Basic Processing of Plastics

Blow Molding
An extruded parison tube of heated thermoplastic is positioned between the two halves of a
mold and expanded against the sides of the closed mold via air pressure.
Calendaring
Dough-consistent thermoplastic mass is formed into a sheet of uniform thickness by passing
through and over a series of heated or cooled rolls.
Casting
Liquid plastic generally thermoset is poured in into the mold without pressure, cured and taken
from the mold.
Centrifugal Casting
Reinforcement is placed in mold and is rotated. Resin distributed through pipe impregnates
reinforcement through centrifugal action.
Compression Molding
Thermoset compounds usually preformed, is positioned in a heated mold cavity; the mold is
closed under heat and pressure and the material flows and fills the mold cavity. Heat completed the
polymerization and the part is ejected.
Extrusion
Thermoplastic molding compound is fed from a hopper to a screw pump where it is heated to
plasticate then pumped out through shaping orifice (die) to achieve desired cross section.
Filament Winding
Continuous, reinforced filaments, usually glass, in the form of roving are saturated with resin
and machine wound onto mandrels having shape of desired finished part. After curing the mandrel
can then be removed through porthole at end of wound part.
Injection Molding
Thermoplastic or thermoset is heated to plasticate in cylinder at controlled temperature, then
forced under pressure through a nozzle into sprue, runners, gates and cavities of the mold.
Laminating
Material in the form of reinforcing cloth, paper, glass fiber, etc., pre-impregnated / coating with
thermoset resin is molded under pressure greater than 1000psi into sheet, tube, rod or simple shapes.
Rotational Molding
A predetermined amount of powdered thermoplastic material is poured into mold; mold is
closed, heated and rotated in the axis of two planes until contents have fused to the inner walls of mold.
Mold is then opened and part is removed.
Slush Molding
Liquid thermoplastic material is poured into a mold, mold is closed and heated for a
predetermined time in order to cure the molding.
Thermoforming
Heat-softened thermoplastic sheet is positioned over male or female mold, air is evacuated
between the sheet and mold, forcing the sheet to conform to contour of the mold.
Transfer Molding
Widely used to produce thermoset products. Thermoset compound is fed into transfer chamber
where it is then heated to plasticate; it is then fed by a plunger through sprues, runner and gate into a
closed mold where it cures.