Acronym and details: also referred to as polyoxymethylene (POM) and polyformaldehyde
Group: thermoplastic
Developed: 1957
Trade names: Delrin; Kematal
Manufacturing process: extrusion; injection moulding
Cost: medium
Colour: naturally white, but any
Transparency: translucent to opaque
Rigidity: always rigid
Feel: hard
Smell: none
Other: strong; recognised as the first ‘engineering’ plastic
Typical uses: gear wheels and mechanisms; disposable lighters; bathroom taps; plectra and guitar picks
Degradation: stable