My good friend and I decided to take a couple classes together last year, and in both classes windows were abundant. We both sat near large window and shutters were clearly bolted on and ready to be put in action at any moment. After continually staring at them, there was a large word printed in the middle of the shutter and pronounced with its bright green ink, ‘polymer’. After the semester I got tired of wondering what that word meant and bet my friend I’d find out the meaning and tell him what that word meant as soon as possible. It turns out that Polymer is a synthetic compound and is often used in PVC pipe manufacturing. Wanting to know more on the process itself I did some research! It starts out with the plastic being melted into a liquid state, shaped into a continuous profile and cut to length. So let’s get a little more in depth on this economically friendly process!
Information on the internet referring to plastic products is limited but growing for the most part. Having found most of my information through word of mouth and some books I rummaged through from the local bookstore, I felt lucky to share this.
As the plastic is reaching its melting point in the extruder cavity it is mixed with colorants and I some cased UV inhibitors. The plastic are in small pellets before being melted usually smaller then a golf ball. Soon they’ll be molded into window panels and ready for packaging.
When the plastic moves through the cavity it reaches a screw mechanism where the plastic is forced out. Inside of the cavity it is a high 400 degrees to keep the plastic at its current state. Overheating is a problem sometimes when extruding plastic so plastic companies have figured a way to defeat overheating.
Three heaters at 400 degrees f are put in place and the plastic is gradually introduced to the heat eliminating the fear of overheating and burning. That was the most interesting part of the search for information, at least to me!
Inside the Extruder cavity it is a whopping 400 degrees and needs to be kept at this temperature to keep the plastic in its liquid state. This is something interesting; while overheating is somewhat of a problem in the extrusion business they found a way to burn proof their plastic.
Next I understood that a die is added to the plastic to give it its full profile. Plastic Molding Companies use different dies for different products. After the die it’s time for a water sealed bath. Cooling rollers are put in place of the baths for more delicate polymer products.
Next in the process comes the exciting cooling process. Cooling fans and sealed water baths are most common forms of cooling. But some Plastic products are too delicate for those forms of cooling so especially designed cooling rolls are put in place.
The best injection molded parts have been used by the top companies around the world. The industry is expanding rapidly in their abilities. Quality polymer molding is an in depth procedure and every step must be taken for success. I recieved my knowledge on manufacturing, and extrusion. Now go out there and look for plastic manufacturers that are ready to assist your every need!
– Gregory Scott
