When the Resin You Need No Longer Exists—Here’s What to Do
Materials have come a long way since the first Bakelite resin was developed by Leo Baekeland in 1907. Over the decades, plastic resins have improved in strength, heat resistance, chemical stability, and versatility. But with progress also comes change—and in some cases, obsolescence.
A resin becomes obsolete when it’s no longer manufactured. This can happen for several reasons: company mergers and consolidations, changes in regulatory requirements, or shifts in manufacturing priorities and material demand. And while the resin may disappear from the marketplace, its callout often remains on legacy engineering blueprints—especially in aerospace and defense applications.
The Problem with Obsolete Callouts
When the specified resin is no longer available, production can come to a standstill. It becomes nearly impossible to meet print requirements, even if a comparable material exists. Engineers and buyers are left scrambling to find solutions, often while trying to meet tight deadlines or maintain mission-critical supply chains.
This challenge is particularly common in industries where part qualification, testing, and documentation are rigorous—such as aerospace, military, and medical manufacturing. Changing a resin isn’t just a sourcing issue—it may require testing, regulatory reviews, and drawing updates, all of which add time and complexity to the project.
How Action Mold Solves Obsolete Resin Issues
At Action Plastic Injection Molding (Action Mold & Tool), we’ve spent decades cultivating strong partnerships with resin suppliers and custom compounders. This allows us to do more than just search for alternatives—we help strategically source, test, and qualify new materials that meet both functional and documentation requirements.
We also work closely with our customers to educate their clients or end users when a legacy callout must be updated. This process may involve prototype testing, side-by-side material comparisons, and formal documentation to support design changes. It’s not always easy—but with the right support, it’s possible.
The Goal: Material Availability + Print Compliance
Ultimately, the goal is simple: identify a resin that meets the performance needs of the part, satisfies drawing requirements, and can be ordered reliably today—and tomorrow.
If you’re facing challenges with discontinued resins or obsolete material specs, we’re here to help.
Call us at (714) 978-0333 to start the conversation.
Also read: How to Choose the Right Resin for Injection Molding Success