Fabrication is a growing industry. Whether it is a plastic fabrication or metal fabrication, you will find umpteen uses of this technique to create a customized product. Plastic is one of the most popular materials, and owing to its lighter weight and affordability, plastic fabrication has witnessed huge growth and demand. Custom plastic fabrication is a process used to design, manufacture or assemble products made from plastic. The plastic fabrication method varies based on the type of final product that you want to create. This blog takes you through the process of custom plastic fabrication.

The Process Varies Depending On The Item That You Want To Make:

The fabrication method will vary based on the type of products you want to create. For example, if you want to create a small kitchen container, you would need a different fabrication method than the ones that need to care about large body panels for heavy trucks.

Common Categories Of Plastic Fabrication: 

Compounding- This process is also known as blending. As you can decipher from the name, this process incorporates combining two or more plastics into one.  

Lamination- You would have heard this more than often. It creates a barrier on the surface, thereby protecting the underlying material. Lamination is used to enhance the strength of the product by increasing its resistance to heat, electricity or chemicals. Plastic fabrication keeps the items safe, and you also get the benefits of using them for a long time. Lamination implies that there will be no corrosion or discoloration if there is proper lamination done. 

Plastic welding-Similar to metal welding, plastic welding also melts the plastic and brings them together to create a strong bond.   

Moulding- In this process, the plastic is moulded into the desired shape. It is one of the most versatile custom plastic fabrications that helps you create the desired shape and design. It is a highly versatile technique and cost-efficient method. Through the process of plastic fabrication, numerous items can be produced in a short span of time, and you can also turn small pellets into a full plastic item as per requirement. 

Benefits Of Plastic Fabrication  

We have discussed in detail the fabrication process, and now we will be highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of plastic fabrication. The final fabrication product depends on the raw materials used for fabrication, like plexiglass, nylon, acrylic, and others. Here are some of the benefits of plastic fabrication: 

• Easy to form: One of the key reasons that makes plastic fabrication a popular process is because plastic is highly flexible and malleable as compared to other materials. It can be moulded into different geometries.

• Reduced finishing: One of the reasons for plastic fabrication is that you can add colour to the plastic and mould it into the desired finishing. 

• Faster production: Plastic fabrication process is faster, thereby enhancing productivity. 

• Lighter in weight:  Since plastic is a lightweight material, and it is the preferable choice. 

• Chemical resistance: Another reason for using plastic is that these don’t rust or oxidize, which increases the life of plastic products that are higher than metal.

Drawbacks of Plastic Fabrication 

Plastic is a useful tool for fabrication, and it can be moulded into a wide range of products. But there are certain drawbacks that you should know:  

• Limited wear resistance: Plastics have lower resistance; they cannot withstand higher temperature and acidity. 

• Structural weaknesses: One of the drawbacks of using plastic as fabrication material is that it is not suitable for higher tensile strength applications. You cannot use it to make heavy equipment or any type of heavy commercial machinery.

Concluding Thoughts 

This guide would have given you enough insight into custom plastic fabrication. Although plastic has its own share of drawbacks, we cannot deny that plastic is a popular choice for many, and hence there is a growing demand for custom plastic fabrication.