Tuesday 25 March 2014

The Advantages Of Structural Foam Molding Of Plastics

By Gwen Lowe


Since its introduction in the mid 19th century, plastic has been used as a substitute of wood, concrete, fiberglass and metals in many instances. For example, hundreds of kitchenware are made of plastic instead of the traditional metals like iron or aluminum. In fact, there are floors made of plastic as opposed to concrete. It is also not strange to see several plastic chair designs in the market today. So, the question is how do they make some of these chair designs? To answer that, you must understand structural foam molding.

In summary, this process involves the mixing of a foaming agent with molten polymer to mold various plastic materials. Once the inert gas (i. E. The foaming agent) has had its effect, the foam slowly takes the shape of the mold without the need of pressure. In other words, structural foam technique allows you to produce high-density polyethylene without using force.

While the technique can use dozens of materials, Polycarbonate (PC), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (PS) are among the most common. Examples of products produced from this method include Point of Sale Display, Components, and Containers Pallets. Other products include Business Machine Housings among others.

Now, before one looks into the pros and cons of this technique, there is need to know the other molding techniques. For example, there is the Blow (which is basically putting injection and extrusion techniques together), Gas Assist, Rotational and Injection molding techniques. Other popular processes include thermoforming and Film Insert. Well, every procedure mentioned has its highs and lows. Nonetheless, structural foam is still the popular choice especially where force is not needed to spread the molten polymer.

Obviously, the technique has its own merits and demerits. On the brighter side, the process is cheaper to run. Many also love the method because it uses cheap and light molds (such as the ones made of aluminum). Additionally, it has very low internal stresses compared to Compression molding. Lastly, the technique allows the production of large plastic products.

It is true that the foam method is considerably cheaper to set up than most molding techniques. However, it can never beat Compression molding when it comes to the ease of setting up the process and the amount required to do so. Consequently, the former might not be the outright choice for those running on low budget. On the other hand, it is time consuming as it has slow production rate. When compared to injection techniques that employ high pressure, it turns out to be very slow.

Learning how to contract a plastic manufacturer is just as important as the description of structural foam technique, its uses and advantages. Now, that the plastic market is full of fake goods, knowing where to buy you products or whom to contract for the same is important. In fact, when a manufacturer decides to charge higher fees for low quality product then taking some precautions is in order.

While you are supposed to look for a number of things in a company, it is easier to begin with the testimonials. You then need to verify if the manufacturer is fully registered and follows the environmental legislation in your area. Last but not least, check their rates and only buy from the most affordable firm.




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