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Introduction
This article contains everything you need to know about plastic fabrication. In this article, you will learn more about topics such as:
What is plastic fabrication?
Plastic fabrication methods
Plastic fabrication finishing processes
And Much More...
Chapter 1: What is Plastic Fabrication
Plastic fabrication is the process of designing, manufacturing, and assembling a product made out of plastic material or composites that contain plastic. There are numerous plastic fabrication methods known today, considering the wide variety of products made out of plastic. Each method is suitable for the fabrication of certain designs because of its unique advantages and disadvantages. Today, plastic fabrication is quite popular among manufacturers because of its two main properties, i.e., malleability and cost-effectiveness. These two properties make it versatile and durable for a wide range of products spread over various industries.
Plastic is divided into two main categories; thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics. These two categories are defined based on their capabilities of being able to mold into desired shapes under temperature and pressure conditions. Thermoplastics can be molded again and again. Their molecular structure allows them to be softened, melted, and reshaped time and again, which is not true of thermosets that cannot be remolded.
Thermoplastics are further divided into crystalline and amorphous structures whose end use dictates which plastic will be used. Crystalline resins are nylon, acetal, thermoplastic polyester, and the polyethylenes. Amorphous resins are PVC, styrene, ABS, and polycarbonate. Crystalline and amorphous resins can be melted, formed, and welded with different techniques used for the fabrication process.
Once a thermoset is polymerized, it cannot be melted and reformed. They can be sawed, machined, and joined using adhesives. Common thermosets are phenolics, bakelite, G-10, and GPO polyesters. These sturdy and durable materials are used for insulators and structural components.
Thermosets and thermoplastics are divided into seven categories based on their molecular structure and used as recycling codes Symbols in a triangular shape are placed on materials fabricated from the plastics to identify the type of plastic The seven categories are:
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) Fabrication - is a condensation of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid and is produced step growth polymerization.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Fabrication - is one of the most versatile thermoplastics made from petroleum with a linear crystalline structure.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Fabrication - is a high strength thermoplastic that is available as a rigid and stiff material or in a flexible form created by the addition of a plasticizer.
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Fabrication - is also derived from petroleum but has a branched bonding structure, which gives it its flexibility and ductility due to its low crystallinity.
Polypropylene (PP) Fabrication - is part of the polyolefin group and is nonpolar and partially crystalline. It is the second most commonly produced plastic in the world.
Polystyrene (PS) Fabrication - is made from the polymerization of styrene and can be transformed into expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS).
Miscellaneous Types of Fabrications - is a category created for plastics that do not fit into the other six types and includes acrylics, nylon, polycarbonates, polylactics or bioplastics, and multilayered combinations of different plastic materials.
Chapter 2: Plastic Fabrication Methods
There is a wide variety of plastic fabrication processes depending on the distinctive characteristics and the resulting product. The most common plastic fabrication methods are:
Plastic Welding
Plastic Machining
Compounding
Plastic Lamination
Molding
Plastic Extrusion
Thermoforming
Die Cutting
Pultrusion
Forging
Vacuum Casting
Plastic Welding Fabrications
Plastic welding, just like any other welding method, involves the melting of the workpieces to be combined in order to create a molecular bond between them. There are three main stages in plastic welding, which include pressing, heating and cooling. In order to fuse plastics, a filler rod is used that is of the same type of plastic as the pieces to be united. The process is performed after the surfaces to be joined have been heated to the plastic state or melted and the filler rod, also heated, is forced into the joint between the combining substrate.
The filler rod creates an adhesive bond between the plastics that offers greater strength. Plastic welding can take place via several methods including, contact welding, spinning, high-frequency vibration, hot gas emission, and using ultrasonics. The methods are differentiated by methods of cooling, mechanical considerations, and process guidelines. The method that is chosen is determined by how advantageous it is and its cost.
Compounding Plastic Fabrication
The second method of plastic fabrication is compounding plastic fabrication also known as the blending technique. In this method, the two or more types of plastics are combined together with additives to create an amalgamation.
Later, it is formed into different parts with the help of molds, dies, and some other shaping tools. The purpose of this method is to create a material that is easy to process and can provide the required specifications as this process changes the thermal, physical, electrical, and aesthetic characteristics of the plastic. There are some common compounding plastics; including polymer fillers, pigment masterbatches, base resins, blowing agents, and purge compounds.
Plastic Lamination Fabrication
In the plastic lamination method, various layers of plastic are held together creating a barrier along the surface of another material. This technique not only improves the durability and aesthetics of the product but reduces the potential need for maintenance by shielding the sensitive and deterioration-prone material.
There are two common types of plastic lamination, film, and resin. In both types, heat and pressure are applied to create the barrier. Film lamination on the other hand is considered to be more effective than resin lamination. Although the resin application is frequently used to create adhesive layers between common materials such as papers, fabrics, etc.
A major drawback of this process is that this is a time-consuming process hence the production rate is very low as compared to other plastic fabrication methods. However, this method produces plastic with properties like strength, stiffness, and temperature resistance much superior to others.
Plastic Molding Fabrication
Plastic molding is one of the oldest processes which is still popular among plastic fabricators. In plastic molding, the plastic is heated and melted and poured into a mold to harden around/within it.
Plastic molding has various types, a few of which are discussed below.
Injection Molding Fabrication
In injection molding, molten plastic is injected into a mold and then cooled to obtain the molded products. It is one of the most versatile molding methods known today. It can be used to make large parts such as automotive parts and also small products such as surgical equipment. This process has a high overhead cost, but this can be overcome by using this process for mass production. It is divided into 6 main steps:
Clamping
Injection
Dwelling
Cooling
Mold Opening
Removal of the part.
Compression Molding Fabrication
In compression molding, the plastic is heated and then compressed with the help of a power presser to obtain the desired shape, followed by curing so that the final product maintains integrity and does not deform. This process is widely used to fabricate products of various lengths, thicknesses, and complexities. The final product produced by compression molding is stronger, lighter, stiffer, and more resistant to corrosion than the parts made up of metals. Another important advantage of this method is the ability to accommodate complex designs. Although, the speed of this technique is not quite comparable to the speed of injection molding yet it does offer more intricacies than any other molding process.
This method works with thermosetting plastics and has four main steps.
Creation of mold
Pre-forming and heating
Compression
Curing
Rotational Molding Fabrication
Rotational molding, aka roto-molding, is a plastic fabrication method that is used to manufacture hollow parts. It uses rotational movements to coat the inside area of the mold with heated plastic to form a layer on top of the layer eventually creating the desired part. The overhead cost in this process is very low in comparison to other molding methods because there is no pressure involved hence the mold is inexpensive.
Due to the aforementioned reason, this process is economical even for short production runs. This method is used to make a diverse range of products as there is no restriction on the shape or size of the mold leading it to thousands of applications.
Another main advantage of this technique is that there is next to no waste material since all the excess plastic can be used back in the production of the next part. A few applications of rotational molding include canoes, automotive parts, toys, and buoys.
Blow Molding Fabrication
Blow molding is another plastic fabrication process that involves the heating of plastic and transferring it into a mold. In this method, the tubes of plastic called parison are heated and transferred to the mold, then at the opening of the tube, the air is blown in to inflate the tube into the desired shape.
The material used in this method is thermoplastic pellets which can be either high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, or polyvinyl chloride. In blow molding, there are three main types, extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, and injection stretch blow molding. Although in each sub-type a few steps differ from each other yet the main principles stay the same , the air is blown into the heated tubes of plastic to acquire a desired shape. This method is popular to manufacture bottles, fuel tanks, etc.
The most important advantage of blow molding is the low tool and die cost and fast production rates. However, the products made out of blow molding have limited strength.
Plastic Extrusion Fabrication
Plastic extrusion is a continuous process in which raw plastic is heated and pushed through a chamber to be formed into a continuous profile such as pipes, tubes, films, fencings, deck railings, window frames, etc. The melted raw plastic called resin is pulled inside a heated barrel and then pushed out from the mold to get the desired shape. This is a high-volume production process.
This process starts with plastic granules feeding into the chamber of the extruder from a hopper. Then gradually these granules are melted by heating generated by the turning of the screw inside the chamber and heater present inside. Later the melted plastic is pushed into a die which shapes it into the desired geometry and allows the molten plastic to cool down.
Plastic extrusion is preferred by the manufacturer because of its speed, replicability, and sturdiness. Also, the products formed by this method endure stress better than any other method of plastic fabrication because extruded plastics do not have any seams present in their continuous profile.
Thermoforming Fabrication
Thermoforming is another plastic fabrication process in which the thermoplastics are heated and reshaped under pressure. It is a unique process that involves the use of very thin plastic and carried out by various techniques including bending plastic sheets and vacuum forming. In this process, the tooling cost is considerably low in comparison to other fabrication processes because the thermoformed part does not need high temperature and pressure conditions to be fabricated.
Due to this, the mold used in thermoforming is often made up of wood, plaster of Paris, plastic, or aluminum. It is a versatile and efficient process. It is usually used in the packaging of food, fabrication of disposable cups, toys, aircraft windscreen, and cafeteria trays.
Die Cutting Fabrication
Die-cutting, another plastic fabrication process that employs specialized machines and machine tools to convert raw material by cutting, forming, and shearing it into custom shapes and styles. It's a flexible method that supports customization. The die-cutting process is suitable for a good range of geometries. It also has applications in various areas, including die-cutting neoprene, gasket, die-cutting paper, packaging, die-cutting fabric, and producing die-cut foam.
Die-cutting is one of the foremost efficient techniques to cut film and thin plastic sheets into finished parts. A number of the common plastics made via the die-cutting process are polycarbonate film, polyester film, and HDPE sheet. The advantages of this process include high production speed, ability to utilize unskilled labor, low-cost tooling, etc.
Pultrusion Fabrication
Pultrusion is a process in which continuous forces are exerted on fibers during this continuous, mechanical movement. The braids of fibers are first of all pulled through a bath of resin before starting to be pulled by two heated metal dies. Pultrusion is suitable for the fabrication of both solid and hollow parts like flat bars, and tubing, etc.
While it is an expensive process due to tool requirements, pultrusion is notable for the high smoothness and strength of the parts it produces. Counting on the composition of the resin bath, products also can be made proof against flame, heat, electricity, chemicals, or environmental factors. As a result, it's often utilized within the production of furniture and machinery for chemical plants or agricultural facilities. This method is best for the part in which the dimensional tolerance is a critical aspect and requires high-fiber volume fractions.
A few advantages of this method include low scrape rate, precise control over fiber volume, and excellent alignment. A minimal restriction of this process is the need for initial investment and skilled labor, etc.
Forging Fabrication
The forging process is another plastic fabrication process. Blows are delivered to workpieces employing a hammer or other tool to shape them into the specified form. The materials become stronger when cast or processed with metallurgy, giving them the characteristic of being shock-resistant (toughness).
Forging is assessed into two types counting on the temperature used during the process: cold forging and hot forging. Hot forging is a technique where the workpiece is heated then struck into the specified shape. By striking the workpiece at temperatures above the recrystallization temperature, gas inside the fabric is forced out, refining the grain structure during recrystallization, hence making it stronger.
On the opposite hand, cold forging is shaping the plastic by striking it under ambient temperatures. Cold forging offers good precision and improved toughness. This method is employed to manufacture products like tools, cutlery, and parts for automobiles and railroads. One peculiar use of forging is the fabrication of golf drivers so that they bear the impact of strokes.
Vacuum Casting Fabrication
Vacuum casting, sometimes mentioned as Polyurethane casting, uses silicone molds to form plastic and rubber components under vacuum. It's a particularly adaptable manufacturing process capable of mimicking injection molding to supply complex parts in polyurethane resins and cast nylon.
As the method is under vacuum, it produces high-quality bubble-free casting with smooth surface texture and no blemishes. Vacuum casting is one of the foremost cost-effective ways to supply top quality, low-volume plastic parts which may be almost like injection molding parts. The parts are especially suitable for form, fit, and performance tests during the embodiment design stages, where they will be used for marketing, field user testing, and merchandise design verification purposes.
There are many vacuum casting resins commercially available that can be used to create parts to satisfy a good range of design requirements like temperature requirements, different surface textures, hardness, etc. Materials also are available to make parts that are fully opaque, translucent, or completely transparent by using this method. Sometimes high-quality wax is often made using vacuum casting for investment casting to extend the finer details of intricate features.
After the part has been manufactured, next comes the finishing stage. Depending on the requirements within the part either an additional machining process or joining process is required. Whereas, some of the finishing touches are just about aesthetics but others may serve for selected purposes. No matter the reason, this last step has to be performed after the part has been fabricated.
Joining Processes
In case of the need for a joining process, the welding process is preferred. Welding is done in the same manner as it is done in metals. Polyvinyl Chloride tanks being an important example. More commonly, surfaces are joined by being brought into contact with each other and heated by conduction or by the electrical phenomenon.
Heat sealing of luggage made up of tubes of blow-extruded polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene usually requires contact with a hot sealing bar. PVC features a high enough dielectric loss that heat is often generated throughout the fabric by exposure to a high-frequency, high-voltage field.
Coating Processes
After the machining or joining process (or in case they are not needed) every part goes through 3 stages of finishing i.e., de-flashing, cleaning, and coating/decorating. The deflashing process is liable for removing all the surplus materials around the parts. These can be the excess compounds from the previous processes. Therefore there is a necessity to remove them.
After de-flashing the next stage is cleaning. Some leftover or excess material should stick with the surface of the plastic, which could affect the result of subsequent steps within the finishing process. Due to this, a radical cleaning is completed to make sure the surface is spotless. After cleaning then comes the last stage of the finishing process. Depending on where and the way the part is going to be used, some may require a touch of decorating.
As mentioned earlier, this might be for purely aesthetic purposes, but this doesn't mean that this step isn't important. Especially in cases where the part is going to be used somewhere visible, it's important to form it to be presentable as well.
Chapter 4: What is Plastic Machining?
In normal industrial parlance, machining is a term that refers to the shaping and forming of metals using various subtractive methods. It indicates the use of aggressive force to cut, trim, drill, and turn a workpiece to fabricate it into a design that meets the requirements of a particular application or design. Although it may be assumed that machining is exclusively for metals, the use of machining is also used for the forming of plastics.
The machining of plastic has become a necessity as innovative and complex shapes are being designed by engineers that cannot be mass produced or require the production of well formed limited quantities. Small pieces, such as gears, insulators, pulleys, and bushings, can be more economically mass produced using plastic machining in place of molding or casting, a factor that users need to examine when planning the production of a plastic component.
All of the processes that are associated with machining metals are used to machine plastics. This includes computer numerical control (CNC) machining and all of its various functions. Since the consistency of some plastics rival that of metals, drilling, sawing, turning, sanding, brazing, and other operations are used due to the hardness of the plastic and its strength. A common use of plastic machining is the application of secondary processing for plastic parts that have been molded, cast, or forged.
Types of Plastic Machining
As with the shaping of metals, plastic machining takes several forms with each form involving applying a process that will add to a workpiece by removing parts of it. In most cases, machining is designed to achieve a particular tolerance to fit a plastic part into a larger assembly. This part of the process requires precise tolerances and exceptional accuracy, all of which are part of the skills of trained plastic machinists.
Drilling
The process of drilling is one of the most common forms of plastic machining. It is a method for placing holes in a workpiece with specific dimensions for inserting various forms of connectors. Whether you are drilling metal or plastic, drilling produces a great deal of heat from friction, which has an effect on metal but a greater effect on plastics. Slow drilling of plastics involves the use of large polished flutes with a low helix angle of 14° to 17°. The increased size of the flutes allows for the free flow of chips to minimize overheating and gumming. For high speed plastic drilling, flutes can have a standard spiral angle.
A key to the drilling of plastic is the rapid removal of chips to prevent the generation of friction heat from tapped chips rubbing the walls of the drilled hole. It is essential that the drills for drilling plastic be exclusively for that purpose and not involve the use of old drills or ones that were previously used to drill metal since they can cause binding. The application of coolants can assist in keeping the drill cool, which involves frequently backing off the drill, removing chips, and dipping the drill in the coolant.
The control and reduction of heat produced by friction are an essential part of drilling plastics. The best drill bit angles are between 9° and 18° with drill bit point angles between 90° and 120°, which are angles that allow for efficient and rapid removal of chips. Heat produced in drilling plastic is significantly reduced by controlling cutting speed, feed rate, tool design, cutting tool materials, types of coolants, and the quality and sharpness of drill bits. Close attention and control of these factors prevents damage to a plastic workpiece and ensures high quality drilling.
Threading and Tapping
The manufacture of plastic products requires the joining of various pieces to produce a completed part. The connecting or joining of components requires the use of various methods with threading and tapping being two very common methods. The processes of threading and tapping involve cutting ridges or threads into plastic materials such as pipe endings, screws, and bolts.
The process for threading and tapping involves the use of taps and dies that create screw or pipe threads. A tap is used to form the female portion of the mating pair while the die cuts the male portion. For the cutting of threads in plastic, die heads with chasers are recommended. The die chaser cleans burrs from the cut threads and ensures the quality of the cuts. They are normally used to repair damaged threads but are ideal for plastic threads as a method for providing smooth and even threads.
As with drilling, coolants are helpful in reducing heat during the process and preventing the threads from expanding. Tooling for threading plastic must be exclusively used for that purpose since tools used for other materials may not be sharp enough to thread plastics.
Lathe
The process for using a lathe for plastic is the same as it is for wood or metals. The workpiece is tightly secured to the lathe. As with many machining processes, the use of a lathe involves material removal. The securely fastened workpiece rotates horizontally as cutting tools remove material to achieve the required shape, form, or configuration. The result of the machining process are symmetrical parts with exceptional tolerances.
Lathes are used to machine plastics if the desired shape is round and requires turning. Additional equipment can be added to a lathe to achieve different forms and shapes. As with other machining processes, tools used when a part is being shaped on a lathe produces chips that can gum up cutting tools and wrap around the workpiece. The use of coolants is common to assist in flushing away chips.
Milling
Milling of plastics is completed using CNC mills and manual mills. The workpiece is held securely in place as a high speed steel cutter removes plastic material. For fast and accurate milling, CNC milling is commonly used that is programmed to perform accurate precision cuts. Special care has to be taken when milling plastic in order to avoid chatter marks and movement of the workpiece on the worktable. Firm and secure clamping using various methods is necessary to protect the results of the milling process but must have the appropriate amount of force to prevent the workpiece from spinning.
Aside from ensuring that the workpiece is tightly clamped, milling of plastics requires the use of unique milling processes referred to as climb milling where the flute hits the material at the top of the cut. The process of climb milling decreases the thickness of the chips as the flute cuts with a clockwise rotation. During the process, the chips rapidly clear the cutter removing the possibility of recutting the chips resulting in a smooth even surface finish. In addition to its superior efficiency, climb milling requires less power from the spindle.
Rough end mills can be used for end mills while finish cuts are completed using two or four flute mills, which are chosen in accordance with the type of material and its chip characteristics. End mills with rounded corners are commonly used for cutting inside pockets to prevent the final piece from having sharp inside corners.
Sawing
Although the sawing of thick heavy duty plastic can create friction, it generally does not require the use of a coolant. Fine toothed saws are recommended. For band sawing, skip tooth blades are best with four to six teeth per inch. The machine for sawing plastic requires an exceptional blade guide to ensure square cuts with the plastic workpiece clamped to the worktable. Unlike the drilling of plastic, plastic can be sawed using a maximum blade speed and the full length of the blade. Fine tooth saws with small teeth make it possible to precision cut a workpiece without destroying it.
Intricate precision cuts can be made in a plastic workpiece using a table saw. To achieve the proper cuts, the workpiece should be securely held and slowly moved to the blade. Since a heated saw blade may melt the plastic, a non melt blade should be used with evenly spaced teeth.
The sawing of plastic, in many cases, is a secondary finishing process that is used to trim plastic components that have been formed by another method. It is very seldom completed manually and requires precision control. Proper sawing ensures that the finished part or component will have even smooth edges with exceptional tolerance.
For the sawing process, as the plastic gets thicker, the number of teeth per inch gets lower. Cutting speeds range between 1000 ft/min up to 5500 ft/min (300 m/min up to 1700 m/min) with higher speeds used for thinner plastics. The majority of plastic machining companies use high carbon steel blades and include frequent air blasts to prevent chips from sticking to the blade.
Grinding
The purpose of grinding is to shear away material from a workpiece to achieve a specified surface finish. Water based coolants are used to control the created friction. In most instances, plastic degrades as it is ground and requires the use of specialized methods to prevent thermal degradation. The use of coolants helps to keep chips smaller as well preventing thermal effects.
Grinding is a very aggressive process and must be controlled to avoid damage to the workpiece. The highest quality grinding tools are normally used since grinding causes tools to rapidly wear. Grinding forces are applied in small amounts using diamond or carbide grinding tools at appropriate feed rates and speeds. Tubes are placed on the entrance and exit of the grinding wheel to reduce whip due to the high rotating speed and to assist with the alignment of the workpiece. As with other machining processes, the speed of grinding varies in accordance with the type of stock and the amount of material to be removed. The result of grinding is smooth finishes and exceptionally close tolerances.
General Factors for Machining Plastics
Regardless of the hardness of a plastic, all plastics have different characteristics that have to be accounted for during machining. Clamping, holding, and securing the workpiece is at the foundation of plastic machining to avoid deflection away from the machining tool. Dull tools deform the workpiece, which requires that all machining tools be kept in peak condition with tool clearances such that only the cutting edge reaches the workpiece. Rubbing by machining tools creates friction that is detrimental to the finish of the workpiece and its quality.
Coolants are very beneficial for plastic machining but must be properly applied. In most cases, coolants are sprayed onto the workpiece to keep it cool and prevent thermal expansion. The proper use of coolants allows for higher cutting speeds and prolongs the life of machining tools. Water is ideal as a coolant due to its higher heat removal rate than oil. In all cases, the control and prevention of friction, which can be disastrous for plastics, is essential and requires the greatest amount of care.
Considerations for Plastic Machining
Although the processes used to machine plastics are similar to those used for metals, plastic, as machining manufacturers will tell you, is a completely different material that is affected by a wide assortment of conditions such as the weather, atmosphere, and environment. Dimensional accuracy is difficult to achieve with plastics and requires the use of stress relieving processes with temperature control being a primary concern.
In addition to the quality issues regarding the stability of plastics, there are safety concerns that include harmful vapors that are released by the material when it's heated and plastic dust that can cause eye irritation and respiratory issues. In regard to these concerns, plastic machining companies provide protective gear for their workers and different forms of emergency care.
Chapter 5: Choosing the Right Technique
Now comes the question: which process should be used to fabricate the required design? This can be answered by considering the following specifications:
Plastic Type
Part Geometry
Required Precision
Quality of Parts
Design Flexibility
Cost
Lead Time
Different parts require different specifications and tolerance measurements. It is the best practice to take these factors into account before choosing the fabrication process. Part geometry also plays a great role in the selection of the fabrication process because there might be a need for optimization of design for manufacturing (DFM) to ensure a more economical production.
Moreover, you would like to know what strains or extreme conditions will your product need to withstand? Before finalizing the manufacturing process. Along with these factors you have to consider aesthetic and functional requirements too and then balance all these factors with the value.
In addition to those specifications, another important one is cost per part. The entire volume of the parts you would like to manufacture is extremely important. Some processes have additional costs for setup and tooling. However, they produce inexpensive parts on a per-part basis.
On the opposite hand, some low-volume processes have lower setup costs with constant cost per part. This is often a result of slower cycle times, manual labor, and less automation. Additionally, another major factor you would like to think about is how soon you would like the finished products. Some fabrication processes create the primary few parts within each day. Other high-volume processes include tooling and setup which will take several months.
Leading Manufacturers and Suppliers
Chapter 6: Leading Plastic Fabrication Machines
There are numerous machines available for plastic fabrication in the United States and Canada. These machines are crucial in today's society as they enable the efficient production of a wide range of plastic products used in various industries, such as construction, automotive, aerospace, and countless others, contributing to economic growth and technological advancement. Let’s examine a few of these leading machines below.
Arburg Allrounder Injection Molding Machines
Manufacturer: Arburg GmbH + Co KG
Arburg Allrounder machines are known for their high precision, reliability, and versatility in injection molding. They offer a wide range of clamping forces, shot sizes, and configurations, making them suitable for various plastic production applications. These machines often come with advanced control systems, precise molding capabilities, and efficient energy consumption, making them popular choices in the plastic industry.
ENGEL Duo Large-Scale Injection Molding Machines
Manufacturer: ENGEL Austria GmbH
The ENGEL Duo series is known for its large-scale injection molding capabilities, designed to handle high-volume production with precision and efficiency. These machines often come with innovative technologies like parallel movements, high-speed injection, and quick mold change systems. They are widely used in the automotive industry, among others.
Milacron Extrusion Machines
Manufacturer: Milacron Holdings Corp.
Milacron offers a wide range of extrusion machines used in plastic fabrication, including single screw, twin screw, and multi-layer extruders. These machines are popular due to their robust construction, precise control, and high output rates. They are used for producing plastic pipes, profiles, sheets, and films across various industries.
Haas CNC Machines for Plastic Machining
Manufacturer: Haas Automation, Inc.
Haas produces a range of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines used for plastic machining applications. Their CNC mills and lathes are known for their reliability, accuracy, and ease of use. These machines can efficiently produce intricate plastic parts, molds, and prototypes, contributing to their popularity in the plastic fabrication industry.
Sumitomo Demag offers a diverse line of injection molding machines, ranging from small to large-tonnage models. Their machines are acclaimed for their precision, energy efficiency, and low maintenance requirements. Many models come with advanced servo-driven technology, providing greater control over the molding process and reducing energy consumption.
All of these machines have gained popularity in the United States and Canada due to their high performance, reliability, and advanced features. However, since the plastic fabrication industry is continuously evolving, it's essential to research the latest models and technologies to ensure you choose the most suitable machine for your specific requirements. Always consult with manufacturers and industry experts to stay up-to-date with the latest offerings and advancements.
Chapter 7: Plastic Reclamation Process
After the products are consumed the plastic can be reused not just to save the environment but reusing the fabricated plastic to further the industrial processing may result in reduced energy consumption and cost savings. Reclaimed plastic is often used to manufacture products like packaging, plastic lumber, furniture, and a variety of composite materials. Plastic recycling and reclamation services employ a variety of techniques to convert post-consumer resin into workable stock. The primary stage of reclaiming the fabricated plastic is Granules Manufacturing Process.
Granules Manufacturing
The first stage of a typical plastic reclamation procedure involves sorting the various sorts of resin and grouping them. After they are sorted, the plastic products are ground into particles whose size depends on the actual processing method which will be used on them. These resin granules will function as the bottom forming material for future products.
Plastic Cleaning
The second stage of plastic reclamation is cleaning. Granulated resin usually needs to be washed before it can advance to the subsequent stage of processing. This washing is often conducted at standard environmental temperatures or elevated heat levels. Disinfectants and detergents are often used to provide additional cleanliness.
Material Separation
In the third stage, the clean plastic is now separated into reusable and un-reusable materials. Plastic base resin and un-reusable materials usually have different density levels, allowing them to be separated through a hydro-cyclone apparatus or a water bath. When using water, the heavier resin will sink to the bottom, while lighter contaminants float to the surface.
Drying and Filtering
Lastly, after the grinding, washing, and separation are complete, reclaimed plastic is rinsed off to eliminate any remaining dirt or accumulated disinfectants from earlier stages within the process. Melt filtering may be a fairly common post-reclamation treatment that's performed at a converter station. This filtration technique is meant to further purify the stock by removing any non-melting contaminants which might have lingered through the granulation, cleaning, and separation procedures.
Chapter 8: Benefits and Drawbacks of Plastics Fabrication
Advantages
Plastic fabrication is an extremely versatile manufacturing method with numerous advantages over other fabrication methods such as metal. It is not only a reliable technique but also highly efficient and quite simple. Some of the benefits are as follows,
Ease of Forming
Plastic has a lower melting point than other popular materials. Due to the lower melting point and good malleability plastic offers relative ease while creating complex geometries.
Reduced Finishing Efforts
In plastic, it is possible to coat or color the part before fabrication. This means that the pallets or granules will be mixed with color additives hence the effort in finishing parts is significantly reduced. Especially in the case of mass production.
Faster Production
Plastic does not take a significant amount of time in molding and shaping which reduces the cycle time. The less the cycle time the lower the lead time and fasters the production rate.
Light Weight
Plastic has revolutionized the fabrication industry because of its specification of being light weighted. It weighs less than metal and can be performed better. This is the reason why every industry is moving towards plastic fabrication.
Chemical Resistant
Plastics are found to be less prone to damage from chemical reactions than metals. They can avoid oxidations and reduction reactions easily. Hence, it can provide extra chemical resistivity.
Disadvantages
Although plastic seems an ideal material for every single fabrication, yet this is not true. Just like every coin has a dark side, plastic fabrication also has some disadvantages.
Limited Temperature Resistance
Plastic has a very low resistivity towards higher temperatures. They can be melted or deformed easily at elevated temperatures.
Limited Wear Resistance
Plastics also do not have good resistance towards corrosive elements or acidity. They can easily lose structural integrity when they come in contact with corrosive materials.
Structural Weakness
Plastics, although used for parts that need good strength, fail to provide high structural strength. They can not be used for heavy equipment components or in building structures
Non-Degradable
Most plastics are non-degradable and they may take an extended time to break down once they're landfilled. With more and more plastic products, particularly plastics packaging, being disposed of soon after their purchase, the landfill space required by plastic waste may be a growing concern.
Chapter 9: Applications of Plastic Fabrication
Plastic fabrication has created a significant impact on industries. It has numerous different applications for thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics in building, construction projects (such as windows and doors), planting and storage tanks, pipe systems, filtration systems, chemical feeders, ventilation systems, and chemical storage. Industry-wise, the applications of plastic fabrication are as follows.
Construction Industry
Plastic comes in many alternative forms and specific materials. Options like polyurethane and polycarbonate may be available in handy for things like windows and doors. Vinyl is useful in exterior applications and anywhere where extra durability is required. Polyvinyl Chloride and similar plastics can serve well for the fabrication of pipe systems and other interior applications.
Plastic fabrication is a service that enables customers to shape and design items that meet their particular specifications. Products are created by fabricators in sizes, weights, plastics, and aesthetics to meet the needs of an application. This allows construction teams and industrial sites to keep their building plans consistent and of high quality.
Automotive Industry
Plastic has been playing a significant role in the design and manufacturing of automotive vehicles. It has been providing the industry with stringent regulations and changing the habits of consumers towards driving cheaper, fuel-efficient and lightweight cars. Fuel efficiency has become one of the foremost important features in self-propelled vehicle design because of the rising fuel prices and stricter environmental regulations. This, combined with high demand for automotive vehicles furthermore as rising income in emerging economies will still drive demand for plastics within the automotive industry.
The high absorption properties of plastics also allow the vehicle to satisfy stricter safety standards, while the employment of engineering plastics allows for minimization of the mass of parts utilized in vehicles as they provide more design freedom compared to metals.
Aerospace Industry
Plastics continued to excel within the aerospace industry throughout World War Two and were used because of their simple availability, design, and manufacture and, above all, the variability of applications they'll be used for.
Materials like vinyl were utilized to line fuel tanks and fliers’ boots, whilst other types of plastics were employed in radar covers thanks to their transparency to electromagnetic waves. Not only did this significantly improve radar technical capacity but stronger and more flexible plastics were also used on helicopters as they supply increased safety and are able to withstand the helicopter vibrations.
Furthermore, the bulk of plastics are made to be transparent, shatter-resistant, or made to provide protection from ballistics. Also, certain plastics can provide invisibility to radar and other various infrared systems designed to identify unknown flying objects. This makes plastic ideal for stealth operations and makes their use within the military aerospace sector invaluable.
Conclusion
Plastic fabrication is the process of designing and manufacturing products using plastic or its composites as the base material.
Various plastic fabrication techniques exist including, plastic welding, molding, extrusion, thermoforming, etc., as discussed in detail in the article.
Furthermore, there are various finishing techniques for plastic products for aesthetics or dimensional accuracy in custom designed parts.
Unlike metals, plastic products can be reclaimed by following a proper step by step procedure.
Plastic products possess advantages like ease of machining, reduced finishing, and light-weight. However, there are various disadvantages associated with them including low resistance to wear and high temperature.
Plastic products are used in various industries like construction, automotive, and aerospace.
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