Guide to Plastics Manufacturing Processes

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Guide to Plastics Manufacturing Processes
Plastics are one of the most popular materials
used to produce end-use products and parts. They
can be used for everything, from consumer goods
to medical devices. Plastics can be used in many
different ways. There are thousands of options
for polymers, each with its own unique mechanical
properties. How are plastic parts made? To cover
a broad range of applications, part geometries
and types of plastics, a variety of plastic
manufacturing processes has been created. It is
crucial for engineers and designers working in
product design to understand the current
manufacturing options and new developments. This
guide will provide an overview of the most
popular Plastic manufactures used to produce
plastic parts. It also contains guidelines that
can help you choose the right option for your
particular application. How to choose the right
plastic manufacturing process When choosing a
manufacturing method for your product, consider
the following Form Are your parts complex or
have tight tolerances? Manufacturing options can
be limited depending on the design of the part.
They may also require significant design
optimization (DFM) to make them economically
producible. Cost/volume How many parts are you
planning to make each year? While some
manufacturing processes are expensive to set up
and tool, others produce low-cost parts per-part.
Low volume manufacturing processes, on the other
hand, have lower startup costs. However, because
of slower cycle times and less automation, cost
per piece remains constant or drops marginally as
volume increases.
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Lead Time How fast do you need parts made or
finished goods? While some processes produce
first parts in 24 hours, others take months to
set up and tool for high-volume production
processes. Material To what stresses and
strains must your product be able to withstand?
There are many factors that determine the best
material for a particular application. It is
important to balance cost against aesthetic and
functional requirements. Compare the best
characteristics to your application with the
options available in the given manufacturing
process. Different types of plastics Plastics are
available in thousands of different varieties,
with many base chemistries, derivatives and
additives. These Plastics Dealers can be
formulated to provide a wide variety of aesthetic
and functional properties. Let's first look at
the two main types thermoplastics and thermosets
of plastic to simplify the task of choosing the
right material for a particular part or
product. Thermoplastics The most widely used
plastic is thermoplastics. They can withstand
multiple melt and solidification cycles without
causing significant degradation. Most
thermoplastics come in small sheets or pellets
that can be heated and shaped using different
manufacturing processes. This process can be
reversed because there is no chemical bonding. It
makes it possible to recycle or melt
thermoplastics. The most common types of
thermoplastic material Acrylic
(PMMA). Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
Polyamide (PA). Polylactic acid
(PLA). Polycarbonate (PC) Polyetherether ketone
(PEEK).
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Polyethylene (PE). Polypropylene, (PP) Polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) Thermosetting Plastics Thermosettin
g plastics, also known as thermosets, are
permanent solids after curing. This is in
contrast to thermoplastics. The curing process is
inducible by heat, light or other suitable
radiation. This causes polymers in thermosetting
materials to cross-link. This curing process
creates an irreversible chemical link.
Thermosetting plastics melt when heated and then
decompose upon cooling. It is impossible to
recycle thermosets, or return the material to its
base ingredients.