While today’s plastic extrusions can offer a high level of complexity, there are certain things that, if avoided, will help you to avoid problematic extrusion designs. Knowing this ahead of time can help you to save money and frustration when you are ordering your next run of plastic extrusions. Here are just a few things to know about thermoplastics and problematic extrusion designs:
- Extrusions with openings can be a challenge. Since the plastics are pushed through a die, creating openings can be problematic. In order to add holes to a final product, there are times it is necessary to use a secondary process. First, the extrusion is completed, cut and cooled using traditional practices. Secondly, the holes are drilled in once the basic extrusion is completed.
- Hollow areas may affect the strength of the project. Hollowed out areas, with very little or no support, can cause issues with an extrusion. If your design does need hollows, then you may need to have additional shaping completed to ensure that each area is created according to specifications. Avoiding hollows is one of the best ways to ensure a great final extrusion project.
- Areas with bubbles can be a real problem. Creating a bubbled area is nearly impossible with the plastic extrusion process. During processing, the plastic is pushed through the die. Adding a bubble means that the plastic would have to be created using little or no support, which can be extremely challenging. The best extrusions force the plastic between two areas to achieve good results.
Avoiding problematic designs can save you time and money as well as ensuring that you have the best options for your plastic extrusion project. Call the experts at Extrudex today for more information on how you can create your project to ensure the very best results.