Sofia Martinez
Creating a plastic product involves several steps, from design to manufacturing. Firstly, it's important to consider the product's functionality and intended use, which will influence the choice of materials and manufacturing process. The design process may involve creating a prototype using cheap materials such as wood or cardboard to visualise the idea. The next step is selecting a suitable manufacturing process, with options including CNC machining, injection moulding, additive processing (3D printing), and vacuum forming. Each process has its own advantages, lead times, and costs. Injection moulding, for example, has high start-up costs but is suitable for high-volume production, while 3D printing offers design freedom but may require post-processing. The choice of plastic material is crucial, as different plastics have varying melting temperatures, toxicity levels, and properties such as temperature resistance and mechanical strength. Finally, it's important to consider the number of parts needed, timelines, and quality control to ensure the final product meets the desired specifications.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic manufacturing processes | Vacuum forming, CNC machining, injection molding, additive processing (3D printing), polymer casting, rotational molding, plastic extrusion, reaction injection molding, thermoforming, laser cutting, resin casting, stamping, die cutting, manual cutting |
| Mold materials | Aluminum, steel |
| Plastic types | Thermoplastic, thermosetting plastics, polyethylene, nylon, polystyrene, silicone, polyurethane, PEEK, Vespel, Ultem |
| Plastic product design considerations | Functionality, durability, cost, aesthetics, production time, complexity, safety |
| Prototype materials | Wood, building-grade foam, modeling clay, cardboard |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic injection moulding
To begin the plastic injection moulding process, your product needs to be designed. This is usually done as a CAD file, and you should follow the necessary design guidelines for the specific injection moulding process you plan to use. For example, to ensure the success of your plastic injection moulding, try to include features like rounded edges, ribbed supports for extra strength, friction fits as joining features, and living hinges where flexibility is required. It is also important to maintain consistent wall thickness and avoid features that can lead to defects, such as thin or thick walls, sharp corners, and badly designed ribbing.
The next step is to create a prototype of your product. This can be done using cheap materials such as wood, foam, modelling clay, or cardboard. The prototype will help you visualise your idea and choose the right plastic production process. It is important to finalise the design and choose the right process and materials before approaching a manufacturer, as changes to the mould design later on can be costly and time-consuming.
The mould, or "tool", is the most critical and challenging part of the plastic injection moulding process. It is crafted by professional machinists based on your design and includes features such as a cavity, sprues, gates, and ejector systems. Creating a new mould can take months and cost a significant amount, sometimes running into five or six digits. However, once the mould is created, the production process is highly efficient, with cycle times of just a few seconds, allowing for the mass production of plastic goods in a short time.
The plastic injection moulding process itself involves feeding thermoplastic pellets into a hopper, where they make their way to the barrel and are melted. The molten plastic is then injected into the mould, which is closed by a hydraulic press. The mould setup may include inserts added by hand or robotically. Once the plastic has cooled and solidified, the mould is opened, and the part is ejected. The mould is then reused to create the next part.
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Vacuum forming
The process involves using a sheet of plastic that is heated to become pliable and then using vacuum technology to suction it to a mold. The vacuum removes all the air between the flexible plastic sheet and the premade mold, allowing the heated plastic to form tightly against the mold's custom shape. This results in a prototype or component for a product. The basic types of vacuum-formed molds are male (positive) or female (negative). Male molds are convex and conform to the inside dimensions of the plastic part, while female molds are concave and form the outer dimensions.
Most thermoplastics can be used for vacuum forming, and plastics with high resistance to flames, chemicals, and water are often utilized. HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) is commonly used for high-quality, durable parts. The thickness of the plastic sheets used in vacuum forming can vary, typically ranging from 0.0005 to 0.50 inches, with some machines restricting thickness to 0.25 inches for prototyping.
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Polymer casting
The process of polymer casting begins with creating a mould. This can be done by hand-sculpting or 3D printing a master, which is then used to create a hollow mould. The mould can be designed to produce a range of surface textures, including smooth, semi-smooth, and rough. Once the mould is ready, a predetermined amount of liquid polymer is placed into the mould. The mould is then rotated in two planes to distribute the polymer evenly against the walls of the mould, where it solidifies. The rate of withdrawal of the mould from the liquid polymer will determine the thickness of the plastic layer. The longer the plastic remains in the mould, the thicker the layer will be.
However, there are also some challenges associated with polymer casting. The process can be labour-intensive, as each cast part requires hands-on labour for post-processing. This results in a higher final cost per part compared to automated production methods. Additionally, managing air bubbles and moisture during the casting process can be difficult and lead to various challenges.
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Rotational moulding
The Engel process, developed in Europe during the 1960s, allowed for the manufacture of large hollow containers using low-density polyethylene. This led to the creation of the Association of Rotational Moulders (ARM) in 1976, which aimed to increase awareness of rotational moulding technology. In the 1980s, new plastics were introduced to the process, such as polycarbonate, polyester, and nylon, leading to even more applications, including fuel tanks and industrial mouldings.
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CNC machining
There are several CNC machining processes for creating plastic parts:
- CNC turning: This process involves spinning the plastic polymer on a CNC lathe while a fixed CNC tool removes parts of it to create the desired shape. It is suitable for working with various shapes, with the most common workpiece shape being cylindrical.
- CNC milling: This process is the opposite of CNC turning, as the tools rotate while the material is fixed. It offers high precision and accuracy and a uniform production rate due to the corresponding cutting speed of the tools. Multi-axis mills, including milling machines with four axes or more, are best for creating plastic parts with complex geometries.
- CNC drilling: This process involves using a drill bit to drill holes of different sections into a plastic block. It is critical to keep CNC drill bits sharp and control the heat when drilling plastics.
When choosing a plastic for CNC machining, it is important to consider the function of the part being machined and select a plastic with the right properties. For example, acrylics offer transparency and impact resistance, while PVC is affordable, durable, and acid-resistant but toxic and unstable at high heat.
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Frequently asked questions
The four basic steps to creating a plastic product are: coming up with a design, deciding on a manufacturing process, building a prototype, and producing the design.
Some common manufacturing processes for plastic products include plastic injection molding, CNC machining, additive processing (3D printing), rotational molding (rotomolding), and vacuum forming.
When choosing a manufacturing process, it is important to consider factors such as cost, production time, functionality, and the complexity of the design.
You can create a prototype using cheap materials such as wood, building-grade foam, modeling clay, or cardboard. This step allows you to test and refine your design before finalizing it.
When choosing a plastic material, consider the product's application, melting temperature, toxicity, durability, and cost. Different types of plastics have unique characteristics, so select one that aligns with your specific requirements.
