The components used within defense systems must be designed to handle harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, intense vibrations, chemical exposure, and more, while also adhering to strict military standards. As a leading provider of precision plastic machining services, Advanced Industrial specializes in supplying tight-tolerance, high-performance plastic parts for the defense industry. Our experts are accustomed to precise military specifications and requirements and can provide you with high-quality military-grade parts for any application.

Industry Challenges

Military and defense components must meet a variety of unique specifications to ensure optimal performance in mission-critical situations. When choosing parts for your specific application, there are many challenges to consider, including:

Regulation/Certification

Components used in military vehicles, aircraft, vessels, and other defense systems must adhere to strict standards and regulations, including FAA, DOD, and more. To meet these regulations and maintain the required compliance levels, Advanced Industrial produces machined plastic parts that adhere to Mil-Spec standards.

Demanding Environments

Defense components are used in demanding equipment like aircraft engines, chemical detection devices, landing gear components, targeting and defense sensors, and space and satellite devices. To meet the demands of such equipment, thermoplastics like PEEK and Torlon are used to create strong and lightweight parts that can withstand high temperatures, high pressures, corrosive materials, and other harsh conditions.

Reliability

Reliable parts are crucial in ensuring the success of missions and preventing catastrophic equipment failures. At Advanced Industrial, we work with a range of high-performance materials to ensure reliable, long-lasting performance in defense applications.

Lightweight

Weight is a critical concern for military and defense applications. Using high-performance thermoplastic materials for defense components ensures they will be strong but lightweight, which translates into less fuel consumption and lower operating costs.

Defense Industry Parts/Applications

The use of plastics in the defense industry provides superior results over traditional metals when it comes to weight reduction, corrosion resistance, and more. At Advanced Industrial, our precision plastic machining capabilities include:

• Plastic Parts. We can create a variety of custom plastic parts for the defense industry that meet the necessary requirements for accuracy and performance. 
• Custom Bearings. Our custom bearings are designed for your specific application and offer long-lasting performance in a range of operating conditions. 
• Custom Gears. We offer custom gears made from virtually any plastic material. Our gears offer high levels of precision at a lower price point than other options.

Our custom machined plastic components can be used in various defense applications, including:

• Military Aircraft. Precision machined plastic components for military aircraft are used in the airframe and electrical systems. These parts are strong, lightweight, and protect critical electronics from heat, corrosion, and other damage.
• Ground Vehicles. Advanced plastic components offer corrosion- and wear-resistant alternative to metal bearings, gears, and other parts used in ground vehicles.
• Naval Systems. Plastic parts are naturally resistant to seawater and up to half the weight of traditional metal parts.
• Tactical Communications. Plastic parts provide the flexibility and durability needed to withstand the constant mechanical and environmental stress required by military-grade communication systems.
• Unmanned Systems. High-strength plastics are perfect for parts used in bulkheads, wing spars, and wing rib structures.
• Vision and Targeting Systems. Precise machined plastic components are suitable for light, medium, and heavy weapon applications.
• Radar Systems. The natural weatherproof capabilities of advanced plastics make them perfect for radomes on drones and advanced communication systems. 
• Less than Lethal. Plastic components provide unmatched durability for the continuous use requirements of training systems.
• Missile Defense. At half the weight of aluminum and a quarter of the weight of steel, advanced plastics provide the lightweight strength required for missile defense systems.

Advanced Industrial Materials for Defense

Plastic components provide benefits over metal components in a variety of ways. We offer the following advanced plastics for military and defense components:

• Vespel/Polyimides. A non-melting high-temperature polymer, Vespel provides long-term thermal stability, heat resistance, and good cryogenic properties.
• PEEK. Well suited for hostile environments, PEEK is durable and has a particularly high resistance to chemicals for improved performance and a longer lifespan than most comparable parts.
• Torlon. This material can perform under severe stress conditions at continuous temperatures up to 500° F. Torlon parts provide greater compressive strength and higher impact resistance than most advanced engineering plastics. 
• Acetal. Acetal offers high rigidity, low friction, and good wear resistance in both wet and dry conditions. This material can be machined to very tight tolerances for strong and resilient parts.
• PTFE. Better known as Teflon®, PTFE offers superior electrical resistance, low friction, and a non-stick surface. It also exhibits extremely high chemical and flame resistance.

Defense Parts from Advanced Industrial

Precision machined plastic components offer a variety of crucial benefits over metal for applications in the military and defense industries. Custom plastic parts, bearings, and gears from Advanced Industrial are designed to meet the specific needs of each customer. To learn more about how we can provide high-performance plastic parts for the defense industry, get in touch with our experts today.