Plastics Processing

What is plastic processing?

Plastic processing involves the use of raw materials to create packaging, consumer products and component parts made from various forms of plastic. A common area of plastic engineering involves the creation of packaging for the food industry, which often entails the use of injection moulding machines.

• Industry wide demand for plastic processing
• Difference between moulding and forming
• Large variety of plastic processing machines

Plastic engineering involves the use of several processes and types of plastic processing equipment. As well as plastic injection moulding machines, machinery used for plastic treatment includes vacuum formers, compression moulding presses, thermoforming machines, rotomoulding machines and blow moulding machines. These processes involve the use of heat, pressure or both to create various shapes and moulds with plastic.

Plastic processing machinery in modern industry

Large items of plastic processing machinery utilise heat and moving parts, making them potentially dangerous. This is why plexi-glass covers are used for observing plastic transformation processes.

Modern machines are CNC-controlled, which means their production runs are programmed into a computer in advance. As well as blow moulding, injection moulding and expansion, the latest plastic processing equipment performs tasks such as milling, bonding and welding. While some machines are intended for one specific form of plastic processing, others are capable of performing several.

There are many products and component parts made with plastics processing equipment of different sizes and configurations. For instance, bottles for carbonated drinks, milk and cleaning agents are made with thermoplastic processing equipment that "blows" the raw material into shape under heat. The plastic then hardens and retains its shape as it cools.

What are the various applications for plastics processing equipment?

Over the years, plastic processing machines have grown increasingly sophisticated in terms of the accuracy, efficiency and speed they deliver. This has largely been driven by the need for cost-savings in the automotive and food industries. The need to constantly drive efficiencies has led to the development of a range of new plastic processing technologies, including laser cutting robots capable of delivering pinpoint accuracy. Various elements of both the interior and exterior of modern cars are made using this process.

The manufacture of everything from children's toys to stationery involves the use of a plastic moulding machine somewhere in the production line. Manufacturers may need to make alterations to existing equipment or purchase new machinery for the processing of various plastics available today. These plastics include acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, PMMA and PVDF. Such purchases can put a strain on the cashflow of small and medium-sized businesses. However, there is an opportunity to minimise capital expenditure by purchasing used plastic processing equipment from reputable sources. While these items often need a degree of maintenance or servicing before use, they have a proven track record of productivity, which is something that can never be said about a new plastic processing machine.

Where to buy used plastic processing machinery

You will often find quality industrial machinery from reputable sources at Surplex.com. We are constantly trawling liquidation sales across Europe in search of used plastic processing machinery for sale - from manufacturers such as BATTENFELD, HSD, IMS and OMLAT. However, if we don't have exactly what you are looking for today, keep checking the site, as we're adding used machines for sale and used plastic machinery auctions all the time. Alternatively, you can be among the first to learn about our industrial auctions and sales by signing up to the Surplex newsletter.