduce costs, improve performance in harsh operating environments, and enable the fabrication of a single component to replace heavier, multifaceted welded or composite parts. Backed by RMB’s deep expertise, the materials will enable manufacturers to tackle increasingly ambitious design challenges, trim costs, and realize quick turnarounds for part iterations.
The value of collaborative partnerships
RMB has been a trusted provider of highly engineered thermoplastic polymer components for industries with stringent regulations and tight specifications, such as the aerospace or defense industries. Decades of specialized experience in laser sintering (also known as 3D printing or additive manufacturing) and rotational molding have led to strong relationships with leading plastics manufacturers.
These manufacturers have entered collaborative partnerships with RMB to enable the introduction of new and proprietary plastics that will offer enhanced functional properties and expand the application potential for RMB’s customers.
These partnerships will enable RMB to be first to market with some of these new materials when utilized within laser sintering or rotational molding, leveraging these advanced materials to meet evolving industry demands. These new materials will allow RMB to service new industries and fill gaps within its portfolio of offerings. For example, it will enable RMB to expand further into the semiconductor space, better serve the aerospace and defense industries, and serve the automotive fuel cell technology and medical device manufacturing as well.
New plastics present multiple customer advantages
This access to cutting-edge, high-performance polymers, like polyamides (PA12), PK, PEKK, PEEK, and PVDF, delivers multiple advantages to RMB customers. These include substantially faster turnaround times, reduced costs compared to metals/composites, lighter-weight parts, consolidated designs with fewer components, and greater design flexibility.
RMB is continually expanding its materials portfolio with both off-the-shelf polymers and proprietary customized formulations. New additions include PA12 resins (glass-filled, both glass bead and fiber, and virgin grades), PK, PEKK, PEEK variants with carbon fiber reinforcement, and PVDF grades optimized for laser sintering and rotational molding processes.
New materials in detail
Explore RMB’s newest materials:
PA12 and its variants: RMB is rolling out a series of new PA12 materials, including glass bead-filled, fiber-reinforced, and pure-grade compounds. PA12 offers exceptional mechanical properties, UV resistance, and low moisture absorption. The bead- and fiber-reinforced compounds boost strength and wear resistance for more demanding applications. These PA12 variants enable RMB to produce components and assemblies beyond static ductwork to include moving parts.
PEKK: The flagship PEKK material is an ultra-high-performance polymer able to handle operating temperatures up to 220° C and withstand highly chemically aggressive environments. Its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio also makes it attractive for lightweight aerospace and automotive designs. RMB will be the only company in the western hemisphere certified to 3D print using PEKK variants reinforced with carbon fibers. This positions RMB at the forefront for cutting-edge aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and energy applications requiring this elite material.
PVDF: This material fills an important gap in RMB's portfolio. PVDF offers superior chemical inertness along with excellent pure mechanical properties and is inherently fire retardant. It is widely used in harsh chemical environments like semiconductor fabrication and chemical processing. RMB is now able to process PVDF using the laser sintering process and has rotationally molded this material for decades. For rotational molding, PVDF allows RMB to produce next-generation aerospace parts that can withstand punishing conditions and high temperatures and are suitable for potable water applications, conforming to FDA No. 21 CFR 177.2510.
Specialized expertise expands material possibilities
On the laser sintering side, RMB is rigorously testing materials like polyamides, PEKK, and fluoropolymers to conduct trials for the particle and size and shape distribution that will enable use in printing within 3D equipment. After testing is complete, RMB will issue data sheets containing the primary information related to the conjunction of material properties with the laser sintering process.
For rotational molding, RMB is leveraging its compounding and grinding capabilities to create proprietary formulated resins. Certain additives that supplement base materials allow the company to fine-tune functional properties to meet demanding application requirements.
This materials selection expansion positions RMB at the forefront of material innovation for sectors like aerospace, defense, semiconductors, alternative energy, automotive, and medical devices. The materials will create parts that handle higher temperature ranges or offer greater chemical resistance to harsh substances.
For example, certain additives can push the temperature resistance or suitability from 180° F (82° C) to 220° F (104.4° C), getting closer to the bleed air on an aircraft. The air coming off the engine can be ducted or exhausted out, using high-performance polymer ducting in place of composites or metal ductwork.
Advantages of using these innovative materials include:
- Quick turnaround times
- Higher operating temperature range
- Greater range of chemical resistance
- Reduced costs
- Part-count reduction, eliminating joints, welds, and connection points
The importance of eliminating joints, welds, and connection points
A major advantage of RMB's advanced polymers and manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing and rotational molding, is the ability to consolidate multiple components into a single, jointless part. This is particularly valuable in the aerospace industry, where eliminating secondary operations, subcomponent details, welds, and connection points reduces potential failure points to improve part reliability and durability.
In addition, the process can save weight by replacing heavier, multi-piece metal or composite assemblies with sculptured polymer components, which are lightweight and offer greater design flexibility. Laser sintering makes it possible to fabricate complex internal geometries that would be impossible or extremely costly with traditional manufacturing methods.
A reduced part count also lessens the amount of paperwork or number of certifications normally attached to production. It simplifies assembly without sacrificing performance. For an aerospace or defense contractor, this single aspect of laser sintering with advanced polymers contributes to all the previous bullet points, for lower costs and simplified manufacturing.
Looking ahead
With this expansive portfolio of new advanced polymer materials and manufacturing processes, RMB is opening a world of possibilities for companies across industries. Whether improving product performance through higher temperature capabilities, reducing costs and lead times with additive manufacturing, or developing more sustainable biodegradable material solutions, RMB has the expertise to guide customers in realizing the full potential of these innovative material technologies.
The company invites partners, both current and prospective, to explore how leveraging their new polyamides, polyketones (PEKK, PEEK, and PVDF), and other cutting-edge materials can unlock competitive advantages. With collaborative support from RMB's material science experts, manufacturers can capitalize on opportunities for lightweighting, part consolidation, enhanced chemical resistance, and high-performance product design and production. Contact RMB today to learn more about these expanded materials capabilities.
