Plastic: from raw material to end product
Did you know that plastics are made from natural, organic materials? From coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil, for example. For plastic products, various production techniques are used in turn. In this article, we tell you everything about the journey from raw material to end product and the possibilities we offer as specialists in injection molding and 3D printing.
How is plastic made?
Plastic does not top the list of most sustainable products. Yet, the reusable form is more sustainable than you might think! The raw materials of plastic are, in fact, organic materials: salt, cellulose, coal, natural gas and crude oil, for example. The two main processes used in the production of plastics are: polymerization and polycondensation. These connect the various raw materials and determine the structure.
Making plastic products
Plastic is also a raw material itself, for all sorts of products. They can be produced using different techniques. At QDP, we offer the ability to manufacture products through injection molding and 3D printing. An overview:
Injection molding
In injection molding, liquid plastic is injected into a mold and then the cavities are filled with granulate: these are plastic pellets that are poured into the hopper of the injection molding machine and then heated until it turns into a liquid substance. The material is injected into the mold under high pressure. Now, the shape just needs to cool down. The big advantage of injection molding is that you can quickly produce many identical products, for a complete series, for example. Something to keep in mind is that a mold must first be made, making the startup costs relatively high. Reading tip: The advantages of injection molding
3D printing
With our Carbon 3D printer, a photochemical process is initiated using digital light projection, oxygen-permeable lenses, and UV-curable resins. The product is then heated in an oven. Our professional Carbon 3D printer makes top-quality products. The dimensions the printer can handle are 18.9 x 11.8 x 32.6 centimeters. Any product within these dimensions can be made. The big advantages of 3D printing are the short lead time and the low entry costs.
Reading tip: The advantages of 3D printing
The advantages of plastic
- Great design freedom
- You can make watertight products with it
- Plastic is scratch- and wear-resistant
- It is lightweight
- Can be formed into many different complex shapes
- Resistant to various chemically aggressive substances
- Plastic is inexpensive and can be produced relatively quickly in large series
- Fewer components in the end product