Plastic material hardness comparison table (Shore hardness)
Shore hardness is a commonly used indicator for measuring the hardness of plastics. It is mainly divided into two scales: Shore A (Shore A) and Shore D (Shore D). Among them, Shore A is suitable for soft and elastic materials.
Shaw's D is suitable for hard and rigid materials.
The following are the hardness parameters and application instructions for commonly used plastics in the injection molding industry. The data are all based on the test values from industry standards (at a temperature of 23℃ and a humidity of 50%).
| Plastic Material Name | English Abbreviation | Shore Hardness Scale | Hardness Range | Typical Application Scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Density Polyethylene | LDPE | Shore D | 40-50 | Plastic films, bottle caps, soft products |
| High Density Polyethylene | HDPE | Shore D | 55-65 | Turnover boxes, trash cans, pipes |
| Polypropylene | PP | Shore D | 50-70 | Home appliance shells, automotive bumpers |
| Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride | PVC (Soft) | Shore A | 60-90 | Sealing strips, hoses, toys |
| Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride | PVC (Rigid) | Shore D | 60-80 | Door and window profiles, pipes, plates |
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Copolymer | ABS | Shore D | 60-85 | Electronic product shells, automotive parts |
| Polycarbonate | PC | Shore D | 70-80 | Optical lenses, safety helmets, containers |
| Nylon 6 | PA6 | Shore D | 75-85 | Gears, bearings, automotive components |
| Nylon 66 | PA66 | Shore D | 78-90 | High-strength mechanical parts, textiles |
| Polyoxymethylene | POM | Shore D | 80-90 | Gears, valves, precision machinery parts |
| Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomer | TPU | Shore A/Shore D | 60A-80D | Sneaker soles, seals, hoses |
| Polystyrene | PS | Shore D | 70-80 | Stationery, home appliance shells, transparent products |
Important Notice
The hardness of the same type of plastic is affected by the formulation. For instance, the addition of plasticizers will reduce the hardness, while the addition of glass fiber reinforcing agents will increase the hardness. The table above shows the base hardness of the unmodified and unmodified material.
The test conditions have a significant impact on the results. An increase in temperature will cause the hardness of the plastic to decrease. Therefore, in practical applications, the material selection should be based on the actual ambient temperature.
The values of the Shaoji A and Shaoji D scales cannot be directly compared. For instance, the material hardness of Shaoji A 90 is much lower than that of Shaoji D 60.
