When making plastic moulds, there are typically four processes that a manufacturing plant will use. They are extrusion, rotational moulding, blow moulding and injection moulding. Here is a brief guide to these four methods of creating a plastic moulding Midlands product to give you a better understanding.
Extrusion
The extrusion method for processing plastic moulding involves loading plastic pellets into a hopper. Those pellets are then fed into a heated chamber, which is called an extruder. The chamber moves as a result of a revolving screw and the pellets melt because of the heat inside the chamber. The molten plastic then gets forced through a small opening at the end of the extruder. The opening is typically the shape of the finished product. As the plastic comes out and forms the proper shape, it is slowly cooled by water or air so it hardens.
Injection Moulding
One of the more popular methods for creating a plastic moulding Midlands product is by using injection moulding. When using this method, there are plastic pellets involved and they are also heated inside a heating chamber. At the end of the chamber, the molten plastic is pushed into a mould at high pressure. The mould is cooled and closed so the melted plastic turns to a solid fairly quickly. Once it’s a solid, the mould is opened and the finished product is taken out. This method is used for a variety of products, including yogurt containers, butter tubs and more.
Blow Moulding
With blow moulding, another method like injection moulding or extrusion is also used in combination with it. Extrusion blow moulding is the method used if the creator wants to create a continuous tube of semi-molten thermal plastic. This is often used for creating insulation for wires and cords that attach to appliances and other electronics. It’s also used for creating hollow plastic products, including milk jugs. The other blow moulding technique, which also uses injection moulding, is used for forming intermediate shapes. This is called a preform which is then heated so it can be formed into a final shape after cooling. This is often used for creating bottles for soft drinks and other products.
Rotational Moulding
The final type of plastic moulding Midlands process is rotational moulding. This uses a closed mould which is mounted on a machine that can rotate on two axes at the same time. The plastic pellets are inserted into the mould where they are then heated. The two axes distribute the molten plastic to create a uniform coating. Kayaks and large toys, among other things, are created by using rotational moulding.
When you choose Chess Plastics as your plastic moulding company, you’re getting a company with one of the best reputations in the industry. Learn more about us their services by visiting Chessplastics.co.uk