As the name indicates, the process consists of several molds that rotate on an arm between a work area, an oven, and a cooling area. First, the raw material, which is either powder, granules or paste, is poured into a hollow mold. Next, the mold moves into an oven.
The mold rotates in a biaxial rotation, which ensures that the raw material gets around all the corners and edges of the mold. When the mold reaches the melting point of the raw material, the plastic melts and sticks to the surface inside the mold. The process continues to apply layer after layer until the raw material has melted and a smooth surface has been achieved. The final wall thickness depends on the amount of raw material supplied.
Next, the mold is moved into a cooling zone, where it continues to rotate and the plastic inside now begins to harden. At the end of the cooling time, the mould is moved to the work area, where the workpiece is carefully taken out. The item is now ready to be machined and then quality tested.
There are several advantages to rotational molding. The cost of molds is low, the items can be produced with molded elements such as bushings, logos and the like. It is possible to produce large, hollow and complex items in customer-specific colours.
This production method is suitable for batch sizes between 200-3000 items, depending on the size and design of the workpiece. Examples of rotationally molded items are containers, furniture, toys, and other types of hollow items.
Rotationally moulded items can be customised and produced according to your wishes. Our rotational moulding team is ready to advise you on whether this method is optimal for your workpieces.
