Numbers (leave blank for no limit)
Other properties
How matching works
“Typical grades meet it” means the resin’s whole typical range passes your limit, “Some grades reach it” means only part of the range does, and “No data” means no value is listed, which never counts as a match, so those resins are hidden until you show them. “No break” means the notched Izod bar does not break, so it meets any minimum Izod limit and fails any maximum. Each badge checks one property at a time, so with two or more “some grades” limits, one grade may not meet all of them together: properties trade off, and impact-modified grades, for example, lose stiffness and heat resistance. Ask a chemist which grade meets them all.
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Typical ranges for general-purpose grades, dry as molded, from producers’ published data sheets (ASTM methods where published, otherwise ISO; tensile at yield, or at break for glass-filled, brittle and rubbery resins; notched Izod on 3.2 mm bars; HDT at 1.80 MPa (ISO 75) / 264 psi (ASTM D648)). Your limits are converted exactly to metric and compared with the metric data, allowing only half of the last digit the U.S. table shows (converted columns only), so the same limit gives the same list in either unit system and a number copied from the table gives the same badge. “No data” means no typical value is listed: the property is not usually reported for that resin (HMW-HDPE, UHMW-PE and TPU data sheets, for example, give Charpy or tensile impact rather than notched Izod). PFA, FEP and ETFE bars do not break in the notched Izod test (Chemours Teflon and Tefzel handbooks), so they show “No break”, meet any minimum Izod limit and fail any maximum. EVA has no 1.8 MPa HDT on producer data sheets and melts at about 85–87°C, so it fails any HDT minimum of 85°C (185°F) or more. PLA heat deflection is reported at 0.45 MPa, so it is never used for the 1.8 MPa filter. PVDF heat deflection (105–115°C) is for homopolymer grades; copolymers run lower. Clarity, outdoor/UV, chemical resistance and drying levels are read from the short ratings shown in the resin comparison tool; chemical resistance is an overall rating, so check the chemicals named in the table. A good chemical rating whose own words say fuels, oils or hydrocarbons swell or attack the resin counts as “some grades”, and so does a clarity rating that holds only in thin sections or film. Every outdoor rating starts with one word from one scale: Good (standard grades hold up outdoors) meets the filter; Fair (needs a UV-stabilized, black or other outdoor grade, or changes color or surface outdoors) counts as “some grades”; Poor (yellows, turns brittle or loses impact with no outdoor grade named, or is not made for long outdoor service) fails. The words after the rating say why.
The only PET row here is PET, 30% glass. Unfilled bottle, sheet and fiber PET is not in this table yet; see PET and PBT or PET grades by IV.
Looking for a rubber-like material (TPV, TPE, TPU, silicone, EPDM)? They are rated by hardness, compression set and service temperature, so several cells here show “No data”. See TPV compared with TPE, TPU, silicone, PVC and EPDM.
How to use typical values
Use the finder to build a short list, not to approve a grade.
- Start loose. Set only the limits the part truly needs, such as heat deflection or impact, then add more.
- Read the badge. “Typical grades meet it” means general-purpose grades of that resin pass. “Some grades reach it” means you need a particular grade, often a filled, impact-modified or heat-stabilized one.
- Check the test conditions. Values are dry as molded, at the conditions in each column header. Nylon conditioned at normal humidity is less stiff and tougher than these values. ISO results can differ from ASTM results.
- Humid plant? Water absorption is a 24-hour immersion value. For dimensional stability, compare saturation or 50% RH values on the grade data sheet, and use the Drying filter to avoid moisture-critical resins.
- Confirm on the grade data sheet. Before you mold, get the data sheet for the exact grade and the lot COA.
Narrowed it to a few? Compare up to six resins side by side, or send the list to a polymer chemist.
Common questions
Why does the finder show ranges instead of single values?
Each resin family covers many grades. The range spans typical general-purpose grades from producers’ published data sheets, so one number would hide how much grades differ. The finder uses the low and high ends of each range to decide whether typical grades meet your limit or only some grades do.
What is the difference between a typical value and a grade value?
A typical value describes the resin family. A grade value comes from the data sheet for one product, such as one nylon 66 with 30% glass. Grades sit anywhere in the typical range or outside it, depending on molecular weight, fillers, impact modifiers and additives. Typical values are not specifications.
Which test conditions do the values use?
ASTM methods where published, otherwise ISO, on dry-as-molded specimens: heat deflection at 1.80 MPa (ISO 75) or 264 psi (ASTM D648), notched Izod on 3.2 mm bars, tensile strength at yield (or at break for glass-filled, brittle and rubbery resins) and 24-hour water absorption. PLA heat deflection is published at 0.45 MPa, so the finder shows it as a note and never uses it for the 1.8 MPa filter. A notched Izod bar that does not break is shown as No break, meets any minimum Izod limit and fails any maximum. ASTM and ISO results for the same property often differ.
Why is there no FDA, NSF or UL filter?
Compliance and listings belong to individual grades, and sometimes to a specific color, not to a resin family. One family can include food-contact grades and grades that are not, so a family-level filter would mislead. Pick the grade first, then check the producer’s current compliance statement or the UL listing for that exact grade.
Why can’t I filter by flammability, elongation or service temperature, and why is a resin missing?
The finder filters on the seven numeric properties in the dataset, which most data sheets report on a common test basis. UL 94 ratings and RTI belong to individual grades and colors, so ask a chemist for grades with the listing or rating you need. The finder covers 51 resin families; common materials not yet listed include unfilled bottle PET, clarified PP, PETG copolyester, transparent nylon, glass-filled PP, PC/PBT and PPSU. Ask a chemist if your part might suit one.
How do I get a grade recommendation?
Tap Ask a chemist which grade fits. Your filters and the resins that matched go into the request, and you add what the part has to do. A polymer chemist reviews every request, and we aim to quote within 1–3 business days.
Sources
The values are the same typical ranges as the resin comparison tool, from the free resin properties dataset (CSV, CC BY 4.0), compiled from producers’ published data sheets for general-purpose grades. They are not specifications. See how we check our data.
Found a short list?
Send the resins that passed and what the part has to do, and a polymer chemist recommends a grade and quotes it.
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