PLASTIC MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Extrusion is an industrial process mainly used to give forms such materials as plastics, metals, ceramics and concrete in aim to be converted in objects and shapes. Process can be achieved with cold or hot material.

Raw materials and plastics granules are heated and melted from extrusion screw in continuous, moving to a die which enables optimal forming of the resins to carry out the required shape. The entire process entails heating, cooling and solidifying stages during production runs, die as main tool contains the cross section (profile) of extrusion to do.

Extrusion method also ensures good finished parts with excellent aspect surface. It provides semi or continuous production runs for large series as curtain tracks product for example, it permits to produce longer lengths. The continuous extrusion is cut in lengths requested and cutting task like guillotine trimming is generally done on extrusion line convening production for sheets and reels as semi continuous process.

Materials could be produced with composites and derivatives to manufacture multi-layers laminates called complex and to realize laminating of surface structures for many applications.

Main materials used are ABS - PE –PP – PVC – PET

End-products: Laminates, pipes, profiles, reels, rods, sheets, tubes.

This process is also commonly known as EBM

Raw materials are extruded with screw to homogenize and to blend polymers used till a hollow part called “parison” to insert material. Next stage would be to put raw material and to cut form till sustain the mold to blow air into who allows plastic to fill the mold with part to achieve. Main operation is to inflate air into the matrix to expand plastic material as maximum.

Once the material would be cooled as needed, the mold is opened and main part is ejected.

This process is mainly focused for products with air inside or named “hollow”, It has fast production rates with low cost concerning tools employed and cutting task, It is used to assembly line production and specially adapted for mass production as bottles within food, chemical and body care industry.

Main materials used are PP- PE - PET

End-products: Bottles, containers, crates, drums, tanks.

Thermoforming is a manufacturing method which can process only thermoplastics sheets, laminates and reels.

Material will be heated with goal to be formed and converted in a definitive shape with vacuum stage station, key issue is the temperature, it is really decisive , it determines right mold and precise form station process. Materials used will be heated in oven to get better stretching of material. Trimming task is achieved to obtain useful product with coolers section before to stack and pack end-products.

Through this process, long runs production can be reached and maintain optimal output to produce standard items for huge volume. This process has an effective production rate and lower cost involved for big series. There is a large scale of thicknesses and materials with several layers which can be processed for many applications within graphic, food and industrial markets.

Main materials used are PP – PE – PS – PVC

Process is also called Injection molding. It had been the first used for big quantities and due to the versatility of materials which can be worked.

Glass, metals and silicone materials are processed in injection molding too. From screw barrel to make compact raw materials and compounds in aim to be mixed, the key process issue is to inject material into a mold with its own parts formed, once the mold is totally filled and once that the cooling stages are concluded, the component is ejected.

Process embraces large fields of applications within several sectors like automotive, electrical, high technology, health and leisure time, It has a fast process which is mainly used to produce huge volume of same article with similar properties.

Main materials processed are ABS – PA – PC – PE - PP

End-products: Automotive components, bins, bumpers, cases, closures, crates, industrial parts, medical tools.

Pultrusion is an industrial process based essentially by pulling/drawing continuous production of reinforced composites profiles. From fiber glass supplied in rolls called “rovings” as used in textile industry till to resin impregnation bath system to dip and to coat fibers, material will be pre-formed and shaped before to be heated in molds.

Dimensions and entire shape is completed by die cross section to carry out optimal product through heating and cooling stages. Others materials like basalt, carbon and natural fiber materials can be added following mechanicals requirements.

End-products: Arrows, bars, beacons, fences, grilles, handrails, ladders, rods, walkways.