Editing Flashlight (section)

==Materials==
Early flashlights used [[Vulcanized fibre|vulcanized fiber]] or hard rubber tubes with metal end caps. Many other materials including drawn steel, plated brass, copper, or silver, and even wood and leather have been used.  Modern flashlights are generally made of plastic or aluminum. Plastics range from low-cost [[polystyrene]] and [[polyethylene]] to more complex mixtures of [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS]] or glass-reinforced epoxies.  Some manufacturers have proprietary plastic formulations for their products.<ref>[http://www.energizerlightingproducts.com/technology/materials/Pages/materials.aspx Energizer Flashlight, Headlight and Handheld Light Materials] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129200549/http://www.energizerlightingproducts.com/technology/materials/Pages/materials.aspx |date=2011-11-29 }}. Energizerlightingproducts.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.</ref> A desirable plastic for manufacturing flashlights allows for ease of molding and adequate mechanical properties of the finished flashlight case.  Aluminum, either plain, painted or [[anodization|anodized]], is a popular choice.  It is electrically conductive, can be easily machined, and dissipates heat well. Several standard alloys of aluminum are used. Other metals include [[copper]], [[stainless steel]], and [[titanium]], which can be polished to provide a decorative finish. Zinc can be die-cast into intricate shapes.  Magnesium and its alloys provide strength and heat dissipation similar to aluminum with less weight, but they corrode easily.

Metals may be [[Deep drawing|drawn]] into a tubular shape, or tubular extruded stock can be machined to add threads for the head and tail cap, knurling for grip, and decorative and functional flats or holes in the body. LED flashlights may have cooling fins machined into their metal cases.  Plastics are often [[injection molding|injection molded]] into nearly final shape, requiring only a few more process steps to complete assembly.<ref>James G. Bralla (ed.), ''Handbook of Manufacturing Processes'', Industrial Press Inc., 2007 {{ISBN|0-831 1-3179-9}}  pg. 673</ref>
Metal cases provide better heat dissipation for the LED, but plastics are not electrically conductive and may resist corrosion and wear.