Extrusion
Extrusion is another important manufacturing method that is essential for the manufacture of heat-resistant plastics. It is used to form continuous sections, such as pipes, sheets and films. The plastic material is heated and placed under pressure in a die to produce the required shape in the extrusion process. This process is advantageous for the manufacture of large numbers of identical components.
For example, the automotive and electronics industries use a large number of parts such as insulators, seals, and connectors for the extrusion process. PTFE and PES materials are common raw materials for extrusion. This is because extrusion does not affect the properties of these two materials; therefore, the resulting products are likely to be very reliable at high temperatures.
The other method of processing heat-resistant plastics is compression molding. This method is suitable when dealing with materials that have a high melting temperature or that cannot be easily molded using another method. Compression molding involves placing a preheated material, called a plastic charge, into a heated mold cavity and then applying pressure to the charge to obtain the required shape.
Compression molding is used to process thermosetting plastics. email dataset A chemical change occurs during this process and the shape becomes petrified. It is useful for manufacturing thick and large parts with high heat resistance and mechanical performance, such as aerospace and industrial parts.
Thermoforming
Thermoforming is a lesser-used but important method for manufacturing heat-resistant plastics with large, asymmetrical shapes that require light weight. A sheet of plastic is first preheated to a temperature that makes it ductile during this process. It is then formed on a mold under vacuum or pressure.
This process is typically applied to plastics such as PEI and PES, which can be thermoformed into complex shapes with excellent heat stability. Thermoforming is particularly useful in the aerospace and medical industries, where lightweight, heat-resistant parts are desirable.
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is beginning to be explored as a means of developing heat-resistant polymers, particularly for prototyping and low-volume production, although its application to high-performance plastics such as PEEK and PPS is still under development.
Applications of SLS and FDM include layer-by-layer assembly of materials such as PEEK and PPS. Others include manufacturing parts with high thermal and mechanical capacity. Additive manufacturing helps reduce material waste and produce prototypes and parts faster. This tool is useful in industries where innovation and customization are the critical node.