Metal To Plastic

[billymac]

For my uni course I have to design something in plastic that is usually metal and not already been done, any ideas PLEASE would be fantastic.

[shoota]

There's another idea: nutcrackers.

[TonyV]

Was going to say about temperature range. Long time ago had to redesign Sherpa door handle made from ABS that had to many stress raisers in and lo and behold starting fracturing in cold weather

[Dizmo]

shoota: What sort of nuts? suitable for vegetarian nuts or the male variety?

[shoota]

I was going to say edible nuts, but I suppose that could apply to both....

Seed nuts.;-)

[Dizmo]

There was a very large 'gulp' then just thinking about someone using any type of cracker on my nuts, plaster or otherwise.

[Clanad]

Although some are manufactured using carbon fibre no airplane propellers for engines above 180 horsepower have been designed and built from plastic… as yet...

[shoota]

Are there fire resistant plastics these days? - a poker...

[Khandro]

slapshot; //Carbon bikes are de riguer now// The framesets maybe, but most other parts are metal , what about plastic wheels? and it's high time to get rid of that prehistoric chain and replace it with a shaft drive which might also be in plastic?
I envisage a bike which is very light, and foldable to fit into of a brief case.

[bhg481]

How about a vacuum flask - they used to be metal with a double-walled glass inside, then the inside became stainless steel. Surely a plastic flask with a plastic inside could be designed which would have better insulating properties than stainless steel and just as robust.

[billymac]

Thankyou everybody

[shoota]

Weathervane

[bhg481]

Methyl - how does the plastic vacuum flask perform compared to the stainless steel ones? I've never seen a plastic one and it sounds like it should be better insulated.

[Dizmo]

I'm gutted by the best answer :/ sorry Calibax.

Plastic keys have been formed on 3D printers for years. People use them to break into houses after taking scaled photographs of the original set. PLA/ABS isn't really suitable but either way it is something that has been done and at a very high success rate for criminals.

Search 'plastic bump keys' on google and you'll find what I'm talking about. Right I'm off.

Regards,
MrJealous :)

[Calibax]

Mine was just a casual suggestion and I certainly did not expect best answer. I'm more than happy to relinquish it in your favour Dizmo :o)

[vinginge]

A lawnmower - even if it's just a push one. It would be so easy to lift such a lightweight machine onto my elevated back lawn. Good Luck if you choose to accept this task.

[Dizmo]

methyl: The knife edge would have to be on the fork side without the spoon. You can't eat soup with a spork. Yet if you need to use the fork for something else you still might end up cutting yourself on the knife edge.

[Dizmo]

If that's the case then they already make them out of titanium.