Considerable amount of time is spent by the engineering community in selecting the right material for a particular application only to discover that the material is not available for low volume applications. This presentation will discuss recent developments in advanced engineering thermoplastic materials, what is available in standard mill shapes for machining, effects of processing on properties, and the proper way to specify these materials. Materials to be presented can be used in a wide range of environmental and temperature extremes, have high strength to weight ratios, and are used in a variety of aerospace and defense applications. Several comparative charts will presented and are available. These include comparative Dynamic Modulus Charts (DMA), Creep Curves, and Thermal Expansion Graphs.

Mr. Hilblom is currently the North American Aerospace Market Specialist with Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products, the global leader in engineering plastic stock shapes for machining. His primary focus within Quadrant is working with the key engineers within the Aerospace and Defense Markets to assist in the specification of plastic materials. He also spends much of his time in the Wind and Photovoltaic Energy Markets as well. Prior to Quadrant, Rick was Sales Manager for what is now Saint Gobain Composites in Ravenna, Ohio.

A member of the High Desert Chapter of SAMPE, he has over 30 years experience in the design of polymer based components and the processing of polymers, . He is a 1974 graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and received his MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, 1987.

Within the Aerospace and Defense Industry, volumes are typically small and because of size and part configuration, most advanced materials are machined rather than molded due to cost. Also, not all materials offered by the resin suppliers are offered as basic mill shapes. Richards presentation is aimed at giving the Design and Material Engineers an understanding of Selection and Specification of Advanced Engineering Plastic materials for machining.