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Lighter. Cheaper. Quieter.
Often stronger.
Almost always faster to market.

Modern engineering plastics — glass-filled nylons, polycarbonate alloys, high-temp
polysulfones — match or exceed the strength-to-weight performance of cast
aluminum, stamped steel, and machined zinc in a wide range of applications. We
help you redesign, validate, and re-source the part.

01When it makes sense

Five conditions where conversion

pays.

— Weight reduction is on your spec sheet.

Drone, aerospace, mobile equipment, automotive aftermarket — every gram saved compounds across the system

— The metal version is over-engineered for its actual load case.

Many parts inherit "metal" from legacy design, not because metal is required

— You're paying for secondary work.

Machining, deburring, painting, anodizing, or coating that an as-molded plastic part skips entirely

— Corrosion or galvanic issues plague the metal version.

Plastic doesn't rust, doesn't pit, doesn't conduct, and doesn't react with what's around it

— Volumes are above ~5,000 units annually.

The tooling investment amortizes; piece price drops below the metal alternative

02How we approach it

A four-phase path. 8 to 14 weeks.

Most conversion projects move from first conversation to first production parts in this window. Faster is possible when the part is small or simple.

Free 30-minute design review

Bring us the original metal print, sample, or both. Our engineers review the part, discuss the load case, and tell you whether conversion is realistic. If it isn't, we'll say so on the call.

Moldflow analysis & resin recommendation

Once conversion looks viable, we run Moldflow on the candidate geometry and resin. Output: a documented recommendation with stress analysis, fill simulation, and trade-off discussion.

Prototype tool and part validation

Soft tooling for 50–500 prototype parts. You validate function, fit, and field performance. We refine the design based on what you learn.

Production tooling and run

Hard tooling sized to your actual annual volume. First-article inspection, dimensional sign-off, and into the rotation.

03What you can expect

The actual trade-offs.

What gets better

Weight: typical 50–70% reduction

Piece cost at scale: 20–60% reduction

Cycle time: net positive (no secondary ops)

Corrosion resistance: full elimination

Acoustic damping: improved

Design freedom: integrated features, undercuts, snap-fits

What you give up

Up-front tooling investment

Maximum operating temperature in some grades

UV degradation in unstabilized resins

Regulatory re-qualification in some industries

Some specific load cases (high-cycle fatigue, extreme abrasion)

04Resins we use most

The toolkit for replacing metal.

33% glass-filled nylon 6/6

— the closest plastic equivalent to die-cast aluminum for many structural parts

Long-glass-fiber nylon

— for parts replacing stamped steel where impact resistance matters

Polycarbonate

— for cosmetic and impact-critical parts replacing thin metal stampings

PEEK and high-temp polymers

— when the application sees 200°C+ continuous service

Polysulfone

— for parts requiring repeated steam sterilization

Acetal (POM)

— for low-friction mechanical parts replacing machined zinc or brass

Got a metal part that's costing
too much?

Send us the print and a sample. The 30-minute design review is free,
and we'll tell you in plain English whether conversion is worth your time.

Submit a Re-engineering Request → Schedule the 30-Minute Review

MAPModern Alpha Plastics

Engineer-led custom injection molding in the heart of America. Since 1965.

7200 NE Birmingham Rd.

Randolph, MO 64161

816.796.3800 · fax 816.796.8555

Anthony@modernalphaplastics.com

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Lighter. Cheaper. Quieter.Often stronger.Almost always faster to market.