Pros & Cons of Custom Plastic Fabrication

Fabrication processes can be of two types - metal fabrication and plastic fabrication. Each comprises specific manufacturing processes which allow for a lot of customization in the component design.

What are the Common Production Processes for Achieving Desired Shapes?

Some of the commonly used production processes to achieve desired shapes include the following:

Cutting:-Excess material is cut off from the workpiece with the aid of machines or tools to get it to the desired shape and size.

Forming:- When the workpiece has to be bent at the desired angle, deforming equipment such as hydraulic brakes comes into the picture.

Machining:- Workpiece is shaped with the aid of machining processes such as milling, lathing, honing, or drilling that use manually controlled or automated equipment.

Welding:- In this case, two work pieces are joined together through the application of pressure or heat.

Custom Plastic Fabrication & its Advantages

The Custom plastic fabrication process is used in several industrial applications as the advantages offered by it far outweigh the disadvantages. They are generally preferred over metal fabrication. 

Their advantages are listed below:

Ease of formation: The melting point of plastic is low and plastic is highly malleable compared to other substances.

Less of finishing: Colouring plastic before it undergoes fabrication is possible, unlike in most metals that require post-treatment processes like painting.

Quick production: Turnover rates are faster and cycle times are quick in plastic fabrication.

Light in weight: The weight of plastic is much low as compared to metals of similar dimensions.

Resistance to chemicals: Plastics are normally less vulnerable to harm from chemical reactions like rusting or oxidation. 

Drawbacks of Plastic Fabrication

Plastic is a popular production material, yet it does come with a few drawbacks. Some of them are:

Wear resistance is limited: The resistance level of plastic to acid, high temperatures, and other corrosive substances is low.

Structural limitations: Some applications like heavy equipment components or construction materials do not find plastic suitable due to its poor structural strength. 

On a Summarising Note

The suitability of custom plastic fabrication will depend upon the needs of the project; the type of fabrication process has to be chosen accordingly by the business owner.