Military & Defense
Protecting our nation and supporting our global allies is a complex and multilayered challenge. At the most basic logistical level, there’s a constant need to design, develop, innovate, and iterate within the defense sector. The United States military sets the bar for what the armed forces need — weapons, vehicles, gear, and other materials. It’s up to defense industry companies to deliver on those contracts to arm and equip our troops.
Injection molding plays a pivotal role in that work. So what does this process — common in the consumer goods sector — have to do with defense?
U.S. Defense Contractors Face Challenging Requirements
The defense industry isn’t only about making security products such as firearms or guided missiles. The military requires a vast array of other equipment, from mundane spare parts to highly specialized gear such as night-vision goggles. All these products must meet strict quality standards, as the life of its eventual user may depend on an item’s ability to withstand harsh battlefield conditions or heavy-duty use.
At the same time, there’s a pressing need to meet tight budgetary controls and deliver defense products in massive quantities. These aspects remain true across the industry, from defensive aerospace manufacturing to producing a soldier’s wearable kit. As a highly mature and developed technology, the injection molding process is a perfect fit. Let’s discuss why that is.
Benefits of Plastic Injection Molding in the Military & Defense or Aerospace Industry
First among the benefits of this process for defense is the material used. Plastic is a highly versatile material suitable for many hazardous environments including high heat and corrosive chemicals. Those attributes are essential in military applications where a soldier or piece of equipment must operate in any temperature, from arctic cold to desert heat, or locale, be it a humid tropical setting or persistent saltwater environment of Navy operations.
Another benefit is that the lightweight nature of many plastics makes them an excellent choice in an industry where weight reduction is always desired. Less weight means less fatigue for a soldier carrying gear, less fuel burned in military vehicles, and increased portability overall. These operational demands command proper management and high attention from military leadership. Saving even a few pounds on a vehicle or a human-portable weapons system could make a difference on the battlefield. Today, it’s possible to transition many metal parts to plastic without sacrificing durability or reusability — a critical factor in military industry applications.
The manufacturing process is also an advantage for military applications. Once you’ve invested in designing and creating injection mold tooling, you can use the same hardware to produce vast quantities of parts — enough to meet the extensive fulfillment demands of government contracts.
Repeatability is a critical advantage to contractors who must meet tolerance requirements beyond those even civilian aerospace companies may need to achieve. Injection molding allows for rapid part production, but it does so without compromising part quality. With a well-maintained mold and experienced machine operation, the first part should be identical to the 10,000th and beyond. It’s not only the U.S. military that relies on these parts, but all our allies who also train and use systems and gear developed and manufactured in America. Exceptional quality is essential — it could protect a life.
Where Plastic Parts Find a Home in Defense Products
Imagine a possible use for plastic in the military and it’s likely already in a real-world application. The versatility of plastic means it can form everything from tiny components of a sub-assembly to an entire aerospace defense industry product. As a result, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of use cases in the military right now. Military-connected agencies such as DARPA or the Space Force continue looking for ways to take ultra-strong plastics and place them into new, cutting-edge products.
Some of the current most common uses of plastics in the military:
- Ration packaging components, potable water containers, and eating utensils.
- Communications components for aviation headsets, field radios, and more.
- Fasteners, connectors, brackets, braces, latches, and other essential hardware.
- Firearm components including grips, stocks, magazines, triggers, and optical sight parts.
- Seals, insulation, and bushings for internal components of advanced hardware such as guided missiles or tanks.
- Replacements for metal ball bearings.
- Aircraft cockpits, seating components, and armor.
The proper plastics manufacturer can support contractors in acquiring all these parts in alignment with MIL-SPEC standards defined by military leadership.