Exploring the Common Types of Plastic for Injection Molding and Structural Foam Molding

Exploring the Common Types of Plastic for Injection Molding and Structural Foam Molding

Injection molding and structural foam molding are essential manufacturing processes with distinct advantages in production speed, cost-effectiveness, and design versatility. But with the range of plastics available, selecting the right material for your project can feel like a big task. Different polymers offer unique characteristics that can enhance the durability, flexibility, and overall performance of your products. Here, we’ll break down the most common types of plastics for injection molding and structural foam molding, highlighting their strengths and applications.

Types of Plastic for Injection Molding

ABS

ABS is another common type of plastic for injection molding. It’s a versatile choice that is used widely across industries for products like toys, electronic housings, tools, and construction equipment. Known for its impressive impact resistance and rigidity, ABS can withstand rough handling and extreme temperatures, making it ideal for applications requiring durable and long-lasting components. Plus, its easy machinability means it’s well-suited for projects that need detailed designs.

HDPE

Next on our list of the common types of plastic for injection molding is HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene). This material is often chosen for storage containers and consumer goods due to its chemical and heat resistance, affordability, and recyclability. As a 100% recyclable material, HDPE is also an environmentally conscious choice that doesn’t compromise on strength or longevity. If you’re designing products that demand durability at a low cost, HDPE is a fantastic option.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is one of the types of plastic for injection molding that is popular in applications like piping and consumer goods, thanks to its robust impact resistance, UV stability, and chemical resistance. This polymer offers the rigidity needed for high-performance applications where components must withstand physical stress and environmental exposure without deformation or degradation over time.

Polypropylene

Finally, polypropylene is a plastic that brings elasticity, fatigue resistance, and electrical insulation to the table, making it an excellent material for storage containers and various consumer goods. As another common type of plastic for injection molding, its chemical resistance adds to its durability, making polypropylene suitable for items that need to retain structural integrity under repeated bending or exposure to harsh conditions.

Types of Plastic for Structural Foam Molding

Polyethylene

For structural foam molding, polyethylene is frequently used in piping systems, chemical tanks, and other applications where lightweight yet durable materials are necessary. Polyethylene’s chemical and impact resistance, combined with its non-absorbent qualities, makes it an ideal choice for environments exposed to moisture and chemicals. Additionally, its dielectric properties ensure it’s safe for electrical insulation applications.

Polypropylene

Lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant, polypropylene is widely used for machinery parts and customer appliances that must perform reliably under constant use. Its high resistance to fatigue and chemicals ensures that polypropylene components retain their shape and functionality over time, making it a preferred choice for structural foam molding projects requiring longevity and resilience.

Unsure What Types of Plastic for Injection Molding are Best for Your Project? Port Erie is Here to Help

With an extensive selection of materials and decades of expertise, Port Erie’s team is ready to assist you in finding the perfect polymer for your injection or structural foam molding project. Our engineers are well-versed in the unique properties of each material and can provide detailed guidance to match your product requirements with the ideal plastic, ensuring the best performance and cost-effectiveness for your applications.

At Port Erie, we also offer comprehensive support, from material selection and design consultation to in-house tooling, manufacturing, and post-production services like kitting, assembly, and decorating. Our warehousing and distribution services, which include multiple storage facilities and just-in-time delivery options, further streamline your production and logistics processes so you can focus on growing your business.

Contact our team today to discuss how we can support your project and guide you in choosing the best materials for injection or structural foam molding. Whether you’re navigating complex design requirements or need a full-service manufacturing partner, Port Erie has the experience, capabilities, and dedication to make your project a success.

Plastics Distribution and Logistics: Another Way Your Manufacturer Can Assist You

Plastics Distribution and Logistics: Another Way Your Manufacturer Can Assist You

Navigating plastic distribution and logistics can be complex, especially when you’re managing other areas of your business. Fortunately, an experienced plastic manufacturer can streamline the process. When you trust your manufacturing partner to handle plastics distribution and logistics — things like storage, fulfillment, and delivery — you can stay focused on your priorities. Let’s explore how partnering with a full-service plastics manufacturer like Port Erie can simplify distribution and logistics for your business.

What Plastics Distribution and Logistics Your Manufacturer Can Take Over for You

Warehousing

Once production is complete, your manufacturer can warehouse your products until you’re ready to ship. When you trust your manufacturer for plastics distribution and logistics services like storage, you don’t need to manage additional shipping steps to a third-party location. This saves you both time and money by keeping all services under one roof.

At Port Erie, we have:

• Two 100,000-square-foot warehouses and one 75,000-square-foot storage facility, providing ample space for both short-term and long-term plastics distribution and logistics needs.
• Contract fulfillment, long-term storage, and seasonal storage options, so you always have storage tailored to your business demands.

Distribution

When you need it, your manufacturer can also manage the distribution part of your plastics distribution and logistics needs. This takes the burden of organizing deliveries off of you and removes the need for an outside distributor, saving you time and money.

At Port Erie, we handle fulfillment for all major retailers, offering flexibility to get your products to big-box stores quickly. We also offer Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery, shipping parts directly to your manufacturing locations on schedule to minimize or even eliminate delays in your production line.

Reporting

Finally, it’s essential to know that your products are reaching their destinations on time. Manufacturers who provide detailed reporting can give you the peace of mind that your plastics distribution and logistics are running smoothly and your products are on track.

At Port Erie, we offer client reports and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) capabilities to help you track each shipment. By using industry-leading practices, we’re also able to ensure that every part is shipped on time and to the correct location.

Benefits of Trusting Your Manufacturer with Plastic Distribution and Logistics

Outsourcing plastics distribution and logistics to your manufacturer allows you to focus on other aspects of your business. Without the added responsibility of overseeing storage and delivery, you’ll have more time to attend to the operations and planning that drive growth.

By choosing a manufacturer who handles warehousing, distribution, and reporting, you also eliminate the need for separate warehousing and distribution partners. This saves you the time spent on sourcing and coordinating and can reduce costs, since everything remains streamlined under one roof.

Port Erie Offers Various Plastic Distribution and Logistics Services

At Port Erie, we bring more than seven decades of experience to every project, refining our injection and structural foam molding capabilities to deliver high-quality plastic components quickly and efficiently. By integrating our warehousing and distribution services into our turnkey manufacturing solutions, we ensure that your products are produced, stored, and delivered according to your unique specifications — all within a single, streamlined process.

Our plastics distribution and logistics services are designed to support your production goals with efficiency and reliability. Whether it’s JIT delivery, managing stock in one of our large, secure warehouses, or offering detailed reporting to keep you informed, our logistics services are equipped to enhance your operations.

If you’re ready to optimize your distribution and logistics process, reach out to our team today to discuss how Port Erie can help meet your unique needs.

How Automated Injection Molding Has Benefitted the Industry

How Automated Injection Molding Has Benefitted the Industry

Automation is everywhere in our world today, including in manufacturing and plastic injection molding. Automating various production processes offers many benefits to the manufacturer, customer, and end-user. By implementing automated injection molding processes into our business, we have been able to streamline processes, saving our customers money and getting their products to market faster. Let’s explore the benefits of automated injection molding.

What is Automated Injection Molding?

Automated injection molding combines robotic manufacturing equipment and automated tools to create a faster, easier, and more reliable manufacturing process for both large and small parts. At Port Erie, we have implemented automated machines and processes into our injection molding and structural foam molding operations.

Some of the applications of these automated machines include:

• Loading and unloading polymers, materials, and parts
• Quality control by orienting parts and utilizing sensors to determine if there are dimensional errors
• Assembly, sorting, and stacking, including welding to build assemblies and arranging parts for kitting or packaging
• Secondary processes such as decorating and labeling

Benefits of Automated Injection Molding

Faster Production

Automated machinery can work faster and longer than traditional human workers during various manufacturing processes. This allows the machines to create more products in a shorter timeline, and work longer to meet demand faster than traditional manufacturing methods.

Lower Costs

Since fewer human employees are needed for automated injection molding, there are lower labor costs, and manufacturers can pass these savings on to their customers. Additionally, automated injection molding yields more accurate products with fewer mistakes, warpages, or damage, saving you money on having to replace or reproduce products.

Improved Sustainability

Automated machines can produce parts and products with fewer errors, improving fabrication efficiency and reducing the amount of waste generated by deformed and rejected parts. Overall, this greatly improves the sustainability of your production processes, something that is becoming more and more important to end-users due to increased pollution and the growing concern for climate change.

If You Want to Experience the Benefits of Automated Injection Molding, Turn to Port Erie

At Port Erie, we have been honing our injection and structural foam molding capabilities since 1953. With over seven decades of experience, we have mastered traditional injection and structural foam molding processes and have integrated automated systems to keep our production running smoothly, efficiently, and rapidly.

In addition to our injection molding and structural foam molding capabilities, we have all of the capabilities needed to make sure your project runs perfectly from start to finish. Our plastic engineers will help you review your designs to make sure they work for your chosen production process, and if not, they will suggest changes. In addition to this, your assigned plastic engineer will help keep your projects on track during production as well, troubleshooting any issues that pop up along the way and keep you up-to-date on everything that is going on with your project.

We also have in-house tooling facilities, giving us the ability to machine your tooling and molds so we can control the quality of your product from the start. And, once your product is done in production, we can help you with kitting, assembly, decorating, and secondary operations so your product is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.

With our multiple warehouses, we can store your products for you until distribution, and we can help with just-in-time delivery.

If you are ready to get started, reach out to our team today.

Structural Foam Injection Molding Large Parts: An Efficient Solution

Structural Foam Injection Molding Large Parts: An Efficient Solution

Large parts can be time-consuming and costly to manufacture, and finding a manufacturing process that meets all of your needs without breaking the bank can be tricky. Fortunately, structural foam injection molding can be used to create large parts in a tight timeline and within budget. Continue reading to learn about the benefits of structural foam injection molding large parts.

What is Structural Foam Injection Molding?

The structural foam molding process starts by mixing a melted polymer with nitrogen gas and/or a chemical blowing agent. This mixture is then injected into the structural foam mold under low-pressure. As the polymer touches the walls of the mold it cools, forming a product with a solid exterior and a honeycombed interior. This process results in large, complex products that have a durable exterior layer, and a less dense inner layer that makes them lightweight compared to their straight injection molded counterparts.

There are two common polymers used in the structural foam molding process to create large parts: polyethylene and polypropylene. Both polymers have beneficial properties, but are often used for different applications. Polyethylene is resistant to chemicals and water, recyclable, has a high strength-to-weight ratio, exhibits low moisture absorption, and has a high impact strength. Polypropylene is rigid, lightweight, tough, and flexible, exhibiting good fatigue, chemical, and moisture resistance.

Benefits of Using Structural Foam Injection Molding for Large Parts

Design Flexibility

Since structural foam molding is a low-pressure process, it is easy to mold. Due to the low-pressure used in the process, the risk of damage to the product is greatly reduced, allowing you to design complex products that will maintain the desired shape in the finished product.

Reduced Risk of Damage and Warpage

As stated above, this process uses low pressure. This puts less stress on the product during the production process. With the reduced stress on the product, your risk of having a damaged or warped product coming out of production is greatly reduced. This will save you time and money in the long run, as you won’t have to worry about replacing or reproducing damaged or warped parts.

Multiple Molds Can Run at Once

During structural foam molding, multiple molds can run at once because the low-pressure process doesn’t put too much stress on the machines or the molds unlike in traditional injection molding. And, since you can run more than one mold at a time, you will be able to create more products in a shorter amount of time, saving you money on manufacturing and allowing for your products to get to market faster.

Advantageous Physical Properties

Structural foam molded products exhibit many desirable properties. Both polyethylene and polypropylene have advantageous properties, and they pass these on to your products. Some of the most beneficial properties this process offers include high strength-to-weight ratio, good thermal stability, and chemical and moisture resistance.

Use Structural Foam Injection Molding for Your Large Parts By Partnering with Port Erie

Port Erie Plastics has been in the injection and structural foam molding industry since 1953. In that time, we have honed our skills and abilities, allowing us to take on the most complex projects for a wide range of industries.

Our team is here to help make sure your project is a success from the start. Each of our clients is matched with a plastic engineer who works with you to understand the application and requirements of your projects so they can make sure the design and material you have chosen are right for you. We also have the ability to create all of our molds and tooling in-house, allowing us to ensure quality from the start.

We offer traditional and automated injection molding, as well as structural foam molding to make sure we can serve all of your needs. Once your product is manufactured, we offer assembly and finishing services as well as warehousing and distribution to make sure your project makes it to the end-user in perfect condition.

Are you ready to get started? Contact us today.

What Are the Different Types of Plastic Injection Molding?

What Are the Different Types of Plastic Injection Molding?

There are a few different types of plastic injection molding to choose from when deciding on a manufacturing process for your plastic project. Two of the most common types are structural foam molding and injection molding. In this blog, we will review each of these processes to help you decide which is best for your project.

Common Types of Injection Molding

Structural Foam Molding

The structural foam molding process creates large tonnage products that are lighter in weight than straight injection molded products. To do this, the process starts with nitrogen gas and/or a chemical blowing agent being mixed with the chosen melted polymer. The mixture of polymer and nitrogen gas/chemical blowing agent is then injected into the mold under low pressure. As the mixture touches the walls of the mold, it forms a solid outer layer and a honeycomb interior, yielding a durable, lightweight product.

This type of injection molding is commonly used to create large tonnage parts and products with thick walls. These walls also allow products to be extremely durable. The low-pressure injection molding process also prevents damage and warpage, allowing for your product to be created with little risk of damage.

Injection Molding

During the injection molding process, a polymer is melted inside the injection molding machine. Then, the machine is closed and the mold halves come together and are held together by high clamp pressure. A screw within the barrel of the machine then pushes molten polymer into the mold under very high pressure. Once all material is in the mold, the screws pull back and the polymer starts to cool. Once completely cooled, the product is released from the mold.

Injection molding is commonly used to create complex parts and products. The high pressure of the process allows for the polymer to get into all sections of the mold, no matter how intricate the design is.

Benefits of Each Type of Plastic Injection Molding

Benefits of Structural Foam Molding

Structural foam molding provides many benefits if used in the proper applications. Not only is it a cost-effective manufacturing process for large parts and products because they can be completed in one shot, but they also offer weight reduction compared to solid plastic parts of the same size. The process is also highly moldable, making it efficient.

Benefits of Injection Molding

The injection molding process is faster than other plastic production processes due to the high pressure at which it takes place. This process produces strong and durable plastic products that can be used in many industries. Plus, this process creates products that have smooth features, so they will need very little post-machining processing, ultimately saving you time and money.

For All Types of Plastic Injection Molding, Turn to Port Erie

Since 1953, Port Erie Plastics has been creating high-quality durable products through injection molding, automated injection molding, and structural foam molding. Throughout our time, we have honed our skills in each of these areas and we brought in multiple skilled plastic engineers to make sure we are producing the best products possible.

When you partner with us, we will assign one of our plastic engineers to your project. They will help make sure your product’s design is conducive to the production process you have chosen, and if not, they will make suggestions to improve the design. From here, you will choose your polymer. Our team has experience with a range of plastics, so no matter which you pick, our team is ready to handle it.

Not only will we help you during the design process, but we also have the capabilities needed to create and design your injection molding and structural foam molding tooling and molds for your project. This allows you to keep your entire production process with the same manufacturer, saving you time and money on your processes.

If you are looking for the perfect partner for your injection molding and structural foam molding projects, turn to Port Erie Plastics. Reach out to our team today to learn more.

What Structural Foam Molding Materials Do You Need for Your Project?

What Structural Foam Molding Materials Do You need for Your Project?

This process is used in many industries due to the products having a lighter weight compared to straight injection molded products while still maintaining durability and functionality. Structural foam molded products are a good replacement for aluminum, steel, and sheet metal, also lowering costs. So, what structural foam molding materials do you need for this process? Let’s explore.

What is Structural Foam Molding?

Structural foam molding is a low-pressure injection molding process where a melted polymer is mixed with nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent. This mixture is then injected into a mold. Once in the mold, the gas or blowing agent is released and expands, undergoing a chemical reaction that causes foam to form. When the foaming plastic touches the walls of the mold, it solidifies, producing a solid outer layer and a honeycomb interior.

Structural Foam Molding Materials For Each Step of the Process

Design

During the design process, you will need to choose the polymer you are going to use in production. This polymer will give your product all of the qualities you desire, so it is crucial to choose properly.

In structural foam molding, there are two common polymers used: polypropylene and polyethylene. Each of these plastics has its advantages and drawbacks:

• Polyethylene: This plastic is known for its resistance to chemicals and water, its recyclability, high strength-to-weight ratio, low moisture absorption, high impact strength, and durability. However, it does exhibit poor weather resistance and is sensitive to stress cracking. Commonly, polyethylene is used to create chemical containers, pipe systems, gardening equipment, and more.
• Polypropylene: This rigid, lightweight, closed-cell polymer is commonly used in consumer goods, automotive, medical, and many more applications. It is known for its toughness, flexibility, fatigue resistance, chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and moisture resistance.

If you aren’t quite sure which polymer will best suit your application, your manufacturer will be able to help steer you in the right direction.

Tooling and Mold Production

The tooling and molds you will be using during production need to be created from durable materials so they can be used repeatedly, saving you money on these tooling costs in the future. It is standard that these molds and tooling are made from steel due to its many advantageous properties. It is known to be strong and durable with the ability to withstand heavy loads and resist deformation with continual use. This allows these products to be used repeatedly without breaking down, reducing costs on maintenance and replacements.

Structural Foam Molding Process

Once you have decided on your polymer and have your tooling created, production can begin. During this process, your structural foam molding project will need either nitrogen gas or a chemical blowing agent to yield the part you desire. These chemicals are crucial to the formation of the honeycomb interior. The nitrogen gas or chemical blowing agent will undergo a chemical reaction during the injection process to form the inner honeycomb layer.

Secondary Operations

After production, you will have the option to tack on secondary operations to make sure your product is exactly as you envision. These services include assembly, decorating, drilling holes, and kitting. At Port Erie, we also offer assembly with screws, nuts, aluminum extrusions, fasteners, velcro strips, spindles, latches, springs, and rods.

Port Erie Can Provide You With All the Structural Foam Molding Materials You Need

At Port Erie Plastics, our team has been completing structural foam molding projects since 1953. During this time, we have become extremely familiar with a wide range of structural foam molding materials, particularly polyethylene and polypropylene. No matter which material you choose for your project, our team is ready to take it on.

Contact us today to get started.

Different Types of Plastics and Their Uses: Common Structural Foam and Injection Molding Plastics

Different Types of Plastics and Their Uses: Common Structural Foam and Injection Molding Plastics

Many types of plastics are used in injection and structural foam molding processes. Depending on the process and the application of the final product, one plastic may be a better fit than another. Let’s review some common types of plastics used in structural foam molding and injection molding and their uses.

Common Types of Structural Foam Plastics and Their Uses

The most common polymer used in the structural foam molding process is polyethylene. This polymer has many different beneficial properties that make it desirable in structural foam molded products.

Properties of Polyethylene

Polyethylene has many beneficial properties that make it ideal for use in numerous applications. These properties include:

• Chemical resistance
• Water resistance
• Recyclability
• High strength-to-weight ratio
• Low moisture absorption
• High impact strength
• Durability

Disadvantages of Polyethylene

While polyethylene has many advantageous properties, there are a few disadvantages that it may exhibit, including:

• Poor weather resistance
• Flammability
• Sensitivity to stress cracking

Common Applications of Polyethylene

With its many qualities, polyethylene is used in various applications:

• Chemical Containers: Due to its chemical resistance, water resistance, low moisture absorption, and durability, polyethylene is commonly used to create chemical containers.

• Pipe Systems: Again, due to its durability, chemical resistance, water resistance, low moisture absorption, and high impact strength, pipe systems are commonly created from polyethylene.

• Gardening Equipment: Polyethylene is often chosen for gardening equipment due to its durability, chemical resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, and water resistance.

Common Types of Injection Molding Plastics and Their Uses

There are many plastics used in injection molding. Here are some of the most common types of plastic and uses:

HDPE

HDPE is a very common injection molding plastic due to its many beneficial properties. This polymer is resistant to chemicals, weather, corrosion, and UV light, as well as having a high strength-to-weight ratio. And, while this polymer has many great properties, it is flammable and sensitive to cracking. Commonly, HDPE is used to create chemical containers, toys, pipe systems, and plastic lumber.

LDPE

LDPE exhibits many properties that make it a great choice in polymer, including low-temperature flexibility, toughness, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and waterproofing properties. Unfortunately, LDPE is susceptible to stress cracking, has low strength, poor UV resistance, and is flammable. This polymer is commonly chosen for containers, tubing, and trays.

PEEK

PEEK is a strong, stiff polymer that is very easy to machine. It is also very strong with a high-temperature resistance. However, PEEK does have a low resistance to UV light and chemicals. This polymer is typically used to create electronics, refrigerators, seals, and bearings.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate has many benefits, including being strong and stiff, impact resistance, thermal resistance, UV resistance, and waterproof properties. Unfortunately, it cannot withstand high temperatures and is very flammable. Consumer goods such as CDs, sunglasses, and eyeglass lenses, along with roofing and headlights are made from polycarbonate.

PVC

This polymer exhibits high impact strength and chemical resistance while being strong and easy to machine. PVC does have poor fire resistance and releases toxic gas when burned. PVC is used to create window frames, drainage pipes, flooring, and roofing.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene exhibits thermal stability, chemical resistance, high melting point, and UV resistance. However, it is also highly flammable. Pallets, containers, and chemical tanks are usually created from polypropylene.

Choose From Various Types of Plastics with Port Erie

For over 70 years of experience, Port Erie Plastics has been providing structural foam molding and injection molding services to various industries. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.

Durable Plastic Products: Exploring Structural Foam Strength

Durable Plastic Products: Exploring Structural Foam Strength

Structural foam molding is a manufacturing process that is commonly used to produce large tonnage plastic parts and products. This process produces parts that are durable, yet lighter weight than they would be if they had been created through straight injection molding. In this blog, we will explore the process of structural foam molding and the benefits of structural foam strength.

The Structural Foam Process

The structural foam process involves a few moving parts. First, the chosen polymer is melted and mixed with nitrogen gas and/or a chemical blowing agent. This mixture is then injected into the mold under low pressure. As the polymer touches the walls of the mold, it cools, forming a solid outer layer with a honeycomb inner layer.

What Makes Structural Foam So Strong?

There are many properties of structural foam that contribute to structural foam strength. Let’s explore some of these in-depth:

Solid Outer Layer

During the structural foam molding process, as the polymer mixture is injected into the mold, it cools as it touches the mold walls. This results in a solid, durable outer layer. This layer is extremely durable and hard, increasing the overall strength of the product.

Polymers Used

Polyethylene and HDPE are commonly used polymers in structural foam molding. Both of these polymers have numerous beneficial properties that contribute to structural foam strength:

• High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Having a high strength-to-weight ratio allows materials to withstand a lot of stress without breaking or deforming while being lightweight and easy to handle. This property gives products the ability to withstand heavy objects, impact, and other stressful conditions while maintaining their integrity.
• High Impact Strength: This is the ability of a material to withstand sudden force and shock without breaking, fracturing, or deforming.
• Chemical Resistance: Plastics that are resistant to chemicals will not break down or lose their properties in the presence of certain chemicals, such as acids, bases, and other solutions.

Each of these properties allows structural foam molded products to exhibit excellent strength in a wide range of conditions and applications.

Finishing Processes

Secondary operations and finishing services can be added to your structural foam products. This may include assembly with hardware, including nuts, fasteners, rods, aluminum extrusions, and more. These additions and services can provide additional strength to your structural foam products.

Port Erie is Your Partner for Strong Structural Foam Molded Products

At Port Erie Plastics, we have over 70 years of experience in structural foam molding and injection molding services. With our structural foam molding services, we are able to create high-quality, large-tonnage, durable products that fit all of your needs. Additionally, we can also create products through straight injection molding should that process better fit your needs.

We also provide various other plastic manufacturing services. To start, our team of skilled plastic engineers will work closely with you to make sure your product follows Design for Manufacturability guidelines and that they will fit the needs of your application. Plus, we also have the capabilities needed to design and produce all of your plastic structural foam and injection molding molds and tooling so we can easily adjust any issues immediately.

Once your products are done with production, we have the space needed to warehouse your products. This saves you time and money on transportation since you won’t have to worry about getting products from our production facilities to another warehouse. We can also assist with your distribution needs if desired as well.

Contact our team today to get started.

Meet Port Erie’s New Structural Foam Molding Machine

Meet Port Erie’s New Structural Foam Molding Machine

Port Erie Plastics has just received our new structural foam molding machine. We have added the 1000 SSWP LPIM structural foam molding machine to our list of best-in-class machinery. This machine has many features that will allow our team to take on more structural foam molding projects. Let’s explore some of the specs and upgrades of our 1000 SSWP LPIM structural foam machine.

The Specs of the 1000 SSWP LPIM Structural Foam Molding Machine

This machine has a Sepro dual-arm 5-axis servo robot. It has the ability to handle 100 kg or 220 lbs. The 1000 ton machine is positioned underneath a new 25-ton crane with a 10-ton kicker.

The platen dimensions are also 186” x 103”, a massive increase from our current 98” x 89” on our 500 ton machines. This structural foam machine has a tie bar distance of 144” x 60” compared to our current 58.5” x 67.5”, and a tie bar diameter of 11”.

There are two extruders on the machine, each of which can extrude 100 lbs PS, and the total output of the machine is 4,800 lbs per hour. Plus, it has an accumulator volume of 3,000 cubic inches.

Upgrades of the 1000 SSWP LPIM

Our new 1000 SSWP LPIM structural foam molding machine offers many upgrades that will improve our structural foam molding production processes. The maximum daylight of the machine is from 150” to 120”, allowing us to handle larger molds. It also has increased sequential nozzle controls from 32 to 48 and increased nozzle temperature zones from 32 to 48. There are also increased manifold extension controls from 20 to 40 zones.

Our New Structural Foam Machine Will Allow Us to Take Your Projects to the Next Level

With this new machine up and running, we will be able to take on more structural foam molding projects. Our team has over 70 years of experience in the structural foam molding industry and has taken on projects in many different industries.

We currently have the ability to create parts up to 7.5 feet in length and with wall thicknesses between 0.200” and 0.500”. With this new machine, we will be able to create larger parts and further expand our structural foam molding capabilities.

Our team primarily works with polyethylene and polypropylene on our structural foam molding projects due to their beneficial properties, including chemical resistance and durability. We can help you determine which of the two is best suited for your project based on industry, application, and design.

We are here to help you from beginning to end. From designing your structural foam molds to the production process to finishing and assembly to warehousing and distribution.

Partner with Port Erie for Your Structural Foam Molding Projects

We are the experts in structural foam molding, however, we also have the capabilities needed to complete your injection molding projects as well. Our team is here to help you with all of your plastic project needs.

Contact our team today to see how you can get the most out of our new structural foam machine.

Explore the Structural Foam Design Guide

Explore the Structural Foam Design Guide

The design process for structural foam molding can be complicated, so it is crucial to take every aspect of the product and production process into consideration. From wall thickness to material flow to Design for Manufacturability, our team at Port Erie Plastics has written a structural foam design guide to help you make the process as smooth as possible.

Structural Foam Molded Product Design

To start creating your structural foam molding product, you will need to start with your product design. The design for your product needs to be finished before the structural foam part can be quoted.  Port Erie doesn’t do product design, but we are more than willing to get involved in the process with expert input on manufacturability.

When designing your product for the structural foam molding process, you will need to take a few things into consideration. Your structural foam molding partner will also be able to assist you where needed, but here are some of the main considerations to make:

Wall Thickness

When using the structural foam molding process, it is possible to create products with thicker walls. Prior to starting production, it is important to determine the optimal wall thickness for your product.

The walls of your product need to be thicker than 0.25” because thin walls won’t allow for the necessary chemical reaction that occurs during the structural foam process to create the honeycomb interior. You will also need to consider the wall thickness because it can impact the structural integrity and appearance of your piece — thin walls may reduce the structural strength of your product, but thick walls can cause cosmetic deformities.

Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

The Design for Manufacturability process includes designing and engineering a product to facilitate the manufacturing process. This can help lead to reduced manufacturing costs and faster production so you can get your products on the market faster. At Port Erie, our team of plastic engineers will evaluate your design and address any issues that may negatively impact the manufacturing process or the mold build process.

Materials

You will also need to determine which material is best suited for your product. Commonly, polyethylene is used for many structural foam molded products, however, there are some other options to consider. Some of the properties you should consider include load-bearing, shock absorption, chemical resistance, UV resistance, weather resistance, and temperature resistance.

The material that you choose may impact the design of your product and the mold used to create it. If you come to Port Erie with a material in mind, our engineers will take a look at your design and the application of your product to make sure that it will work. And, if not, they can suggest alternatives.

Designing the Structural Foam Mold

Once your product design is finalized and you’ve chosen the material you are going to use in the production of your product, the designing of your structural foam mold can begin. When doing so, we will take various aspects of your mold into account, but the biggest are draft angles, material flow, and ventilation.

Draft Angles

This design feature is used to help release the part from its mold. Since structural foam molding is a low-pressure process, smaller draft angles can be used compared to standard injection molding. However, if you have a thinner structural foam wall, then you will need to make sure your draft angles are large enough. This is because there will be a higher pressure in the cavity when creating thin-walled parts, making it difficult to release the part from the mold.

Material Flow

Material flow is an important consideration to ensure that the structural foam mold is properly filled. If the material flow is inconsistent, too fast, or too slow, the material will not fill the mold properly and the final product will not be able to function as it was intended to.

Proper Ventilation

Ensuring your mold is designed with ventilation in mind is critical to make sure your product comes out of the mold exactly as you imagined it. Proper ventilation within your structural foam molds will prevent sink marks and warping, while also improving issues with improper part filling.

Want to Learn More About Our Structural Foam Design Guide? Reach Out to Port Erie Today

At Port Erie Plastics, we want to make sure we can help you with your structural foam molding and injection molding projects from beginning to end. Our team of talented plastic engineers will help you make sure your product and molds are designed to be produced efficiently. We will also make sure that your structural foam molds are produced properly and are of the highest quality so that during production, we can ensure that your products come out of the molds exactly as you imagined them.

Contact our team today to learn more about our structural foam molding design capabilities.