ABS Blow Molding
ABS blow molding is a rapidly developing method for hollow blow molding, widely used in fields such as electronic products, household appliances, toys, and automobiles.
ABS Blow Molding
- ABS is a relatively hard plastic with good toughness and impact strength.
- Blow molding grade ABS is typically opaque and colored.
- ABS molds well after drying, but has limited chemical resistance compared to polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP).
- ABS can meet UL 94 V-0 flammability standards for certain grades.
- It is recyclable under code 7, but its toughness makes grinding difficult.
ABS Blow Molding Capabilities
ABS is a relatively hard plastic that can be used in blow molding processes.
·
US
Metric
ABS
86.6in. x 27.6 in. x19.7in.
2200mm x 700mm x500mm
*ABS is a popular choice for blow molded products due to its good mechanical properties and processability.
ABS Blow Molding Material
Materials with higher processing temperatures, like nylons and engineering plastics, are often used for automotive engine pipes and technical parts that require higher temperature and chemical resistance.
Material
- ABS
The Advantage of ABS Blow Molding
ABS plastic can be easily finished and post-processed to achieve a smooth and aesthetically appealing surface, which is desirable for many consumer products.
Advantage
- Good Strength and Stiffness
ABS has good mechanical properties, including high strength and stiffness, which allows it to be used for structural components and parts that require rigidity.
- Chemical Resistance
ABS exhibits resistance to a wide range of chemicals, including acids, alkalis, and various solvents, making it suitable for applications where chemical exposure is a concern.
- Electrical Insulation
ABS has good electrical insulating properties, making it suitable for electrical and electronic components, housings, and enclosures.
- Versatility in Manufacturing
ABS can be easily molded and shaped through various manufacturing processes, including blow molding, injection molding, and 3D printing, providing versatility in production methods.
Application of ABS Blow Molding
ABS is particularly suitable for spoiler, car pedal, bumper, automotive roof, electronics housings, small appliances, and other products requiring good stiffness, hardness, and impact resistance.
Guidelines for ABS Blow Molding
Manufacturers choose to use ABS material for blow molding mainly due to its excellent performance and outstanding characteristics
ABS Blow Molding Guide
ABS Blow Molding
ABS blow molding is a rapidly developing method for hollow blow molding, widely used in fields such as electronic products, household appliances, toys, and automobiles. It mainly involves placing the tubular billet obtained by extrusion or injection of thermoplastic resin into a split mold. When the mold is closed, compressed air is injected, causing the billet to rapidly expand and adhere to the mold wall, cooling, and demolding to form a solid hollow product.
The Advantages of ABS Materials
Manufacturers choose to use ABS material for blow molding mainly due to its excellent performance and outstanding characteristics. Its characteristics mainly include but are not limited to:
- ABS material has excellent electrical insulation performance, and manufacturers often use it to blow mold shells and components in the electronic and electrical industry.
- ABS material has strong adaptability. Regardless of the product being blown, ABS can change its performance by adjusting its ratio, such as enhancing its toughness and making it more resistant to high temperatures, to adapt to different ABS blow molding needs.
- ABS resin material is easy to process, whether it is injection molding, extrusion molding, or ABS hollow blow molding, it can be processed and molded to manufacture products of various shapes.
- ABS blow molded products have a high surface smoothness and are easy to be sprayed or electroplated, which is very beneficial for improving the appearance performance of the product.
- ABS blow molding products have excellent mechanical properties, good strength and toughness, strong impact and compression resistance, and are suitable for the manufacturing and processing of friction-prone components.
- Even if defective products are found in ABS blow molding products, they can still be recycled and reused. This meets environmental performance requirements, helps with resource recycling, and prevents waste of raw materials.
- ABS blow molding products have a good tolerance for extreme weather, and can be used in both low and high temperatures, with strong environmental adaptability.
- ABS blow molding products have good chemical resistance and can resist the corrosion of most strong acids, alkalis, inorganic salts, and other chemical agents.
The Application of ABS Material in Blow Molding
ABS blow molding has a wide range of applications, ranging from office and household products to industrial and automotive components.
- Office Supplies
Due to the good surface smoothness and gloss of ABS blow molding products, as well as their ease of processing and shaping, and the high requirements for the appearance and feel of office supplies, manufacturers often use ABS extensively to make such products, such as telephone casings, memory casings, and casings for computers, fax machines, copiers, etc.
- The Automotive Industry
ABS blow molding products are widely used in the automotive field, including many components such as dashboards, exterior panels, steering wheels, sound insulation panels, door locks, bumpers, ventilation pipes, etc. As early as more than 20 years ago, the amount of ABS used in automobile manufacturing in China had reached 35000 tons.
- Industrial Coating
Nowadays, ABS blow molding products have been widely used in industrial and coating products. ABS plastic is suitable for lightweight production, with superior chemical corrosion resistance and weak conductivity. It can also be easily manufactured for complex shaped parts. Some modified ABS materials can even replace some light metals and non-ferrous metals.
- Household Appliances
ABS blow molding products have a wide range of application markets in the field of household appliances, such as the casings of washing machines, televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners, as well as ABS pipes, ABS sanitary ware, ABS decorative panels, etc. the building materials industry, as well as plastic casings and other components for some small appliances such as speakers, ironing machines, and vacuum cleaners.
Blow Molding Process of ABS Material
The process of ABS blow molding is complex and cumbersome. Generally, once the manufacturer sets the parameters, they will not easily change them. So the process determination of ABS blow molding is very cautious.
- Temperature of Material Barrel and Machine Head
The softening temperature of ABS blow molding is generally between 170-190 degrees, while the processing temperature of the barrel generally needs to reach 170-230 degrees, depending on the diameter of the screw. If the diameter is less than 80mm, a higher temperature is taken, and if the diameter is greater than 80mm, a lower temperature is taken. The temperature of the material storage barrel at the head of the blow molding equipment is generally 160-200 degrees, and the temperature value method is the same as the temperature value method of the material barrel mentioned above. The processing temperature of ABS blow molding equipment of different brands also varies, for example, the processing temperature of heat-resistant ABS will be higher. The higher the temperature, the smoother the appearance of ABS blow molded products, and the better the surface glossiness. Increasing the temperature of the painted parts can better eliminate the internal stress of the products, reduce the probability of poor painting, and improve the strength of the fusion joint, allowing ABS blow molding products to withstand greater impact forces. However, excessively high temperatures can pose a risk of raw material decomposition and brittleness. The higher the temperature, the greater the degree of billet sagging, which will increase the thickness difference between the upper and lower ends of the product. At the same time, the shrinkage rate of ABS blow-molded parts will also increase. While ensuring product quality and smooth processing, the processing temperature can be set as low as possible to reduce energy consumption and shorten the molding cycle of ABS blow-molded products.
- Screw Speed
The speed of the screw is closely related to the temperature of the barrel. The higher the rotation speed of the screw, the higher the melt temperature will also increase, and the rotational speed will also affect the storage time. Manufacturers should try to adjust the screw speed reasonably while meeting the storage cycle. It is best to start injecting the blank when the storage is just finished. This can shorten the static residence time of ABS blow molding raw materials in the storage chamber, because the longer the residence time, the greater the temperature difference between the inner and outer surfaces. The larger the temperature difference, the more changes will occur in the stretching and blowing ratio of the melt billet in all directions, resulting in various blowing defects such as uneven wall thickness in ABS blow molded parts.
- Quantity and Time of Material Stored in The Storage Tank
The plastic melt extruded by ABS extrusion blow molding equipment will be stored in the cavity of the machine head in advance. Until a certain amount is stored, the piston will be pushed downwards under the action of the limit switch, and the melt will form a hollow billet through the narrow slit of the machine head. The storage capacity in the material storage head should be adjusted according to the size and diameter of the product. If there is too little material storage, it will lead to unstable pressure during extrusion molding, and excessive extrusion volume can easily cause fluctuations; If there is too much material storage, the unused material will accumulate and even be repeatedly heated, leading to degradation and burning. The optimal storage capacity is about 60-80% of the machine head volume. Manufacturers also need to carefully adjust the storage time, as its size is directly related to the screw speed. If the screw speed is fast, the storage time will be short. Manufacturers should also pay attention to fluctuations in storage time, as large or too fast fluctuations can also affect the stability of the ABS blow molding cycle.
- Injection and Extrusion Speed
During ABS blow molding, only suitable injection and extrusion speeds can produce high-quality products. If the speed of ABS extrusion blow molding is set too slowly, it will lead to an increase in the temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the billet, a decrease in the cooling temperature of the lower part of the melt, making it difficult to blow and easily leaving weld marks in the lower part of the product. The injection and extrusion speed is too slow, which can cause the billet to enlarge and sag, and the upper wall thickness will become thinner, causing the wall thickness size to exceed the tolerance, and the scrap rate will also be greatly increased. Of course, if the extrusion speed is too fast, it will cause the mold to not close in time, and the ABS blow-molded parts will already fall off, which will greatly increase the scrap rate. The adjustment of ABS blow molding extrusion speed is mainly based on the temperature of the barrel, pre-blowing speed, melt strength, and the proficiency of the operator. The most important requirement is to reduce the internal stress during the ABS blow molding process.
- Blowing Pressure
To produce general ABS blow molding products, the blowing pressure is generally 0.4-0.6Mpa. For engineering plastic grade ABS, its flowability is poor, and the blowing pressure generally needs to be increased to above 1Mp; For products with fine patterns and product information parameters on the surface, if clear patterns and parameters are required, the blowing pressure should also be correspondingly increased. When the area of ABS blow molded products is larger, the products are more complex, or the wall thickness is thinner, the manufacturer takes a higher blowing pressure. Under practical processing conditions, higher blowing pressure can also achieve higher surface smoothness and dimensional stability.
ABS blow molding has many advantages and is widely used. Manufacturers are continuously researching the application of modified ABS materials to improve the quality and accuracy of ABS blow molded products.
