Vacuum Formed Plastics and ABS Plastic Fabrications For Aircraft Cabin Interior Components

Aerospace plastic thermoforming.applications. In addition, new grades engineered to
ABS plastic fabrications can be both injectionbetter meet the needs of existing ABS applications
mouldings and plastic extrusions. High definitionfrequently replace other ABS grades. ABS alloy
components plastic thermoforming is often in ABS, antechnology is increasingly being used to develop
excellent choice for for use in alloys and blends.applications that were previously thought to be
Their unabbreviated name isinaccessible, like various gears and impellers.
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrenes. Medium-impactVacuum formed plastics that are competitive
grades are used in videocassettes, televisions, andmaterials.
audiovisual equipment. Computer housings, modems,There are resins that compete with ABS and can be
office systems equipment, and microfloppy disks aregrouped by performance. For the high-impact grades
made with medium and high-impact grades,of ABS, PC and filled polypropylene (PP) are
flame-retardant grades, and ABS-PVC and ABS-PCcandidate competitors. Modified polyphenylene oxide
alloys.(PPO) competes in the high-heat and high-impact
In recreational vehicles, high-impact grades meetareas. Aerospace acrylics compete with standard
engineering requirements for dimensional stability,ABS grades because of their excellent appearance,
creep resistance, modulus, and strength, forand it competes with clear ABS because of its
applications such as countertops, sinks, and tubexcellent clarity and good color. High-impact
surrounds. Flame-retardant grades and ABS PVCpolystyrene (HIPS) has excellent processibility and
alloys are used in roof-mounted air conditioning unitcompetes with the lower impact end of the ABS
shrouds when warranted by electrical requirements.spectrum, although it is very deficient in chemical
These qualities do make ABS suitable in aircraft.resistance and appearance. In fact, none of these
Technical thermoforming produces aircraft seatresins offers the overall balance of properties found
components and cabin interior components toin the ABS family for vacuum formed plastics and
FAR-JAR-OSU specifications.high definition components.
Important factors in these applications are abuseFamily Characteristics
resistance, retention of properties at lowCompared to many other engineering thermoplastics,
temperatures, and chemical resistance. There is also aABS offers superior processibility and appearance as
use of extrusion grades in thermoformed sheetwell as low cost, along with a good balance of
applications such as hot tubs and spas and basins.engineering properties, including low creep, good
New ABS aerospace grades are continually beingdimensional stability, and high strength and rigidity.
developed to meet the needs of emerging