Plastic fabrication in California and across North America is any method employed to design, produce and/or assemble products composed of plastic or various plastic composites. The processes used to achieve results are varied. One specific method is blending.
What Is Blending?
Also described to as compounding, blending refers to any process in which the combination of two or more plastics is used to produce a single material. A pre-production process, it is a very thorough and efficient means through which the various plastics can be combined in the right proportions and then mixed.
Types
Plastic fabrication in California divides the blending process into two basic or primary types. These are:
- Volumetric Blending: This involves metering of the materials by amount or quantity
- Gravimetric Blending: This type of blending – considered by some the most accurate, meters the materials for the process using their weight.
The plastic particles may be in powder, bead or even liquid form.
Applications
Typical blending and dosing applications include:
- Coloring
- Stabilization e.g., rigidity, UV resistance, chemical or electrical properties
- Consumption of Regrind(s)
Blending, using either method, controls the entire components required for the process. The precision ensures a controlled and replicable procedure and result.
Plastic Fabrication
In California, plastic continues to rise in demand for various products and devices. The methods and processes vary according to the industry, the equipment and the demands. Blending is one pre-production process used to ensure one or two plastics can combine to produce a consistently high-quality and precisely duplicated result.
