ROTATIONAL MOULDING

ROTATIONAL MOULDING
 INTRODUCTION
Rotational molding is a process used to make
hollow plastic parts. Out of the three hollow
parts processes, it is the only one that can
create near uniform wall thickness in the
parts. The corners have thicker sections. This
is the only hollow parts process that can create
extremely large hollow parts.
• Topics
–Types of Machines
–Current Areas of use
–Materials Characteristics & Common materials
–Advantages and Disadvantages
–Competing Processes
–Future Development
Types of Machines
Carousel Machine
• This is the most common type of Rotational Molding machine. These machines can
have as many as three to six arms on the machine. The molds are attached to the
arms on the machine. The heating station can be seen as a big enclosed housing on
the left side of the picture. It has doors to let the arms in and out of the station. The
cooling is typically done by fans.
Types of Machines
Shuttle Machine
• This machine is loosely based on the carousel machine. Instead of the arms moving
from station to station, the heating station moves to the arm or arms (dual shuttle
machine). The heating chamber is in the middle and rides on a track to the service
the arm. After heating, the center oven moves away from the arm and the fans start
to cool the mold or molds. Its main advantage over a carousel machine is that it
conserves floor space.
Types of Machines
Clamshell Machine
• This machine is good for making large parts. Because the mold does not need to
move from station to station and the arm is supported on both sides of the machine,
heavier molds can be supported. This is the machine that makes the 25,000 gallon
tank. Compared to the carousel or dual shuttle machine, it cannot produce the same
number of parts in the same amount of time.
Types of Machines
Rock-n’-Roll Machine
• This is a specialty Rotational Molding process to make long, thin parts like kayaks and
canoes. The machine rotates 360° on one axis. The second axis only rocks back
and forth over 45. If you were looking to run these parts in a standard machine, you
would need a large clamshell machine. Since the parts are long, it would be
necessary to use that type of machine. It would be a waste of space, the mold is
long, but it is also thin.
 Current Areas of use
• storage tanks of various sizes
• Trash cans
• Boat hulls
• Buckets housings
• Large hollow toys
• Footballs.
Materials Characteristics
Thermal stability is required because of long cycle
times. The polymer has to have the ability to be
pulverized into uniform particles or suspended as a
liquid. Usually, lower molecular weight materials are
used.
Common Materials
–LDPE

–NYLON
–PERSPEX
–FLUOROPOLYMERS
Why choose rotational moulding?
•Advantages of rotational moulding is the
design flexibility in combining several
parts that required assembly in to one
part. The roto-mold process offers
consistent wall thickness and a virtually
stress free parts.
Process Advantages
• The tooling for rotational molding is inexpensive compared
to similar tooling for Blow Molding and Injection Molding.
The tooling is typically made from cast aluminum or
fabricated sheet metal.
• Any shape can easily be molded if the mold can open
without destroying the part.
• Because the polymer material does not use pressure to
make the polymer flow to the mold walls, the parts have
low stress. The only cause of stresses is from the cooling of
the part.
Process Advantages
• Except for corners, the parts have uniform wall thickness.

• Because the first powder to stick to the mold wall sees heat
for the longest time, it has the time and temperature to
pick up all of the surface detail.
Process Advantages
• Parts with double wall construction can be made if there is
sufficient room for the powder pool to flow properly inside
the mold.

• By using insulation on some sections of the mold, thinner

wall thickness can be produced in local areas on the part.
Process Disadvantages
• Because the way the material is heated and formed into a
part, extremely long cycle times can occur. Thin wall parts
can be formed in 8 to 10 minutes. Thicker wall parts can
take as much as 30 to 40 minutes.

• Because the material has to be pulverized into a uniform

powder, only a few limited materials can be used.
Process Disadvantages
• Warpage of the part can occur if the mold is not cooled
evenly.

• Secondary operations are usually needed to trim flash from

the part or add features to the part, such as holes.
Process Disadvantages
• Since there is no pressure to hold the parts against the
mold during the molding cycle, some areas of the part can
pull away from the mold walls and reduce the heat
transferred from the part. This unrestricted shrinkage
creates parts that have warpage. Injection Molding use
pressure to compensate for shrinkage during the packing
phase. In Blow Molding, air pressure holds the parts
against the mold wall to help aid in heat transfer. The
pressurization of the parts help to hold tolerances better
than Rotational Molding.
Competing Processes
Extrusion and Injection Blow Molding

 Parts made with Blow Molding will have a higher

tolerance. Typical cycle times would be a fraction of
the Rotational Molding cycle. In Extrusion Blow
Molding, the largest part is a 1000 gallon tank. It is
possible to make bigger parts with Rotational
Molding
Competing Processes
Twin Sheet Thermoforming

 Parts made with Twin Sheet Thermoforming will have

an external seam/weld. Typical cycle times would be
a fraction of the Rotational Molding cycle
Competing Processes
Injection Molding

 Hollow parts can be made with Injection Molding, but

assembly would be required. Injection Molding is
capable of holding higher tolerances. Injection
Molding cycles would be much higher. It would not
be possible to mold really large parts as cheaply as
Rotational Molding.
Future Development
– LDPE is the most common material. In order for some new parts to be
produced with Rotational Molding, new materials to the process are being
explored and developed.

– The process is currently used manual labor for most or all of the
operations in Rotational Molding. Automated machinery is being explored
to help reduce production costs.
Future Development
– Since the cooling is currently done on the outside of the mold, adding
cooled air inside the part is just starting to be investigated. Although this
may not always reduce the cycle time if the heating time limits the cycle, it
could create some cycle time reduction and possibly reduce warpage.

– By pressurizing the mold during the cooling cycle, warpage could be

reduced. This is also currently being investigated.
References
 Rotational Moulding By R.J. Crawford
 Rotational Moulding Technology By James L. Throne
 Rotational Moulding: Design,Materials,Tooling & processing By
Glenn Beall
 www.rotationalmoulding.com
THANK YOU…!