what can you recycle? materials that are often missed

How Plastic Is Processed After Recycling It

11 April 2023 by Jessica Scott

One reason that plastic is such a common material to recycle is because of how it can be used. Existing plastic used for bottles, containers, and products can essentially be melted down and processed to create brand-new items. Here are some plastic processing techniques that can be used with recycled plastic.

Injection Molding

One very popular method for processing recycled plastics is injection molding. It involves taking melted plastic and injecting it into a mold under high pressure. The plastic is then cooled so that it forms the desired shape of the mold. Injection molding is capable of creating a high volume of plastic that forms a very complex shape, and does so with consistent quality. You'll find injection molding is used when manufacturing medical devices, cars, electronic devices, and anything that requires plastic to be in a very intricate shape. 

Extrusion

The extrusion process is great for creating continuous forms of plastic, such as a long length of plastic tubing or plastic sheeting. Extrusion works by melting down the plastic and then pushing it through a special die, which is what forms the shape of the final product. The plastic comes out of the die and is allowed to cool, and then the plastic is cut down to the desired length. 

Blow Molding

Hollow plastics, such as bottles and containers, are created with blow molding. It also uses a mold that is similar to the injection molding process, but blow molding creates plastics that are not completely solid. Compressed air is used to inflate the plastic like a balloon, which forms to the shape of the mold while leaving the inside of the plastic hollow.

Thermoforming

Those plastic sheets created with the extrusion process can then be used for thermoforming. That's because thermoforming is a great way to make plastic trays and packing materials, and it requires a heated plastic sheet to be shaped using a mold. Once the plastic is pliable, it can be pressed into a mold and then cooled down. The plastic will come out of the mold in the desired shape.

Compression Molding

The compression molding process is used when large and intricate plastic parts need to be created. The mold itself is heated and the plastic is inserted into it using high pressure. The plastic is then removed from the mold to reveal the final product. Not only is this process highly repeatable, but it is precise at creating plastic that is high quality. 

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