Questions for Plastic Manufacturers

[jemmej]

Questions for Plastic Manufacturers

My company generally only designs enclosures using sheetmetal. We've never really investigated fabrication using plastic. If there's a plastic manufacturer that would like to discuss the pros and cons of various plastic forming processes (blow, vacuum, injection, etc.) as well as the rough costs associated, that would be greatly appreciated. We can converse via pm or through this forum if you'd like to share the infor with others.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[indesign]

Not a plastics manufacturer but we make molds for them. Plastics would be good if the right type (being used to house electrical) but the initial cost would most likely be high. The trouble with plastic is the mold cost. If you are running lots of the same or very simular part then it may be worth a look.

If the variations require only insert changes in the mold then several styles could be made from a single mold cavity.

If you do prototype boxes or specials then it may not be the best route.

 

[ideazonepd]

This might be a lot of stuff that you already know, but here is a link to the British Plastics Federation website (I'm sure their plastics are about the same as ours ).

http://www.bpf.co.uk/bpfindustry/process_plastics.cfm

Each of the processes has its own page of explanantion, and some pretty informative Flash animations.

Hope this helps.

Myles

 

[MilesH]

Thanks for that link, Myles.

Useful stuff, for me, there...

Miles

 

[moyesboy]

There are several other possibilities for making moulded type enclosures if you are not in real moulding quantities.
In my line of work for lab equipment there is pressure to produce consumer goods type styling, look and feel, when quantities can be only 20-200 per year.
First route we took was fabrication from plastic sheet, more or less welded together.

Then for a more stylish shape we went to a 2 part polyurethane resin done with a wooden mould.
This is a stronger result than the other method which is an injected Pu foam called RIM moulding which produces a similar result with a hard skin and a foam core so you need a generous wall thickness.

These are the techniques used for lots of low quantity medical and laboritory equipment which need a consumer product like enclosure.

PM me if this is the right track for you and you want more info, I can let you have supplier details for the UK.