Monday, March 17, 2014

The Advantages Of Structural Foam Molding Of Plastics

By Gwen Lowe


Plastic was introduced in the 1800s and has since been used to replace metal, concrete, fiberglass and wood in the manufacture of most appliances. For instance, a big number of utensils are no longer made of aluminum or iron but plastic. In other cases, the use of concrete on floors is slowly being replaced by plastic products. People are not surprised anymore to see artistically designed plastic seats in furniture stores. What many do not know is how these chairs (for example) are made. Well, a little introduction to structural foam molding can clear the air.

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.

The flexibility of this method means that it can use different raw material; be that as it may, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polycarbonate and Polystyrene (PS) are used frequently. In fact, the method is mainly used in the production of Business Machine Housings and Containers Pallets. In addition, the technique produces point of sale Displays and Components.

Prior to examining the advantages of foam molding, it is important that you know the other popular molding methods. Primarily, there are Gas Assist, Injection, Rotational and Blow (that employs both the extrusion and injection techniques in a single procedure) techniques. On the other hand are the Film Insert as well as thermoforming methods. It is important to note that each technique has an advantage over the other depending on the product. However, the foam molding method is the best in low-pressure surroundings.

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.

There are several characteristics that define a credible manufacturer; however, you should need to read what other customers are saying. Also, check if they are legally operating and that they are in conformity with environmental laws in your state. They should also be affordable.




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