Ankit pratap singh Assignment 4 Roll no -04

QUES 1:-Explain with neat sketch construction and working of blow

molding process

ANS:- Blow moulds are relatively simple in design and construction

when the predominant blow moulded products are bottle and
container. The blow moulding process are made of aluminum or
other lightweight metal. It can be either machined or cast.
Requires a high degree of cooling throughout the mould. It requires
several vents at parting line and sometimes within the cavity.

Working Principle of Blow Moulding

Blow moulds were relatively simple in design and construction. The

predominant blow moulded products are thin walled plastic parts,
such as bottles and containers. Blow moulding process is classified
into three types.

• Injection Blow Moulding

• Extrusion Blow Moulding
• Stretch Blow Moulding.

Over the three processes, the injection blow moulding is commonly

used a blow moulding process. In injection blow moulding, a
preformed shape emerged from extrusion called parison is fitted in

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the nozzle and the compressed air will be blown into it which
forms a thin walled parts. Figure shows the process of injection
blow moulding.

The two valves of the mould move towards each other so that the
mould closes over the tube. The bottom end of parison is sealed.
The compressed air is used to blow the molten plastic into the
mould and the tube gets pinched off and also welded at the
bottom by the closing moulds. The air pressure is about 0.7 to
10kg/cm². This air pressure will force the tube against the walls of
the mould.

Finally, the component is cooled and the mould is opened to

release the components. The blow moulding method ranges from
simple manual operation to complicated automatic ones.

In a multilayer blow moulding, multi layer structures are used.

Typical examples for multiplayer blow moulding are plastic
packing for food and beverage.

Applications

• It is used to produce plastic bottles and toys

• It is used to produce plastic buckets
• Used to produce plastic cans
• It is used to produce plastic barrels
• The hollow containers are produced by this process.
• The multiplayer blow moulding used in cosmetics and
pharmaceutical Industries

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QUES 2:- What are the characteristics of thermosetting plastics?

ANS:- The main characteristic of thermosets (literally setting

under heat) is that they require curing, when they undergo a
molecular cross-linking process which is irreversible and renders
them infusible. They therefore offer high thermal stability, good
rigidity and hardness, and resistance to creep.

This also means that, once cured, the resin and its laminate
cannot be reprocessed except by methods of chemical breakdown,
which are currently under development. For practical purposes,
therefore, cured thermosetting resins can be recycled most
effectively if ground to fine particles, when they can be
incorporated into new laminates or other products as fillers.

Thermosetting resins have little use a pure resin, but require

addition of other chemicals to render them processable. For
reinforced plastics, the compounds usually comprise a resin
system (with curing agents, hardeners, inhibitors, plasticisers) and
fillers and /or reinforcement. The resin system provides the
'binder,' to a large extent dictating the cost, dimensional stability,
heat and chemical resistance, and basic flammability. The
reinforcement can influence these (particularly heat and
dimensional stability) but the main effect is on tensile strength
and toughness. High performance fibres, of course, have a
fundamental influence on cost.

Special fillers and additives can influence mechanical properties,

especially for improvement in dimensional stability, but they are
mainly used to confer specific properties, such as flame
retardancy, ultraviolet (UV) stability or electrical conductivity.

Thermosetting resins are normally used in the liquid state and

solidify and harden on curing. With some resins it is possible to
part-cure and then hold the resin in what is called the B-stage for
the cure to be completed at a later time.

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The most frequently used thermosetting resins are:

• polyester;
• epoxy;
• phenolic;
• vinyl ester;
• polyurethane;
• silicone; and
• polyamide and polyamide-imide.

QUES 3:-Explain with neat sketch the process of rotational molding.

State its advantages and applications

ANS:- Rotational molding offers a number of benefits, but it’s not

the best production process for every part. So how do you decide if
it’s a fit for you? Understanding the advantages and disadvantages
of the process is the first step towards making a decision with
confidence.

Rotational Molding Uses

Rotational molding, also known as rotomolding, is a

thermoplastic molding process best suited for large, one-piece
hollow parts and double-walled open containers such as tanks,
kayaks, and coolers. It’s most cost-effective for production
volumes of less than 3,000 annually, making it ideal for inventors,
start-ups, and small businesses.

Rotomolding is often used for parts that require high-quality

finishes, uniform wall thicknesses, and high stability. Features
such as inserts and spin weld attachments can be incorporated
directly into the rotomold and foaming can be used to create
thermal insulation and stiffness. Unlike competitive processes
such as blow molding and thermoforming, rotomolding produces
no pinch-off seams or weld lines, resulting in a finished product
without the use of secondary processes.

Rotational Molding Process

The rotational molding process is quite simple:

• A hollow mold is filled with powdered plastic resin.

• The mold begins rotating bi-axially and is transferred into an
oven.
• The mold continues to rotate as the resin melts and coats
the walls of the mold.

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• The mold is cooled until the resin hardens into the desired
shape.
• The rotation is stopped, and the mold is opened to remove
the finished part.

Given the low-pressure, high-heat nature of the process, rotomold

tooling is usually made from a soft metal such as aluminum and
the majority of the resin used is polyethylene due to its low
chemical degradation when exposed to high heat. Inserts, ribs,
kiss-offs, undercuts, and foam reinforcements are often
incorporated into the part in-mold or by means of secondary
processing.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Rotational Molding

The main difference between rotational molding and competitive

molding methods such as blow molding and thermoforming is that
the resin melts into the mold walls instead of being forced by
pressure. This distinction gives way to a number of advantages
over other manufacturing processes, but also carries its share of
drawbacks.

Advantages of Rotational Molding

Rotomolding boasts a number of advantages over comparable

molding methods:

• Low-cost tooling: low operating pressures allow rotomold

tooling to be crafted from low-cost metals such as aluminum
• Consistent wall thickness: the constant rotation of the mold
coats the walls evenly during both the heating and cooling
processes
• Double-wall construction: complex double-walled open
containers can be produced without secondary processing
• High durability: parts are molded as one solid piece,
eliminating the need for joining techniques such as welding
and joint fabrication which creates weak spots
• High stability: the molding material isn’t exposed to external
pressure, increasing its stability and reducing the risk of
defects in the finished part
• High strength: rotomolding creates thicker corners, reducing
the risk of failure in these stress-concentration points
• Appearance: the soft metal used for the rotomold tooling
easily accommodates surface finishes such as fine-detail
textures, logos, symbols, and lettering

Disadvantages of Rotational Molding

As with any plastic molding process, rotomolding has its

disadvantages:

• High cycle times: at eight rotations per minute, rotomolding

can take up to three hours to complete one part
• Limited material options: raw material used in rotomolding
must be readily converted from granules to a fine powder

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and must have high thermal stability, limiting material

selection to poly-based resins
• High cost of raw material: material costs are high due to high
thermal stability requirements, the cost of required additives,
and the cost of grinding the material into a powder
• Low repeatability: the soft metal used in rotomold tooling
must be refurbished or replaced after 3,000 cycles, inducing
quality issues due to a lack of repeatability
• High labor costs: mechanization and automation have not yet
been realized for rotomolding, requiring greater labor
intensity than comparable manufacturing processes

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