Plastic Profile Extrusion FAQs
Some plastic manufacturing products are more complicated, and others can be simplified with the proper process and the right company behind them. When it comes to plastic manufacturing, quality, lead time, and delivery are crucial to producing a solid product and keeping your customers satisfied. We try to be sure to meet your every need starting with your plastic profile extrusion FAQs.
Unfortunately, the great push to manufacture offshore in hopes of saving costs has created significant delivery delays and fluctuating quality, leading to difficulties with businesses keeping customers happy and keeping them coming back. The best solution to this problem is finding the right company that bases its reputation on its experience, quality of production, and adherence to delivery times. A company like CBM Plastics is what you need when you are looking for a custom plastic profile extrusion company.
At CBM Plastics, we know the challenges businesses face. With 25 years of experience in plastics manufacturing, we know how to produce high-quality products and deliver them at the agreed-upon time. We don’t face the significant shipping delays seen by overseas companies as we are located right in the heart of the country. This means a shorter lead time for your custom plastic profile extrusion project and more hands-on customer service. Contact CBM Plastics today to discuss your plastic profile extrusion project.
What is profile extrusion?
Profile extrusion is a manufacturing process that involves melting different polymers through a die and creating a continuous plastic shape. After going through the die, the plastic cools and shapes into the desired final product. Products produced with this method can be either solid or hollow.
What do you mean by plastic profile extrusion?
Plastic profile extrusion is a manufacturing process that converts raw plastic into a continuous profile. The process involves melting plastic materials and forcing them into a die, where the polymer takes its final shape. The plastic extrusion process is used for high-volume runs and is ideal for items such as piping, window frames, wire insulation, and railings.
What is plastic extrusion used for?
Extrusion technology is used to manufacture a wide range of plastic products, as long as there is a consistent profile. Some of the most commonly produced items include:
Tubing and pipes: PVC and other thermoplastics may be used for producing tubing and piping. The product’s consistent cylinder shape makes it ideal for plastic extrusion.
Automotive parts: Various automotive parts that maintain a consistent profile may be created through plastic extrusion. Windshield wipers are common automotive parts produced through extrusion technology and sometimes are created with a co-extrusion of natural and synthetic rubbers.
Blinds: Blinds are created with multiple slats of identical shape and size with thermoplastic, making them a good option for the plastic profile extrusion manufacturing process.
Wire insulation: There is a wide range of plastics that can provide both thermal stability and insulation. These plastics are often used to create cable jacketing and insulation through an extrusion process.
Door and window profiles: The continuous link and PVC profiles of door and window frames make them suitable for plastic extrusion.
What industries utilize plastic profile extrusion?
While profile extrusion can create many parts or products, the process is mainly utilized for manufacturing in industries such as:
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Outdoor Equipment
- Garden
- Janitorial
How much does plastic extrusion cost?
The cost for plastic extrusion will vary from project to project. There are costs for labor and materials to develop the tooling for the project, as well as the labor and material costs to produce the run. Additionally, some raw materials will have a significantly higher price than others, and the more complicated project will result in more labor. With more straightforward plastic extrusion tooling, you could expect a project to start around $6,000 to $8,000.
What does the extrusion die do?
Extrusion dies are the tooling used to create the profile in plastic profile extrusion. They are made of steel, thick, and have at least one opening for the plastic to come out during the extrusion process. They are highly durable and designed to handle extreme heat.
What is the difference between an extruder and an injection molding machine?
An extruder will produce long, continuous profile products by pushing heated resin through a die, a steel disk containing one or more holes. These extruded plastic profiles will create the linear custom profile to the desired size.
With injection molding, the plastic is injected into a mold where it is cooled before being removed from the mold. The size and shape of the part will be restricted to the size of the created mold
What materials can be used for plastic profile extrusion?
There are a variety of different raw plastics that can be heated and used in profile extrusion. Materials can take the form of pellets, powder, and granules. The plastic you choose primarily depends on the desired durability, flexibility, and chemical resistance needed for the part or product. Some of the most common plastics used in the plastic profile extrusion process include:
- PVC: Has good tensile strength, weatherability, and tear resistance
- Polypropylene, PP: Is low cost, durable, and resistant to chemicals and high temperatures
- Polycarbonate, PC: Is naturally transparent and allows for internal transmission of light
- Thermoplastic elastomer, TPE: Is known for its resiliency, durability, and flexibility
- High-density polyethylene, HDPE: Is strong, easy to form, and resistant to chemicals and moisture
- High-impact polystyrene, HIPS: Is stable, waterproof, and vapor proof
- Polyethylene terephthalate glycol, PETG: A thermoplastic known for its significant chemical resistance and durability
What is the lead time for the plastic extrusion process?
The type of project, run size, and materials will play a role in the lead time required for project completion. Yet, on average, you can expect 8 to 10 weeks lead times for most projects.
Do you do assembly?
CBM Plastics, Inc is here to help you with your plastic extrusion project from start to finish. We can help you design, develop, and assemble your product, providing you with quality manufacturing and service for your project from start to finish.
Which process should I use for my plastic part production needs?
Quality is essential, and part of ensuring your product is the right quality starts with choosing the proper process for your plastic part production needs. Profile extrusion is a cost-efficient process for products with a continuous profile that can be altered through cutting and hole punching.
If you want to add more detail in forming a 3-dimensional shape and have freedom with designing, then thermoforming may be the better option. You can have a detailed mold created, and your plastic formed through a process of heating sheets of plastic and then routing them with a CNC machine.
Injection molding is a great option when you want a larger product run and need to keep the cost per piece down. With injection tooling, you will pay more to create the die, but once set, plastic injection production is quicker and less costly than other processes.
Call today to get started on your plastic profile extrusion project started
No matter how complicated or simple your plastic production project is, CBM Plastics, Inc. can help you through the process from start to finish. We have made plastic product production our passion and pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality products to meet your manufacturing deadlines. Contact us today to get started on your next project.
