Tools and hardware

Plastic materials for power tools, battery packs, chargers and hand tools

Row 1 Power-tool housing (drill, impact driver, grinder)
- GRN-PA6-E310Glass-fiber-reinforced PA6 (GF30, non-flame-retardant)
Row 2 Gearbox housing, motor bracket
- GRN-PA66-E510Halogen-free flame-retardant glass-fiber-reinforced PA66
Row 3 Tool battery-pack case
- GRN-PC-N510Halogen-free flame-retardant PC
Row 5 Switch parts, trigger, direction lever
- GRN-PBT-E510Flame-retardant glass-fiber-reinforced PBT (high CTI)
- GRN-POM-G110General-purpose copolymer POM
Row 6 Plastic gears, clutch parts
- GRN-POM-G110General-purpose copolymer POM

Pain points and material advice

Drops and impact
Pain point
Tools are often dropped on sites, in workshops and in vans. A cracked housing can expose live parts, and a cracked battery pack is a safety risk.
Advice
Use glass-fiber-reinforced PA6 for housings, balancing stiffness and toughness. Use PC or PC/ABS for battery pack housings, and drop test at the actual height and temperature. Run low-temperature impact tests for tools used outdoors in winter.
Candidates
Oil and chemical resistance
Pain point
Engine oil, grease, cleaners and gasoline often get on tools. Some plastics stress-crack or discolor.
Advice
Use PA first for housings in long-term contact with grease. Stress-crack test PC-type battery pack housings with the actual media, and revise the design to reduce internal stress where needed.
Candidates
- GRN-PA6-E510
- GRN-PA66-E510
Heat and flame retardancy
Pain point
High-power motors, battery packs and chargers generate heat. Areas around switches and live parts need heat resistance and flame retardancy.
Advice
For switch housings and parts supporting live parts, use high-CTI flame-retardant reinforced materials and run glow-wire and ball pressure tests as the standard requires. Use halogen-free flame-retardant PC or PC/ABS for charger housings.
Candidates
Grip and overmolding
Pain point
Handles must be non-slip, damp vibration and feel good. An overmold that comes loose affects use and appearance.
Advice
Choose the rigid core and the overmolding compound together. First confirm that the two materials bond, then test bond strength, oil resistance and wear resistance.
Candidates
- Rigid core
- GRN-PA6-E510
- GRN-PCA-H320
- TPE / TPU overmolding compounds: Available as a project-based development
Brand color and appearance
Pain point
Tool brands usually have fixed brand colors. Parts from different batches and materials must match when assembled, and must not fade noticeably in the sun.
Advice
Color match at the compounding stage and control color difference against your color plaque. For outdoor tools, choose weather-resistant grades and test color difference after xenon-arc weathering.
Candidates

Plastic parts for power tools (drills, impact drivers, grinders, saws, garden tools), tool battery packs and chargers, hand tools, measuring tools and toolboxes: housings, battery-pack cases, overmolded handles, switch parts, gears, charger housings, guards and measuring-tool housings.

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Materials in the cordless drill

Example grade / typical values — to be corrected by GREENPOLYMER Typical values. Refer to the actual TDS.

GRN-PA6-E310

Glass-fiber-reinforced PA6 (GF30, non-flame-retardant)

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2 · dry

160–190 MPa
Flexural modulusISO 178 · dry

8.5–10 GPa
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

200–215 °C
Used for
- Power-tool housing (drill, impact driver, grinder)
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Features
Balanced stiffness and toughness, oil and grease resistant
Typical values
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C; dry

10–15 kJ/m²
DensityISO 1183

1.34–1.38 g/cm³
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

HB
Processing
Drying
80 °C, 4–6 h (desiccant dryer); moisture content 0.05–0.2 % recommended
Melt temperature
260–290 °C
Mold temperature
80–100 °C; upper end for a better surface
Why this material
Balance of stiffness and toughness; resistance to oil and dirt; mounting accuracy for motor and gearbox
GRN-PA66-E510

Halogen-free flame-retardant glass-fiber-reinforced PA66

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2 · dry

140–170 MPa
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

V-0
Flexural modulusISO 178

8–10 GPa
Used for
- Gearbox housing, motor bracket
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Features
Stiff, heat-resistant, creep-resistant
Typical values
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

230–250 °C
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C; dry

8–12 kJ/m²
DensityISO 1183

1.45–1.55 g/cm³
Processing
Drying
80 °C, 4–6 h (desiccant dryer); moisture content 0.05–0.2 % recommended
Melt temperature
280–300 °C; do not exceed the TDS upper limit for flame-retardant grades
Mold temperature
80–110 °C
Why this material
Carries motor torque and heat; needs dimensional accuracy
GRN-PC-N510

Halogen-free flame-retardant PC

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2

60–68 MPa
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

V-0
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C

20–50 kJ/m²
Used for
- Tool battery-pack case
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Features
Flame-retardant, impact-resistant, heat-resistant
Typical values
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

115–128 °C
DensityISO 1183

1.20–1.24 g/cm³
Processing
Drying
120 °C, 3–4 h; moisture content ≤ 0.02 % recommended
Melt temperature
280–310 °C; for flame-retardant grades keep within the TDS upper limit
Mold temperature
80–110 °C
Why this material
Dropped often; flame retardancy around the lithium battery; slide rails must be wear resistant
GRN-PBT-E510

Flame-retardant glass-fiber-reinforced PBT (high CTI)

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2

100–130 MPa
Comparative tracking index (CTI)IEC 60112 · design target

≥ 600 V
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

V-0
Used for
- Switch parts, trigger, direction lever
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Features
Flame-retardant, good electrical insulation
Typical values
Flexural modulusISO 178

8–10 GPa
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

200–215 °C
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C

6–10 kJ/m²
DensityISO 1183

1.55–1.70 g/cm³
Processing
Drying
120 °C, 3–4 h (desiccant dryer); moisture content ≤ 0.02 %
Melt temperature
240–270 °C
Mold temperature
60–90 °C; upper end when surface and dimensional stability matter
Why this material
Repeated actuation; wear resistance; live parts inside switch housings
GRN-POM-G110

General-purpose copolymer POM

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2

60–68 MPa
Flexural modulusISO 178

2.4–2.9 GPa
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

90–105 °C
Used for
- Switch parts, trigger, direction lever
- Plastic gears, clutch parts
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Features
Wear-resistant, fatigue-resistant, dimensionally accurate
Typical values
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C

5–8 kJ/m²
DensityISO 1183

1.39–1.42 g/cm³
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

HB
Processing
Drying
Usually not needed; if damp, 80 °C, 2–3 h
Melt temperature
190–210 °C; do not exceed 230 °C
Mold temperature
60–90 °C; upper end for precision parts, for more stable dimensions
Why this material
Switch parts, trigger, direction leverRepeated actuation; wear resistance; live parts inside switch housings
Plastic gears, clutch partsLow noise; self-lubricating; can be injection molded
GRN-PA6-E510

Flame-retardant glass-fiber-reinforced PA6 (GFRPA)

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2 · dry

130–160 MPa
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

V-0
Flexural modulusISO 178

8–10 GPa
Used for
- Overmolded handle, soft grip
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Features
Stiff, flame-retardant
Typical values
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

190–205 °C
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C; dry

8–12 kJ/m²
DensityISO 1183

1.40–1.50 g/cm³
Processing
Drying
80 °C, 4–6 h (desiccant dryer); moisture content 0.05–0.2 % recommended
Melt temperature
260–290 °C
Mold temperature
80–100 °C; upper end for a better surface
Why this material
Non-slip, vibration damping, good feel; two-shot molding
GRN-PC-L110

Transparent PC

Tensile strengthISO 527-1/-2

60–68 MPa
Light transmittanceISO 13468-1 · 3 mm; design target

≥ 88 %
Charpy notched impact strengthISO 179-1/1eA · 23 °C

60–80 kJ/m²
Used for
- Blade and wheel guards
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Features
Light-transmitting, impact-resistant
Typical values
Heat deflection temperatureISO 75-1/-2 · 1.80 MPa

125–135 °C
DensityISO 1183

1.19–1.21 g/cm³
Flammability ratingUL 94 · 1.5 mm; design target, subject to test report

HB
Processing
Drying
120 °C, 3–4 h; moisture content ≤ 0.02 % recommended
Melt temperature
280–310 °C; for flame-retardant grades keep within the TDS upper limit
Mold temperature
80–110 °C
Why this material
Stops debris and blades; some must show the cutting line

Industry overview and trends

Large exports, a changing market
China is one of the main producers and exporters of power tools and hand tools. In 2025, customs exports of "tools for hand or machine use" were about 2.9 million tonnes, up about 11 % on the previous year; export value was about USD 18.3 billion, up about 2 %. Power tool export value fell slightly, by about 2 %, while exports of lawn mowers and other garden tools rose about 32 %.
Export markets are more diverse
In 2025, the share of exports to North America fell markedly, while the share to emerging markets kept rising. Certifications, voltages and plugs differ by market, so one tool often needs several versions.
Cordless and lithium-ion keep advancing
The share of lithium-ion tools in exports is rising. In one major power tool industrial cluster, lithium-ion tools already make up more than 40 % of exports. One battery pack platform covers drills, saws, grinders and garden tools, so volumes of battery pack housings and chargers rise with it.
Regulatory updates
Power tool safety is assessed to the IEC 62841 series. The new EU Machinery Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, applies from 2027-01-20 and replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Exports of lithium-battery tools also involve dangerous-goods transport testing (UN 38.3).

In 2025, China exported about 2.9 million tonnes of hand and machine tools (customs category, about +11 %), worth about USD 18.3 billion (about +2 %). Power-tool export value fell by about 2 %, while lawn-mower exports grew by about 32 %.
Cordless lithium tools keep growing. In one major power-tool cluster, lithium tools are more than 40 % of exports. One battery platform covers drills, saws, grinders and garden tools.

Part-to-material guide

Full list · 12 parts

This table shows common industry practice for first-round selection. The final choice depends on the applicable standards, load analysis and validation results (to be verified by GREENPOLYMER).