Which materials should I use?
Developing an innovative product that doesn't exist yet is not an easy task. During the development process, stumble blocks emerge. Our team took the time to explain what option you have when it comes to material selection.
Let's talk about what materials to use!
Our advice when it comes to selecting materials for your product
Material selection is always a very delicate issue. Some people think that you can solve all technical problems or challenges with a product by choosing a very exotic material. Often, it is more a trade-off between the technical properties of the material. But you also have to consider the cost and delivery time and how your suppliers can work with that material. Those are all things to keep in mind. There is no ideal material for a product. And in 90% of cases, there is not one ideal material.
At Comate, we created a material selection guide that provides the required information, so that you don't have to be an expert in a specific production technique. The point is that everyone has a good starting point of what the suitable material should be, where to go, and what meets the most number of tick marks.
It’s a must to talk to suppliers and tell them about the problem you are facing and the materials you were thinking about. That way, you can ask if your supplier also had these materials in mind. They are the best to guide you in what the availability is and what you can do with it technically, to make the product. Also other small things that you may not have thought of yourself will likely come up.
Very often, they can point you in the right direction. And sometimes, with the right finishing touches, a very cheap material can be turned into a solid material that is ideal for your application.
Another tip is to talk to the people who have a specific material in their hands every day, especially for the production technique or application you have in mind. Then, try to make the right healthy choice, especially today, where material selection and delivery times cause significant problems.
We hope these tips & tricks will help you get a better idea of how to make a material decision!
If you’re in need of a good partner, we can always help you figure this out for your project. Interested? Let’s plan a quick meeting to talk this through!