Insurance and Financial Information


Plastic Molding: The Advantages Of An Interesting Process

by Elijah Mort

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is an essential thermoplastic, that has been a powerful player in since the beginning of the industrial revolution. In fact, it has its roots even a couple of decades before the industrial spike, and has continued to grow ever since. It's actually responsible for several products that we are familiar with in our everyday experiences. It has applications in a number of departments; clothing, signs, electric wires, pipes, portable electronics, and ceiling tiles, just to name a few! It's no surprise that miami plastic extrusion is such a widely trusted process, with so many incredible uses. Construction companies, among so many others, prefer PVC pipe to any other plastic due to its low costs, its ability to endure extreme conditions, and the simplicity of the assembling process. By the year 2016, it is projected that PVC plastic production will surpass 40 million tons!

As can be expected, PVC is made up of a vinyl polymer, consisting of dense groups of vinyl known as ethenyls. The chemical structure of the vinyl groups change, allowing for one of the vinyl's hydrogen groups to be replaced with chloride. After the discovery of plasticizing PVC, or adding additives in order to make the material more flexible, the applications for the material increased tenfold. This plasticizing was largely responsible for why it climbed to the third most widely used plastic in America.

Plasticizers allow PVC piping to be used in a much wider range of products, such as clothing, fabrics, hoses, and electrical cable insulation. A typical plasticizer for manufacturers to use in order to make the PVC this way is one by the name of phthalates. PVC treated by this plasticizer is also commonly used with things like waterbeds, pool toys, and a variety of inflatable objects. There are truly so many possibilities when it comes to polyvinyl chloride, and the work of so many individuals has led to some really great innovations!

Before PVC can become PVC, it must go through a complex series of steps including an industrial-sized machine and the help of several experts in the field. A VCM, or vinyl chloride monomer, is placed through a process called suspension polymerization. The raw materials are heated and formed to the specifications of the manufacturers. The plastic must then go through a cooling process, as it may lose its form if not cooled properly, thus creating PVC.

PVC was discovered by accident at least two different times during the 19th century; once in 1835 by Henry victor Regnault, and again in 1872 by Eugen Baumann. They found that when they left raw vinyl chloride monomer out in the sun, white chunks began to form along the inside of it. Neither men did anything with what they found however, and the process was not able to expand until the 20th century. Ivan Omstromislensky and Klatte attempted to manipulate the plastic but found it too impossible to work with.

Finally, in 1926, Waldo Semon and the B.F. Goodrich Company had the idea to plasticize the polyvinyl chloride by testing out different additives. This really revolutionized the industry, making the material much more friendly to both work with and use as a final product. Demand for the material shot to an all new height, and it became widespread on a commercial level. There's really no question in why this was possible, what with plasticization and the unbeatable prices and uses of PVC.

Really the most relevant application for PVC is its use in piping, which actually represents about half of all the polyvinyl chloride produced in a year. PVC pipes are used in mass quantities in both water distribution markets and sanitary sewer pipe construction. This is due mostly to its light weight, low prices, and durability, as we as its versatility. It's easy for companies to connect pieces of PVC piping to each other with the use of cements or heat fusion.

As well as the wide use of injection molded products, polyvinyl chloride shows up in so many other products that we have become extremely familiar with. For example, many advertising signs, and things on vehicles (such as stripes) employ the use of PVC. During the manufacturing process, it can be flattened, expanded, and dyed for almost no additional cost. Then this form of PVC is cut by a computer-controlled machine and sold in mass quantity.

It's simply unreasonable to suggest that we would not notice if gainesville plastic manufacturing just stopped production tomorrow. Trusted hurricane shutters have become essential to our way of life. Too often we take for granted what industries such as florida plastic manufacturers provide for our ever-increasing demands.

Published December 21st, 2010

Filed in Business