Understanding

Plastics
A fun-filled lecture based on
interesting facts relevant to your
exciting future careers.

To accompany video

Plastics Role
Over 85% of manufactured good contain
some form of plastic

Child Safety
Home and Garden
Food Safety
Medical Use
Automotive
Sports Performance and Safety

Energy Savers

Use less energy to manufacture

Used for energy saving purposes
Better in landfills
Recyclable

Types
Thermoplastic
Like butter

Thermoset
Like eggs

Processing Methods

Extrusion
Injection Molding
Blow Molding
Compression Molding
Transfer Molding
Rotation Molding
Thermoforming

Extrusion Molding

The process of forming a continuous

piece of plastic by forcing it through a
shaping orifice (die) with or without
the presence of heat.
Plastic films, piping, and bags are
made by extrusion processing.

Extrusion Molding

Injection Molding
The process of forming a material by forcing
it from a heated cylinder (barrel), under
pressure, through a sprue into a cavity of a
confined mold.
This process is used to make products such as
car bumpers, recycling bins, computer
housings, closures, and fittings.

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Blow Molding

Method of fabrication in which a warm

plastic parison (hollow tube), is
placed between the two halves of a
mold cavity and forced to assume the
shape of that mold cavity by use of
air pressure.
This method is used to make plastic
bottles such as milk jugs

Blow Molding

Compression Molding
The

process of molding a material in a

confined shape by applying pressure
and usually heat.
Almost exclusively for thermoset
materials
Used to produce mainly electrical
products

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Transfer Molding
A process of forming articles by fusing
a plastic material in a chamber then
forcing the whole mass into a hot
mold to solidify.
Used to make products such as
electrical wall receptacles and circuit
breakers
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Rotational Molding
Consists of a closed mold mounted on a
machine capable of rotation on two
axes simultaneously.
Rotation around both axes distributes the
molten plastic into a uniform coating on
the inside of the mold until the part is
set by cooling.
This process is used to make hollow
products, for example storage drums
or kayaks.

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Thermoforming
This process consists of heating
thermoplastic sheet to a formable
plastic state and then applying air
and/or mechanical assists to shape
it to the contours of a mold.
Good for products such as a single
serving jelly tub and plastic
packaging in general
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Thermoforming

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