Plastics forming is a process that enables obtaining various shapes and forms based on polymer materials. It allows creating products with complex geometry that find many applications in industry. The article presents the characteristics of plastics forming, discussing the key methods and technologies employed in this field. It also previews the advantages and disadvantages of individual techniques, as well as their practical application.
Plastics forming methods
Plastics forming methods include injection moulding, stamping, extrusion or rotomoulding. Injection moulding involves feeding heated-up plastic into an encased element offered injection moulding manufacturers under high pressure, where it cools down and solidifies. Stamping is a technique, which involves heating up plastic to an appropriate temperature, followed by feeding it into a mould using pressing force. Extrusion is a continuous process wherein plastic is heated-up and pushed through a special nozzle, thus forming products of constant cross-section. Whereas rotomoulding is a technique, where plastic is placed in a rotating mould, heated-up and rotated, which enables obtaining a uniform material layers throughout the entire mould surface.
Pros and cons of individual techniques
Each of the plastics forming methods mentioned comes with their own pros and cons. Injection moulding allows to obtain precise shape with significant repeatability; however, it requires the use of moulds offered by Noex, a manufacturer of plastic products, and machines. Stamping is a relative straightforward and inexpensive technique, albeit limited to products with a simpler geometry. Extrusion is a quick and effective process that enables manufacturing products with significant length; however, it is not suitable for creating elements of complex geometry. Rotomoulding enables obtaining products of uniform wall thickness and large sizes, but is a time-consuming and less cost-efficient process.
Industrial applications
Plastics forming has numerous uses under various industry segments. Injection moulding is primarily used within the manufacturing of automotive, packaging, toy or electronic equipment elements. Stamping is primarily employed in the packaging industry, e.g., in manufacturing food containers or trays. Extrusion finds applications in the manufacturing of pipes, sections and films, later used in, among others, the construction, automotive or agricultural industries. Whereas rotomoulding is a technique for manufacturing large and uniform components, such as tanks, barrels or garden furniture elements.
