Save Time and Money with These Exclusive Tips
Rotomolding is a common manufacturing process used to create everything from plastic agricultural products, and benches to gasoline tanks and more. This manufacturing process involves putting a heated plastic polymer into a mold, which then rotates to distribute the polymer evenly. Once coated, the polymer is left to cool and removed from the mold. The result is a tight-tolerance hollow plastic part. Because of this process’s efficiency, it’s a common way to create parts for a wide range of industries. However, some complex rotomolding challenges may arise during the manufacturing process.
As a busy business professional, the last thing you want is to deal with issues in the middle of part manufacturing. Knowing the challenges ahead of time and working with an experienced manufacturer can help you avoid any costly mistakes once production begins. So, what are these common issues? Let’s dive in.
Common Complex Rotomolding Challenges
Consistency in Wall Thickness
Variations in wall thickness can lead to uneven heating and cooling, resulting in defects such as warping or distortion. Optimizing mold design, controlling heating and cooling rates, and enhancing mold venting techniques can help avoid these issues. Ideally, your manufacturer will run a virtual simulation of the mold before beginning production to catch these issues. If changes need to be made, it’s easy to do so before it turns into an expensive problem.
Surface Finishing and Aesthetics
Achieving a smooth and uniform surface finish can be a challenge, especially for large or intricate parts. To avoid issues, it’s crucial to ensure proper mold surface preparation, temperature control, and mold release agents are in play.
Mold surface preparation may include cleaning the mold to remove any residues or contaminants that could affect the product’s final appearance. Your manufacturer might also opt to polish or coat the mold surface to enhance surface smoothness and uniformity.
Temperature is precisely controlled to achieve consistent results in surface finish. Variations in temperature may lead to uneven cooling and shrinkage, which result in surface defects like warping or sink marks. Manufacturers carefully optimize the mold temperature and the polymer temperature to contribute to better flow characteristics and improve surface finish.
Mold release agents can also play a vital role in facilitating the easy release of the molded part from the mold cavity. They form a barrier between the mold surface and the material, preventing adhesion and ensuring smooth demolding. There is a wide range of agents available, from silicone-based and water-based to powdered options, and more. Your manufacturer can help decide what’s right for your application.
Achieving Complex Geometries
Rotomolding is great for producing parts with simple geometries, but it becomes more challenging when dealing with complex shapes or features like undercuts, sharp corners, or thin sections. The centrifugal force of the process tends to smooth out intricate details and make it difficult to replicate sharp edges. Mold design and part demolding strategies are carefully considered to avoid issues during production.
Working with an Experienced Rotomolding Partner Can Help You Overcome Complex Rotomolding Challenges
Whether you have a simple or intricate rotomolding project, it’s best to entrust it to an experienced manufacturer, like GVL Poly. For over 30 years, we’ve been creating the best rotomolded parts for our customers, ensuring they meet high expectations. Over the years, we’ve helped countless businesses get the right fit for their organization. We’d be honored to help you, too.
At GVL Poly, we can help you from start to finish. Our in-house team can cover everything from design and rapid prototyping to fabrication and logistics. All of our services are backed by experienced machine operators, engineers, designers, tool builders, and other professionals. When you work with us, you can be sure you’re getting the best products possible.
Let’s Create Something Great Together
Are you ready to start your next rotomolding project? We’d love to help and answer any questions you may have about complex rotomolding challenges. Get in touch with us here.
