FIELD GUIDESOctober 03, 2026

Choose materials

Practical guides for independent inventors. Start with the question closest to your next decision.

Choose materials

How to Choose a Prototype Plastic by Its Likely Failure Mode

Select a prototype plastic using stiffness, impact, heat, creep, environment, and process rather than a vague “strongest material” ranking.

4 min read

Choose materials

Map which conclusions transfer from a printed prototype to molded production and which require production-like samples.

4 min read

Choose materials

Build an outdoor-material exposure checklist and compare exact grades without treating UV resistance as complete weather durability.

4 min read

Choose materials

Interpret HDT without mistaking a laboratory material value for a finished product temperature rating.

4 min read

Choose materials

Diagnose time-dependent loss of grip by distinguishing creep, stress relaxation, geometry, temperature, and material-processing differences.

4 min read

Prepared by Inventor Underground. Examples are illustrative unless a source says otherwise. How these guides are prepared · Send a correction