Plastics, Rubber and Foam Used in Automobiles and the Challenges of Recycling

By the end of 1940s it seems all the auto makers were using plastics in their cars, Henry Ford was the first in 1942, and many folks though he was nuts, but it turns out once again, the man was just ahead of his time. Plastic has become a preferred material over the years. But back in the day even Goodyear started making plastic for automobiles in those days, which supplemented the rubber industry after World War II.

Indeed, if you ever get chance and visit Akron Ohio, may I recommend going to the "World of Rubber Museum" at the Goodyear plant down town and check out the progression of materials used in cars. There is so much rubber in today's automobiles, along with so much plastic that is actually causing a real problem when these cars are crushed for metal recycling or end up in the junkyard.

As a matter-of-fact the problem is so huge in Europe that the EU, WTO and other organizations have formed the ELV or End of Life Program to fix this problem. Each manufacturer puts up a deposit of each vehicle sold so when it's life is over they can afford to recycle all of it, separating out the plastics, metals, and rubbers.

The University of Chicago has been working on ways to melt down the plastic, rubber, and foams to reuse. I would say that within the next decade we will have a similar program to the ELV program in Europe. Today if you look at the South every person living in a mobile home has a least five cars not running sitting out front rusting away.

These are iron oxides get into the groundwater and can cause increased chance of heart attacks. And when these vehicles catch fire the smoke from the plastic is quite toxic. Please consider all this.

Essential Knowhow About Rubber Bumpers

For a variety of products, they are required to be safeguarded from constant contact with the ground and scratches. They can be electrical, mechanical, household and various other systems and devices. They are installed in the lower or foot area of the equipment and this makes them known as feet.

The availability and wide usage has popularized them around the world. With the maximum effectiveness and durability, these feet have witnessed a tremendous growth and evolution right from the very beginning.

The feet also known as bumpers are available in rubber and plastic of different varieties. Depending on the usability, the right one is selected. Rubber bumpers can be installed on huge range of products including electronics, laptops, glass products, furniture, doors, appliances, office equipment, automotive and many more. With its widening approach and easy availability, they are more satisfied customers in every field. The quality and manufacturing has important roles to play. Even though they are small in size, they are highly useful items.

Rubber Bumpers also known as Rubber feet are available in different shapes, sizes and dimensions. As it is applied for spectrum of products, the wide range helps in serving every requirement. They can also be tailor made to meet the exact needs. They are generally white, grey, black or transparent, but they can be made in a variety of colors.

When it comes to installation, it can be done very easily. There is Rubber bumpers that are self installed. They are very useful and help in saving time. They never peel, scratch or leave stains on the product. Some of them can be attached with screws on the products as the need arise. Metal washers are attached to increase the lengths at the base.

Apart from Rubber Feet, there are Recessed Bumpers available that also helps in saving the products from scratches and protect them. Plastic Bumper is another option that can perform the same tasks as the Rubber bumpers. Plastic feet has great grip, strength and can perform in adverse conditions also. They serve many industries and have proved very effective in terms of functioning. The great variety offered under the same roof helps the customers to make the perfect choice that aptly suits their purpose.

Plastics and Rubber Products have become a common feature in homes. For that matter even Industries have fallen hook, line and sinker for the two. Two major factors like credibility and versatility have been driving their demand. Considering the soaring demand for plastic and rubber products, we have come up with a common platform for all plastic and rubber manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and buyers, to trade with each other at the click of a mouse. A few years back, transactions used to take place ‘on –field’, with both parties sitting face-to-face, before closing the deal. Here, the major plus point is the transaction is taking place ‘on-line’ and you can strike a profitable deal right away. Sitting face-to-face can be done anytime.

Laser Cutting Companies

Since Theodore Maiman invented the first functional laser or LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) in 1960, this device, which generates a strong, highly concentrated beam of single-wavelength light, has found several uses in different industries and in various fields including medicine, consumer electronics and information technology.

Its most prominent industrial use is laser cutting. It is said that about $4.5 billion worth of laser cutting systems are being used around the world today. Most of them are being used in Japan.

In the U.S., the technology is also recognized for making companies in the automotive, aerospace, garment, architectural, construction and furniture manufacturing industries more competitive in terms of productivity and quality.

As laser cutting technology gets more advanced, and as its application gets more comprehensive, laser cutting companies are also offering high rates. These companies either manufacture laser cutting equipment or provide high-precision laser cutting facilities and services.

Many laser cutting service providers offer other services such as etching, slotting, plasma cutting, welding, punching forming and polishing of metals, aside from distortion-free metal cutting. Laser cutting of other materials such as wood, ceramics, plastics and rubber are also offered by these companies.

A complete laser cutting service package may cover designing of the parts, furnishing of materials, state-of-the-art laser cutting, quality control, delivery of parts and technical consulting services.

Laser cutting equipment manufacturers, on the other hand, make several kinds of lasers, ranging from flying optic lasers to hybrids lasers, Pivot-beam lasers and pulsed lasers. The flying optic laser is widely used for its inexpensive stationary tables and fast positioning speed (about 300m per minute). It is capable of cutting complex metal parts with small notches and intricate contours.

For piercing, it is best to use a pulsed laser since this type of laser produces a high amount of energy within a very short period of time. If you use a laser with a constant beam, the whole material being cut may melt.

The benefits of getting service from a reliable laser cutting company are many. The laser equipment only needs small floor space, it uses a small amount of heat so warping is avoided, it cuts with precision so you can minimize cutting wastes, laser cutting has lower risks of injury, and lasers cut fast, helping you increase production.

Alternative to Petroleum Based Products

Reasons to reduce our use of Petroleum are extensive. There are health, environmental, and political reasons. The spill in the Gulf has many people reexamining our dependency on oil. Now there are certainly ways we can reduce our use of fuel, heating oil, gasoline, etc. This article will focus on additional ways we can reduce our use of Petroleum. We can reduce our use of Petroleum by first understanding common items that are made by Petroleum.

Plastics & Synthetic Rubber
Paint, paint thinners, lacquers, solvents, floor cleaners,
Petroleum (or paraffin) wax used in candy making, packaging, candles, crayons, matches, and polishes
Petroleum jelly - used in medical products and toiletries (lip gloss)
Polyester and other synthetic fibers.
Fertilizers, pesticides
Many more miscellaneous items such as hair spray, printing inks, asphalt

Plastics and Synthetic Rubber: Today, there are many alternatives to utilizing these items. Take plastic bags for example. Many grocery and even clothing stores now sell reusable bags made from Corn or Hemp. Some local grocers also give discounts to people who bring their own bags.

Even garbage bags have an eco friendly option. There are entire lines of disposable garbage bags that are biodegrade. "EcoDegradable" bags now come in all sizes and strengths (See resource box below for details on where to purchase these products).

Cutting down your use of plastic is even easier. Many manufacturers are using alternatives, such as corn and vegetable plants, in place of plastic to create utensils such as, disposable knives, forks, and spoons (See resource box below for details). All of these utensils can now be made from plant starch. Manufacturers are even going as far as to offer disposable plates made from sugarcane (See resource box below for details on where to purchase these products).

PVC is one of the most widely used and potentially toxic forms of plastic. Many manufacturers now make PVC free products. For example, both Avery and Wilson Jones make an entire line of PVC free binders and office products (See resource box below for details on where to purchase these products).

Paint: According to the EPA, indoor air is 3 times more polluted than the air outdoors. Much of this comes from the materials we use to build our homes and the paints and finishes we put on the walls. Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. Luckily for us, most manufacturers now make paints based from Natural products with less toxicity and even petroleum free alternatives. Casein, a protein found in milk products is a fast-drying egg-based paint that has been in use for hundreds of years. Today, it is purchased in a dry and powdered form. The powder must be mixed with water and then used immediately (usually within hours to days) to prevent the paint from clumping. Milk, like clay, is intended as an interior paint and only comes in a matte finish.

Another Alternative is Lime Wash. Limestone, a calcium-based mineral, is combined with water to form a natural paint. It can be used indoors or outdoors and forms a unique, glowing finish that comes in a variety of colors. Although 100% natural, limestone is corrosive to both eyes and skin, so wear gloves and goggles during application. Ask your hardware store personnel for green friendly and petroleum free products the next time you shop for them

Use Plastic and Rubber Grommets to Protect Wires By Jeremy P Stanfords Platinum Quality Author

Standard grommets are manufactured in SBR Rubber, PVC and TPR materials that offer a practical method of providing protection to wires, cables, tubing and hoses from the sharp edges of the sheet metal panels that they may pass through on the finished product. Beyond providing any pass-thru lines of protection, they offer a much better aesthetic, finished look. To be cost effective, most product enclosures or faraday cages are manufactured out of off-the-shelf sheet metal panels that come in one of a handful of standardized thicknesses (also called gauges) that in most cases range from the very thin sixteenth of an inch (0.0625") to a heavier duty quarter inch (0.250") thickness. When the sheet metal is formed, the stamping of the thru holes are generally made in one of the many common imperial or metric diameters.

Knowing these facts, plastic and rubber grommets are designed for easy installation without the need for any special or difficult tooling. They are designed to fit a wide variety of the standard sheet metal gauges and a good majority of the most common panel holes ranging from 3/16" to 2-1/2" in imperial sizes and in the key metric sizes up to the 50 millimeters. Beyond the sizing of the parts, they are manufactured out of various flexible materials to provide an easily installed part. These materials also give the added benefit of excellent adhesion once they are in place, while still leaving open the potential to remove them in the future if somehow required.

Selecting of the proper part also requires consideration of the environmental exposures that the product will see during production after the part is added and in the final application. In most cases, rubber is a fine choice, but if chemicals, acids, ozone or UV exposure are going to be present, then a part molded of PVC or TPR is a better fit. Depending on the actual application, a hard plastic or nylon version might be the answer but they are less common in the market, but still offered in a more limited sizing.

Beyond standard thru hole grommets, many more specialized styles are available. They including grommet sleeves, which function as a grommet to protect the wires at the plane of the hole, but come with a molded on large sleeve on the one side that acts as a strain relief feature. Diaphragm style are another common variation that are basically standard versions without a thru hole. This begs the question of why some do not have a thru hole. Well, the membrane layer that fills the center of the part is very thin and can be easily pierces to allow for smaller objects to pass without leaving a large gaping hole. For applications where the parts must provide a seal to prevent dust or water from entering the enclosure, IP67 rated parts can be used to provide a worldwide standard level of protection to the IP specifications. The 67 level is the second highest water protection, being able to withstand the elements as long as the part is not submerged in water and provides full dust and dirt protection. In more extreme applications, IP68 rated cable glands might be required instead, as it provides a water tight seal to a depth of 1 meter and full dust protection.

For economies of scale, it is typical for many sheet metal manufacturers to produce sheet metal with all of the possible holes that might be needed for the feature of any given model. This allows for greater flexibility of the product so that it can be sold to many different markets. Due to this fact, there may be many holes that are not necessary for all applications. This is the reason for panel plugs. Panel plugs are practical way to keep harmful dirt or moisture out of the unit and provide a nice finished look. Panel plugs, much like their cousins, the grommets, are made to fit standard sheet metal holes and thicknesses. They are widely available in various materials from low cost low density polyethylene to flexible rubber or PVC materials.

Considering the soaring demand for plastic and rubber products, we made-from-india.com have come up with a common platform for all plastic and rubber manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and buyers, to trade with each other at the click of a mouse. A few years back, transactions used to take place ‘on –field’, with both parties sitting face-to-face, before closing the deal. Here, the major plus point is the transaction is taking place ‘on-line’ and you can strike a profitable deal right away. Sitting face-to-face can be done anytime.

Plastic Contract Manufacturing

Plastic contract manufacturing is the process of manufacturing plastic products on a contract basis. There are many contract manufacturers of plastic products, rubber products and other specialty chemical products. They produce fabricated and extruded plastic products. The plastic fabrication facility of most of the plastic contract manufacturers include the latest Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) routers, mills and lathes for top quality machining of plastic parts and products. Plastic contract manufacturers handle plastic fabrication, CNC machining and CNC turning projects. They usually make plastic products from both natural and synthetic materials. Contract manufacturing of plastic provides plastic products of high abrasion resistance, high tensile strength, high tear strength and good oil resistance.

Plastic contract manufacturers usually make plastic products, components and assemblies at the lowest possible prices. They work together with their customers to determine the materials needed, time taken, design specifications, production developments and certifications required. Contract manufacturers of plastics come up with plastic products in any size, design or quantity, according to the needs of the customer. Most contract manufacturers have a full range of services for design engineering and manufacturing of plastic products.

Plastic contract manufacturing mainly focuses on the quality, repeatability and performance of plastic products. Some contract manufacturers specialize in producing the plastic components for high precision electronic and electrical products, consumer products, automobile products and parts. Many of them also manufacture the press components and precision components of other engineering plastics. Plastic contract manufacturers usually manufacture containers, jars, jigs and fixtures. Generally, contract manufactures use advanced technologies in injection blow molding and compression molding to produce high precision components for electronics and electrical plastics. The materials used in plastic contract manufacturing include low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high density polyethylene (HDPE).

Injection molding is widely used for thermoplastics. This process avoids the hardening of plastic in the machine. Injection molding helps to produce more accurate moldings having better control on the material usage. Many contract manufacturers of plastic specialize in the manufacturing dies for injection molded products such as plastic compounds, fan regulators, fan regulator switches, electrical rotary switches, fuse boxes and other special purpose machine parts.

Some Methods of Plastic Molding

Plastics and Rubber Products have become a common feature in homes. For that matter even Industries have fallen hook, line and sinker for the two. Two major factors like credibility and versatility have been driving their demand. Considering the soaring demand for plastic and rubber products, we have come up with a common platform for all plastic and rubber manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and buyers, to trade with each other at the click of a mouse. A few years back, transactions used to take place ‘on –field’, with both parties sitting face-to-face, before closing the deal. Here, the major plus point is the transaction is taking place ‘on-line’ and you can strike a profitable deal right away. Sitting face-to-face can be done anytime.

Plastic is one of the main materials for some manufacturers. The products of plastic manufacturing have been widely used for most of the customers. The plastic products which are commonly used include the car bumpers, cellular phone, incubators for the baby, and some other wares for either the household or the industry. Each of those products may need different methods.

Plastic is widely used by some different manufacturer because it can be molded easily. There are some common methods of plastic molding. Here are three methods of plastic molding which are commonly used.

Blow Molding

This method of plastic molding starts by melting the liquid plastic in the chamber of the machine and then sending the liquefied plastic to a mold for creating the desired shape. Blow molding specializes on creating the hallow product such as bottles, motorcycle fuel tanks, hoses, bumpers, and some other hollow products. In addition, the final product is seamless. The main process of this method is that the air is blown and locked so that it creates hollow. When the liquefied plastic is poured on the mold, the plastic will harden so that you can create the shape you want. Then, you can pull out the mold through a mold cavity.

Injection Molding

This type of method uses thermoplastics. Among the other methods, this is used more often by the manufacturer. The methods include the shooting hot liquid thermoplastic at the high speed to a ceramic mold. Then, the mold is fastened tightly while the plastic will follow the shape of the mold. The plastic will be cooled down by the small vents on each side. When it is cool, it will be removed and then painted. However, this method leaves small seam so that the final product will be finished for better result. The products which are created through this method include the toys, MP3 player cases, car dashboard casing, and some others.

Thermoforming

This method is focusing for creating larger items which are mainly used for the use of industrial and home furnishing. This method is quite simple. You only need to heat the plastic until it is malleable so that it can be manipulated to creating the desired shape. Then, the small machine will add any detail to the items such as body polishing, decorating, and also tracing stamping. The common products of this method include aircraft wind screens, truck beds, industrial pallets, and some other larger items.