Top 4 Ways of Forming Plastic and their Advantages

Plastic manufacturing has emerged as one of the biggest industries today. From packaging material to heavy-duty industrial parts, uses of plastic are widespread. To a general onlooker, most kinds of plastic materials may look the same. Yet, their core material and Plastic Fabrication processes may vary greatly. Given below are some of the Plastic Manufacturing Processes and their advantages.

Injection Molding

Injection Molding is one of the most popular methods used by Plastic Manufacturers. The biggest edge of Plastic Molding is in its cost-effectiveness. Plastic Manufacturing Companies can produce goods at a large scale in the lowest costs. It also produces the least amount of waste and hence it is an ideal process for Plastic Manufacturing Companies. From small kitchen appliances to large bathroom fittings, this process is suitable for manufacturing all kinds of Plastic Profiles.

The process
The process is very simple. Resins are heated to their melting point. Then they are pushed into the mold. The molten plastic is pressed to take the form of the mold. It is an ideal process for manufacturing a large quantity of material at low cost. However, preparing the mold is very expensive. This process wouldn't be feasible if the quantity of goods required is low. 

Blow Molding
This is a highly adaptable process used in the Plastic Industry. It is commonly used for manufacturing bottles, containers and other kinds of hollow lengths. It is a fast and inexpensive process for making thin-walled hollow shapes. You can obtain complex shapes through this process. 

The process
Air pressure is used in this process to expand the molten thermoplastic into the desired shape. It is a good process for obtaining seamless hollow shapes.

Custom Plastic Extrusion Molding
Custom Plastic Extrusion is an ideal method for getting Plastic Profiles with strict tolerance. You can work with a variety of materials and shapes in Custom Plastic Extrusion method. Accuracy and consistency are the biggest plus points of this method.

The process
The plastic resins are melted and passed through a die. You can get fixed plastic shapes with desired IDs and ODs. You will also have complete freedom to choose the shape and size of the material. The process uses dies and tools and hence it is very economical if the quantity of the order is high. Preparing the dies and tools is expensive and hence it may not remain a feasible option if the order size is small. Yet, if accuracy and consistency are your prime requirements then this process is for you.

Rotational Molding
The rotational molding method is also used for making hollow objects like blow molding. However, the raw material used in this process is different. It uses plastic powder instead of plastic resins. Nylon, ABS, polyethylene,and PVC are some of the common materials used in this process. This is an ideal process if you are trying to create large, hollow or concave shapes. It produces seamless and stress-free finished goods. The process uses simple and inexpensive tools,however, the tools need to be replaced frequently. The quality of finished goods obtained through this process is average and it is not an ideal process for precision forming. 

The process
In this process, the plastic powder is placed in the mold and heated on a furnace. Once hot, the mold is continuously rotated to facilitate thorough coating of the mold's inside. Once done the mold is removed and cooled in a controlled environment. Both heating and the cooling processes need to be monitored with great precision as quick temperature differences can lead to the formation of bubbles and warps. 


Plastic Manufacturers use several other methods too like vacuum forming, compression molding, and thermoforming for making Plastic Profiles. The choice of process largely depends upon the kind of shape, consistency and order quantity required. To know more about custom plastic extrusion and the best plastic manufacturer near you, visit: www.spiratex.com