Can Plastic Replace Metal Parts in Industrial Equipment? What You Need to Know

Can Plastic Replace Metal Parts in Industrial Equipment? What You Need to Know

Industries across the Midwest and beyond are rethinking how their equipment is built. Many parts that used to be machined from metal can now be manufactured from high-performance plastics that are lighter, stronger than expected, and far more resistant to corrosion and wear.

This shift is happening in agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, packaging, conveying, material handling, and OEM equipment production. And for many operations, switching from metal to plastic has led to fewer maintenance issues, lower costs, and longer equipment life.

Here is a simple guide that explains why plastic parts are replacing metal, which materials work best, and how Midland helps companies make the transition with confidence.

Why Replace Metal Parts With Plastic?

• Weight Reduction
  Plastic components are significantly lighter than metal. Lighter parts can reduce strain on motors, improve efficiency, and make equipment easier to handle during installation or maintenance.

• Corrosion Resistance
  Metal rusts. Plastics do not.
  This difference alone is why so many food processors, chemical manufacturers, and agricultural operations are converting brackets, guards, housings, and machine components to plastic.

• Lower Maintenance Costs
  Plastic parts often last longer in environments where moisture, chemicals, abrasion, or cleaning procedures wear metal out quickly. Less maintenance means fewer shutdowns and lower replacement costs.

• Quieter Operation
  Plastics absorb vibration and reduce noise levels. This is especially valuable in conveyors, packaging lines, and automation systems.

• Easier Fabrication and Customization
  Many plastics can be machined, thermoformed, welded, bonded, routed, or cut with impressive precision. This makes it possible to redesign parts for improved performance or address issues that metal fabrication could not fix.

• Better Appearance and Long-Term Wear
  Many plastic parts can be produced in custom colors that run through the entire sheet, so scratches and abrasion are far less visible than with painted metal. When a painted metal part is scratched, it loses its protective coating, exposing bare metal beneath, which accelerates rust and wear. A plastic part maintains its appearance and protection because the material is consistent throughout.

What Types of Plastic Can Replace Metal?

Different applications call for various properties. Here are some of the most common choices.

• Acetal (Delrin): Good dimensional stability and strength. Often used for gears, rollers, pulleys, and precision parts.
• Polycarbonate: High impact strength and clarity. Works well for machine guards and safety enclosures.
• ABS: Strong, rugged, and cost-effective. An excellent option for housings and formed components.
• Polypropylene: Resists chemicals and moisture. Common in industrial and laboratory environments.
• Polyethylene (PE): A durable, lightweight, and chemically resistant family of plastics used across a wide range of industrial applications.
• HDPE: Exceptional chemical resistance. Lightweight. Ideal for food processing parts and tanks.
• UHMW: Ultra-low friction and excellent wear resistance. A top choice for conveyor and material handling components.
• PVC: Affordable, corrosion-resistant, and widely used in fluid handling systems.

Midland helps customers compare materials based on mechanical strength, temperature needs, chemical exposure, weight, and cost so they choose the right solution from the start.

What Metal Parts Are Commonly Converted to Plastic?

Here are examples of parts that frequently transition from metal to plastic due to durability, cost, or environmental considerations.

• Machine guards
• Conveyor wear strips and guides
• Rollers and pulleys
• Bushings and bearings
• Covers, housings, and panels
• Brackets and supports
• Funnels, chutes, and trays
• Agricultural sprayer components
• Chemical handling parts
• Food processing fixtures

In many cases, plastic parts outperform their metal counterparts, especially in environments with moisture or chemicals.

How Midland Helps Companies Transition From Metal to Plastic

Switching materials isn’t guesswork. Midland’s team helps companies understand what will work, what won’t, and how to design parts that last.

1. Application Review
   We look at load requirements, temperature, environmental exposure, wear points, and cleaning processes to understand how the part is used in real conditions.
2. Material Selection
   We match the right plastic to the application. Sometimes that means UHMW for abrasion, sometimes acetal for precision, and sometimes HDPE for moisture resistance. Each choice is tailored to the customer’s equipment.
3. Prototyping and Redesign
   If needed, Midland can adjust the design to improve performance, reduce weight, simplify machining, or streamline fabrication.
4. Fabrication and Thermoforming
   With a full range of cutting, routing, forming, machining, and bonding capabilities, Midland produces accurate, reliable parts whether the order is a small batch or ongoing production.
5. Long-Term Support
   Customers often return to convert additional parts after seeing how well the first replacement performs.

When Metal to Plastic Conversion Makes Sense

A plastic replacement is usually the better choice when any of the following are true:

• The metal part is consistently rusting or wearing out.
• The part is exposed to moisture or chemicals.
• The equipment needs to run quietly or smoothly.
• Labor and maintenance time are driving costs up.
• The metal part is unnecessarily heavy.
• You need fast turnaround or low-volume production.

If a part needs extreme heat resistance or must carry heavy structural loads, metal may still be required. Midland helps determine whether plastic is suitable so that customers can move forward with clarity.

Thinking About Replacing a Metal Part? We Can Help.

If you are exploring whether a metal part on your equipment can be redesigned in plastic, Midland can guide you through material selection, manufacturing options, and cost savings. Please request a quote, and our team of engineers will be in touch.