20/11/2016

03. Plastics. 3D Design & Printing

03.02 Forming Plastics

03.02 Forming Plastics

Plastics are obtained mainly through a
synthesis process. It is a chemical
industry procedure and after it we
get raw plastics in the form of
powder or granules.

Transformation processes:
– Extrusion
– Injection
– Compression
– Blowing
– Vacuum Thermoforming

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03.02 Forming Plastics Extrusion

Extrusion (thermoplastics)
1. A turning screw pushes granulated plastics into a heating chamber.
2. Once there, the material melts.
3. By pressure it passes through a steel die that determinates it shape

03.02 Forming Plastics Injection

Injection (thermoplastics)
1. A turning screw pushes granulated plastics into a heating
chamber.
2. There, the material melts.
3. The melted plastic is injected into a mould

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03.02 Forming Plastics Compression

Compression. (thermoset)
1. The mould is heated.
2. Powdered material or a piece of plastic is placed into the mould
and warms up.
3. The hydraulic press begins to move down when the plastic has
reached the correct temperature.
4. The plastic is compressed into the shape of the mould.
5. The upper mould moves upwards and the plastic piece is
removed.

03.02 Forming Plastics Blowing

Blowing (thermoplastics)
1. Material in the form of a soft cylinder.
2. It is introduced into the mould.
3. Hot compressed air is injected, so the material fits into
the walls of the mould

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03.02 Forming Plastics Vacuum Thermoforming

Vacuum Thermoforming .
1. The former “mould” is placed in a
vacuum former.
2. A sheet of plastic placed above the
mould
3. The heater is then turned on and the
plastic slowly becomes soft and pliable
as it heats up.
4. When the plastic becomes very flexible,
the 'vacuum' is turned on and this
pumps out all the air beneath the
plastic sheet.
5. When the plastic has cooled, it is
removed from the vacuum former. The
sheet has the shape of the former
pressed into its surface.

03.02 Working with plastics

Marking
•Plastics can be marked using pencils,
markers,..

Cutting
Thin plastics or sheets can be cut
using a cutter
Thicker plastics or sheets have to
be cut using a saw
Drilling
Driller can be used with plastics.
Holes with diameter bigger tan
6mm should be done in several
step increasing the diameter of the
hole till the final result

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03.02 Working with plastics

Joining
Permanent joining
oBy cohesion: two pieces fused together by
heating or using solvents.
oBy adhesion: Using special adhesives (it doesn’t
work in the whole of plastics)
oMechanical joining: rivets and screws

Removable
oMechanical joining: bolts, washer and nut