HDPE vs LDPE plastic
Posted on 20/01/2016 | Leave a comment
We often get asked here at Vital Parts, ‘What are the differences between a HDPE plastic and an LDPE plastic? ‘
Of course, there are a number of differences between the two types of plastics and choosing between the two is often something that comes down to personal preference as well as what the specific use of the part is going to be, other factors such as budget and functionality can also play a large part in whether you choose HDPE or LDPE as your plastic of choice, but what are the main differences between the two? And is one actually better than the other?
Well, firstly lets have an overview of the two types of plastics, what they actually mean and what some of their properties are;
High Density PolyEthylene – HDPE is a higher density, more rigid type of plastic that is more widely used than LDPE due to its strong, yet lightweight properties which make it ideal for products such as hard hats and carrying containers. It also has great impact strength due to its high density properties meaning its a lot less likely to break if dropped or thrown making it the material of choice for items that need to be rugged and strong, yet lightweight at the same time. HDPE also has a number of other good properties such as weather resistance, mould resistance, chemical resistance, crack resistance and is widely recyclable making it an environmentally friendly solution.
Angled chair feet
All of our Angled Chair feet are manufactured using an LDPE plastic.
Low Density PolyEthylene – LDPE is a more flexible form of plastic than HDPE, although it has a lot of great properties which make it an overall great solution for many different types of products. At Vital Parts we use LDPE to make most of our tube inserts as it provides a strong, durable solution and a clean finish, but it also allows for ribbing on the inner section which provides stability and keeps the application in place when in use. LDPE it is more widely used for items such as carrier bags, lightweight containers and tubing due to its lightweight and cost effective properties. It also has a number of good resistive properties such as chemical resistance, stress resistance and crack and impact resistance which again, makes it ideal for use for things that will often be coming in to contact with an application, providing a durable, long lasting solution.
Which plastic is better?
Now we’ve got a good idea of the properties of both LDPE and HDPE plastics we can begin to understand which one would be best choice for certain applications, for example if you’re looking for something to last a long time, not break easily when dropped and be able to withstand a lot of weight, then the best option would be to go for a HDPE plastic. On the other hand if you’re looking for something that is durable, but needs to be able to fit into an application tightly, then an LDPE plastic is going to be the better option as it is less rigid and is able to be ribbed to provide a tight seal.
Therefore it is important to understand the properties you require of a specific part/product when looking at choosing the ideal material as there are a lot of factors that need to be took into account to ensure a solid product, some of the factors you will need to take in to consideration are;
Strength of the item
Flexibility
Overall costing
Resistant properties (Chemical, heat, weather etc)
Weight
Once you have took in to account what properties you need for your product then you should have a good idea of whether HDPE is the better choice, or whether LDPE would work better for the specific application. Overall there is no ‘better’ choice between the two types of plastics as both have their place in the market based on their properties, although for specific applications a harder or softer plastic may be required which can aid in your decision along with price, strength, flexibility etc.
If you are looking for custom moulding services and are looking to get a custom part created then please check out our services page to see how we can help you and your business get off the ground today.
Visit the Vital Parts Ltd website for more information on HDPE VS LDPE Plastic