The Importance of Plastic Molding in Today’s World
Molded plastics are one of the most useful materials produced by manufacturers today. Plastics can be molded for use in synthetic medical prosthetics and orthotics as well as in the auto industry for various vehicle parts and for construction materials for homes and buildings.
However, there are several types of plastic moldings. These include:
. Injection molding
. Blow molding
. Extrusion molding
. Rotational molding
. Compression molding
Injection Molding
In order to know the specific purposes of molding within these molding types, some clarification is necessary.
For example, injection molding offers the most versatility. It can be molded to various shapes and sizes. As the name implies, plastic is “injected” into a mold of a specified shape or size to create the final product.
Blow Molding
Blow molding is similar to the technique used in glass blowing. A parison or heated mass usually in tublar shapes is inflated with air until it fills a mold and conforms to the mold’s shape. Then, plastic is blown into the desired manufacturing form. It is allowed to cool, at which point the new form is removed from the mold.
Extrusion Molding
Extrusion molding uses a technique where melted plastic is inserted directly into a die. In this type of molding, it is the die rather than a mold that produces the final design and shape.
Rotational Molding
Using high temperatures and a rotating motion, melted plastic coats the inside of a mold that creates the resulting shape. The process begins with filling a mold with polymeric powders as a heated mold begins to rotate and coat the mold.
The World of Molded Plastics
It is easy to see why the techniques used to mold plastics is essential in manufacturing. Toys, small household appliances and businesses all depend on products that have been molded from plastic.
