Defence industry

Engineering plastic parts for the defence industry

In the defence industry, robust, precise and permanently reliable components are required. We manufacture engineering plastic parts for defence applications that are designed for continuous mechanical load, temperature changes, media resistance and high dimensional accuracy. Depending on the application, these become insulators, guides, housing elements, sliding components, structural parts and other functional components for safety-relevant systems.

Why engineering plastics are used in the defence sector

Plastic components for the defence industry are used wherever low weight, freedom from corrosion, electrical insulation and precise machinability play an important role. Suitable engineering plastics can be adapted to demanding operating conditions in a material-appropriate way and offer advantages for mobile, electronic and mechanically highly loaded systems.

• low weight for mobile and airborne applications
• high resistance to moisture, media and corrosion
• good electrical insulation properties
• precise machinability for functionally critical geometries
• good suitability for components subject to vibration and wear

PEEK as a key material for demanding applications

PEEK is one of the most important high-performance plastics for technical applications with high requirements for temperature resistance, strength, media resistance and dimensional accuracy. PEEK sheets and PEEK cut pieces are suitable for components that must function reliably even under continuous load, temperature changes and demanding environmental conditions.

Particularly in comparison with metallic materials, PEEK offers advantages in weight, corrosion behaviour and machinability. As a result, the material is suitable for lightweight, precise and robust components in mobile systems, sensor technology, electronics and structural applications.

Typical PEEK components in defence systems

• insulators, sliding bushes and bearing shells
• housing rings and functional elements for sensor technology and electronics
• guides, rails and fastening elements
• rotor bushes and functional components for UAV systems
• valve seats, pump components and media-resistant components

Further information on available materials can be found under Plastics and in our PEEK sheets.

Advantages of PEEK over many alternatives

• high structural rigidity at comparatively low mass
• low susceptibility to maintenance and long service life
• precise machinability for technical functional components
• reliable behaviour under vibration, shock and temperature changes
• very good resistance to chemicals and corrosion

PEEK compared with metallic materials

Property	PEEK	Aluminium	Steel
Weight	very low	low	high
Temperature resistance	up to approx. 260 °C	medium	high
Corrosion behaviour	corrosion-free	susceptible to corrosion	susceptible to corrosion
Media resistance	very high	limited	good
Vibration and fatigue resistance	very good	good	good
Machinability	precise, thermally controlled	good	limited
Application advantage	lightweight construction and resistance	lightweight construction	maximum rigidity

Materials for extreme operating conditions

In addition to PEEK, other engineering plastics for the defence industry are used when impact strength, media resistance, temperature stability or electrical insulation are required. Depending on the application, these become components for vehicles, UAV platforms, sensor technology, electronics, communication systems and other safety-relevant systems.

Key requirements here are reproducible material quality, tight tolerances and documented manufacturing to technical specifications.

Requirements for engineering plastic components in the defence sector

• continuous mechanical load capacity
• resistance to extreme climatic conditions
• high electrical insulation properties
• low particle emission for sensitive systems
• precise manufacturing to drawing and tolerance specification

Information on precise manufacturing options can be found under Plastic machining and CNC milled parts.

Typical applications in the defence industry

Our components are used in technical systems where reliability, low weight and precise function are decisive. These include, among others:

• guide elements and sliding components for vehicles
• components for optical, electronic and sensory systems
• structural and functional components for UAV applications
• pump, valve and media-resistant components
• modules for communication and high-temperature systems
• RF and data isolation components

Manufacturing and quality for demanding projects

We support defence projects from material selection through to precise manufacturing. PEEK cut pieces often serve as the basis for prototypes, validation components and series components. Particularly with functionally critical geometries, controlled machining is decisive in order to ensure dimensional accuracy and component function in the long term.

Typical manufacturing-specific requirements

• realistic tolerances depending on geometry and material
• suitable surface qualities for functional surfaces
• thermally controlled machining for demanding materials
• documented manufacturing to drawing and inspection specification
• traceable material and batch information

Services for technical projects

• material and design consultation
• precise cut pieces and CNC components made from engineering plastics
• prototypes and series production
• manufacturing to drawing and dimensional specification
• support with feasibility assessments and technical requirements

If you require engineering plastic parts for the defence industry, we support you with material selection, cutting to size and manufacturing. This is how robust and precise components for demanding technical applications are created.