Plastic manufacturing processes
There are many processing methods for polymers. Commercial processing equipment can range from a few thousand dollars to many millions of dollars. In addition to the equipment itself, tooling is generally required to make a particular shape. Most processes involve melting or softening the material and then forcing it into the desired shape. Other processes force a monomer or pre-polymer mixture into the right shape, then polymerize it in-place.
Main processing methods
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Molding
Blow Molding BL
IBM SBM EBM
Injection Molding IM
RIM LIM RTM VARTM
Rotational Molding
Compression Molding
Insert Molding
Dip molding
Transfer Molding
Thermoforming
Vacuum Forming
Pressure Forming
Drape Forming
Stretch Forming
Inline thermoforming
Twin sheet forming
Extrusion
Co-extrusion
Profile Extrusion
Blown Film Extrusion
Foam Extrusion
Sheet Extrusion
Pultrusion
Calendering
Coating
Fluidised Bed
Electrostatic spraying
Flame Spraying
Laminating
Recycling
Granulation
Blending
Compounding
Other processes