On any given day, our military faces a variety of harsh environments, from marine to tropical to desert to tundra. They also encounter situations that put their equipment through the wringer, exposing it to moisture, dirt, impact, pressure changes, chemicals, and more. The equipment and gear they rely on has to be able to perform in these conditions without failure or compromise. Increasingly, plastic materials are being chosen for the task, but finding the right material that meets all military specifications requires experience and knowledge in both plastic and military specifications.
There are numerous DoD (Department of Defense) military specifications for plastic materials, with MIL-PRF-5425 E detailing federal mandates in regard to optical quality, heat resistance, and transparency. The American Society Testing and Materials (ASTM) has at least 10 different test method requirements, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) can also apply their standardization agreements (STANAG), and Underwriters Laboratories enforce nine military ammunition-specific protection levels under UL 752.
Finding a military-grade plastic that complies with all of these regulations and performs well for your application requires the assistance of an experienced military plastics manufacturer, such as Reading Plastic Machining & Fabrication.
Selecting the right material often resembles a delicate balancing act. The plastic’s mechanical and machining properties must be weighed against cost, mission-critical safety needs, and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms) regulations. An experienced military plastic parts supplier finds this balance by relying of their extensive knowledge of:
At Reading Plastic we are extremely knowledgeable about plastic military specifications, having machined parts for every branch of the armed forces. If you have a metal part that needs to be converted to plastic, or need a ready source of spare parts, call us today at 610-926-3245.
