Plastic Extrusion Services Specifications

Help with Plastic Extrusion Services specifications:

Services


	Services
	Your choices are...
	Assembly Services		Supplier provides secondary operations and assembly services such as electro-mechanical assemblies, ultrasonic and heat welding, printing, painting, bonding, and machining.
	Design Assistance / Review		Supplier can assist with concepts, manufacturing costs, manufacturing techniques and material considerations. Supplier may also be able to assist in upgrading or redesigning, re-evaluating or modernizing existing products to increase performance and/or reduce manufacturing costs. Some suppliers offer material sourcing and CAD modeling as well.
	Tool Making		Design and production of tooling to facilitate part fabrication.
	High Volume Production		Supplier is capable of performing high volume production runs; equipment dedication and run time will depend on part and order specifications.
	Prototype / Short Run		Supplier can create prototypes or perform small production runs for concept or market testing or product introduction cycles.
	Specialty Packaging		Supplier provides part packaging specific to client requirements such as tape, reel, or tray packaging.
	Search Logic:		All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

Materials



	Your choices are...
	ABS		Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is a hard, rigid, thermoplastic polymer. It provides good chemical and creep resistance, and dimensional stability. ABS is used in many industries, in a wide array of applications. It is generally inexpensive, although it is prone to crack when under stress. Common trade names include Cycolac (GE Plastics), Lustran (Bayer) and Novodur (Bayer).
	Acrylic		Acrylics are a category of plastics noted for excellent transparency and clarity in its colorless forms, breakage resistance many times that of glass, and good resistance to environmental factors such as UV radiation and chemical corrosion.
	Butyrate		Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB), commonly known as Butyrate, is a cellulose ester. It is a versatile plastic with good impact resistance, machinability characteristics and suitability for secondary operations such as cementing and painting. Butyrate is often used as material for tubing and fittings. Many grades are suitable for food processing applications.
	Fiberglass		Strong, durable, and impervious to many caustics and extreme temperatures; fiberglass fabrics are widely used in industry.
	Nylon / Polyamide		Nylon, comprising several grades of polyamides, is a general purpose material in wide use; it is tough and resistant and has good pressure ratings.
	Polycarbonate		Polycarbonate is an amorphous material with excellent Impact Strength, clarity, and optical properties. Polycarbonate has excellent mechanical properties, and can be molded to tight tolerances. It is attacked by solvents and petrochemicals, and its weatherability is only adequate. Brand Names include: Caliber® (Dow), Lexan® (GE), Makrofol® and Makrolon® (Bayer).
	Polyethylene (PE, HDPE)		A semi-crystalline (typically around 50%), whitish, semi-opaque commodity thermoplastic that is soft, flexible and tough - even at low temperatures - with outstanding electrical properties but poor temperature resistance. It also has very good chemical resistance but is prone to environmental stress cracking; it has poor UV resistance (unless modified) and poor barrier properties, except to water.
	PETG		Polyethylene Terepthalate Glycol (PETG) is an engineered polyester resin in which glycols have been added to Polyethylene Terepthalate to modify and enhance the flow characteristics. PETG is noted for its thermoforming versatility, its impact resistance (toughness), and its retention of optical clarity after bending or forming. These properties make PETG widely used in packaging applications.
	Polypropylene (PP)		Polypropylene is a thermoplastic material exhibiting excellent cold flow, bi-axial strength, and yield elongation properties. It is similar to PVC but can be used in exposed applications because of its resistance to UV, weathering, and ozone.
	Polystyrene		Styrene or polystyrene features good structural stability, strength and good formability. Polystyrene also features good thermal and dimensional stability, and suitability for secondary operations such as cutting, machining, and decorating. It exhibits some vulnerability to degradation from UV exposure, and does not exhibit good resistance to solvents and chemicals.
	PPE/PPO		PPE = PolyPhenyl Ether PPO = PolyPhenylene Oxide Stable with high heat resistance but low chemical resistance.
	PTFE (Teflon®)		Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an insoluble compound that exhibits a high degree of chemical resistance and a low coefficient of friction. It is sometimes marketed in proprietary classes of materials such as Teflon®, a registered trademark of DuPont Dow Elastomers.
	Polyurethane / Urethane		Polyurethane is a diverse class of materials exhibiting good elongation, recovery and toughness properties. They are flexible and have good abrasion resistance. (NOTE: The urethanes of the plastics industry are so named because the repeating units of their structures resemble the chemical urethane.) Trade names include Texin® (Bayer), Adiprene® and Vibrathane® (Uniroyal Chemical), Estane® (B F Goodrich), Genthane® (General Tire and Rubber), Millathane®, and Pellethane® (Dow Chemical).
	PVC		Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a widely used material that has good flexibility, smooth surface, and nontoxic qualities. Some grades are used in food and chemical processes due to the inert nature of PVC. Brand names include: ACP® and Dural® (Alpha Gary), Geon® (Geon), Benvic® (Solvay), Flexalloy® (Teknor Apex).
	TPV/TPE/TPO		Thermoplastic Vulcanizates, Thermoplastic Elastomers, Thermoplastic Olefins
	Other		Unlisted or proprietary plastic material.
	Search Logic:		All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

Capabilities


	Processes
	Your choices are...
	Co-Extrusion		Co-extrusion is a technique in which multiple layers are extruded together; most widely used in sheet, film, and tubular extrusion applications.
	Cold Extrusion		The cold working extrusion process is performed at or near room temperature. High stresses dictate robust tooling for this process. The material undergoes significant cold working, and thus strengthening, and is usually not susceptible to the same levels of oxidation inherent in the thermal cycling associated with hot extrusion. Suitable for tubing, gear blanks, etc.
	Cross Head Extrusion		Cross Head Extrusion is used to coat solid materials with plastic. Base material can be wire, glass, aluminum, etc.
	Dual Extrusion		Dual extrustion and multi-durometer extrusion are techniques wherein materials of different hardnesses are combined in a single extrusion. One common application is a rigid material being combined with a flexible material in one cross section; the rigid component can add strength and structural alignment, while the flexible component may have a function such as sealing. Variations can include combining materials of different colors and laminates with varying layer properties.
	Hot Extrusion		Hot-working extrusion process that uses the good deformability of heated metallic or thermoplastic materials for shaping them. Extrusion at elevated temperatures enables considerable changes of shape to be achieved in a single operation where otherwise shaping them is impractical. Very complex sections can be produced that are not achievable with other shaping techniques. Extrusion can also offers economic advantages in that the dies are relatively inexpensive and are interchangeable, so that one extrusion machine can be used for the production of a wide variety of sections. In hot extrusion, a metal billet heated to the appropriate temperature is fed into the cylindrical container of the extrusion press and is forced by the action of a ram through a steel die whose orifice has the desired shape to produce the solid or hollow section. The metal emerges from the die as a continuous bar, which is cut to the required lengths. Extrusion products are therefore essentially “linear” in character, in the sense that shaping is confined to the cross section only.
	Pultrusion		Pultrusion is a manufacturing process where resin-impregnated reinforcement fibers are pulled though a heated steel die. The fibers are typically pulled from rolls through a resin impregnator then through the die, where the die heat initiates curing into a solid, constant cross section of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). After additional curing steps, the pultruded shape is cut to length.
	Other		Unlisted, specialized, or proprietary extrusion technique.
	Search Logic:		All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

	Secondary Operations
	Your choices are...
	Bending/Forming		Secondary process to further shape the extrusion by bending or forming.
	Cutting		Secondary operation cuts holes, notches, etc. into the extrusion.
	Drilling/Punching		If required, holes can be placed in the extruded profile using drilling or punching techniques.
	EDM Cutting		Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) cuts metal via discharge from an electrode. The two primary types are wire EDM, in which the electrode is a thin wire typically made of brass or other alloys, and ram EDM, in which the electrode is a specially shaped piece of graphite or copper alloy. EDM is noted for tight dimensional tolerances and high finish quality without secondary operations such as lapping or grinding.
	Embossing		Secondary process places three dimensional (lowered or raised) pattern on the extrusion.
	Grinding		Grinding capability can provide very smooth and precise material finishes, and can be used to finish high-hardness wear surfaces.
	Machining		Facilities to provide machining operations on extruded parts such as turning, milling, boring, etc.
	Painting / Powder Coating		Painting and powder coating apply decorative and/or protective finishes. Coatings are usually thicker than plating or anodizing finishes.
	Printing / Labeling		Printing and labeling techniques can include etching, stamping, screen-printing, etc. for inventory and identification purposes.
	Tape/Adhesive Application		Secondary process applies adhesive or tape.
	Water / Abrasive Jet Cutting		Water jets and water abrasive jets rely on highly pressurized water (20,000 - 60,000 psi) flowing through a nozzle or "jewel" approximately 0.010" in diameter. Advantages include almost no material heating during cutting, low side loads, and ability to achieve complex shapes and tight inside radii. Low fixturing costs and fast setup and programming times make this process very suitable for prototypes or short runs. It is most widely used for two-dimensional cutting; three-dimensional machining is possible in specialty applications. Pure water jets are typically used to cut very soft material such as fabrics or rubber; metals usually require abrasives in the stream. "Water Jet" is a generic term that is sometimes used to cover both processes.
	Welding		Joining of metals and metal extruded parts by melting and re-forming a metal bond between materials, with or without additional filler metal.
	Other		Unlisted or specialized secondary operation.
	Search Logic:		All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

	Size Capabilities:		This is the maximum cross section of the extrusion a supplier is capable of producing. It is often referred to as circle or diameter capabilities.
	Search Logic:		User may specify either, both, or neither of the "At Least" and "No More Than" values. Products returned as matches will meet all specified criteria.

	Applications
	Your choices are...
	Custom Profiles / Cross Sections		Long extrusions with a constant cross-section specified by the extrusion customer. Used in a wide variety of industrial, commercial and structural applications. Advantages can include high strength-to-weight ratio, minimizing material waste resulting from part machining, maximizing material use for expensive materials, and decorative and appearance considerations.
	Gaskets / Seals		Gasketing and seal extrusions typically employ custom cross-section geometry and application-specific materials for the sealing operation involved.
	Pipe		Rigid pipe extrusion applications can include custom chemical or fluid media transport and unusual strength or dimensional properties.
	Rod / Wire		Circular cross-section rod and wire for a variety of applications.
	Sheet		Flat sheets are extruded to customer-specified thickness and dimensions.
	Thin Film		Thin film and sheet extrusions can be used in packaging, electronics, sealing, and other applications.
	Tubing / Hose		Flexible tubing and hose can be extruded with customer-specified dimensions, wall thickness, and mechanical and chemical properties. Tubing can often be made in multi-layer and special compound configurations.
	Other		Unlisted, specialized, or proprietary extrusion application.
	Search Logic:		All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

Regional Preference



	Your choices are...
	North America		This selection will only return companies located in the United States, Canada or Mexico.
	United States Only		This selection will return only companies located within the United States.
	Northeast US Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Northeast US; namely Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
	Southern US Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Southern US; namely Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
	Southwest US Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Southwest US; namely Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
	Northwest US Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Northwest US; namely Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
	Midwest US Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Midwest US; namely Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
	Canada Only		This selection will return only companies located in Canada.
	South / Central America Only		This selection will return only companies with facilities in South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, or in Central American countries such as Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, etc.
	Europe Only		This selection will return only companies located in Europe; namely Germany, Ireland, Italy, United Kingdom, etc.
	South Asia Only		This selection will return only companies located in South Asia; namely India, Pakistan, Nepal, etc.
	Near East Only		This selection will return only companies located in the Near East; namely Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, etc.
	East Asia / Pacific Only		This selection will return only companies located in East Asia; namely China, Japan, Taiwan, etc.
	Oceania Only		Companies are located in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and a large group of South Pacific islands that include Micronesia, Polynesia, Guam, Fiji, Tonga, etc.
	Africa Only		Companies are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
	Other		Any unlisted country or region.
	Search Logic:		Products with the selected attribute will be returned as matches. Leaving or selecting "No Preference" will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches.

Plastic Extrusion Services Specifications

Services:

Materials:

Processes:

Secondary Operations:

Size Capabilities:

Applications:

Regional Preference:

Help with Plastic Extrusion Services specifications: