Six Types Of Plastic Mold
1.Rotational Molding
Rotational Molding, also called rotomolding, is a manufacturing process for producing large hollow parts and products by placing a powder or liquid resin into a metal mold and rotating it in an oven until the resin coats the inside of the mold. The constant rotation of the mold creates centrifugal force forming even-walled products. Once the mold cools, the hardened plastic is removed from the mold.
2.Injection Molding
Injection molding is the process of making custom plastic parts by injecting molten plastic material at high pressure into a metal mold. Just like other forms of plastic molding, after the molten plastic is injected into the mold, the mold is cooled and opened to reveal a solid plastic part.
Injection molds, which are usually made from steel or aluminum, carry a hefty cost. However, the cost per part is very economical if you need several thousand parts per year.
With injection molding, tooling usually takes 12-16 weeks with up to four more weeks for production.
3.Blow Molding
Blow molding is a method of making hollow, thin-walled, custom plastic parts. It is primarily used for making products with a uniform wall thickness and where the shape is important.
Blow molding machines heat up plastic and inject air blowing up the hot plastic like a balloon. The plastic is blown into a mold and as it expands, it presses against the walls of the mold taking its shape. After the plastic “balloon” fills the mold, it is cooled and hardened, and the part is ejected.
Blow molding is fast and economical with the mold itself costing less than an injection molding, but more than rotational molding
4.Compression Molding
A heated plastic material is placed into a heated mold and then pressed into a specific shape. Usually, the plastic comes in sheets, but can also be in bulk. Once the plastic is compressed into the right shape, the heating process ensures that the plastic retains maximum strength. The final steps in this process involve cooling, trimming, and then removing the plastic part from the mold.
5.Extrusion Molding
Extrusion molding is similar to injection molding except that a long continuous shape is produced. Another difference in extrusion molding is that the process uses a “die” not a “mold.”
Extruded parts are made by squeezing hot raw material through a custom die.
While other forms of molding use extrusion to get the plastic resins into a mold, this process extrudes the melted plastic directly into a die. The die shape, not a mold, determines the shape of the final product.
6.Thermoforming
Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet called thermoplastic is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product.
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