Plastic trench drains are one of the best and most common applications of structural foam molding. Many modern construction projects require materials and parts that can withstand demanding environments, all while being cost-effective.
Trench drains are used to manage water runoff in numerous places including residential, commercial, and industrial settings. These drains extend the life of paved surfaces, protect structures, and provide safety in these locations.
Port Erie Plastics highlights plastic trench drains while go further and listing other building applications of structural foam molding.
Why Structural Foam Molding Works for Plastic Trench Drains
Structural foam molding is an ideal manufacturing process when parts are large, rigid, but need to be lightweight yet durable. That’s exactly what plastic trench drains need to be for building applications and other usages.
Plastic trench drains created through injection molding feature high strength to weight ratios, dimensional stability, environmental durability, and cost-effective manufacturing. All of these aspects work for trench drains because they need to be easy to handle and transport, feature minimal defects as a result of low-pressure manufacturing, and cost-effectiveness from lower tooling costs compared to other manufacturing methods.
Building Applications of Structural Foam Molding
Structural foam molding can do more than just create plastic trench drains as a building application. Whenever parts need to be large, rigid, but lightweight, structural foam molding should be considered.
Structural foam molding can be used to create insulated panels where thermal and acoustic insulation occurs. Durable utility boxes and values found underground, as meter boxes, and even housings that demand high impact resistance and long-term outside durability.
Real-World Example of Plastic Trench Drains Through Structural Foam Molding
Years ago, Port Erie Plastics added a new customer where their trench drains were created through injection molding. This except from our case study on the client success story highlights how well plastic trench drains and structural foam molding go together.
Our customer was using a competitor’s straight injection molding process to manufacture a line of linear trench drains. These single-cavity molds ran very long cycles, and the parts had issues with warp and dimensional tolerances. We helped redesign the line for low-pressure structural foam molding. This includes 17 different size trenches, which are all 80” long, 6” wide and range from 6” to 20” in depth. We achieved a 20%-part weight reduction and 40% cycle time reduction, compared with the straight injection parts. We managed the aluminum mold build and designed a pair of tools with interchangeable plates so any two of the 17 sizes can run in one machine at the same time. Long term capability studies were performed to validate new processes and its effects on warp and shrink/expansion over time and temperature variations.
Read More: “Process Redesign of a Structural Foam Molded HDPE Trench Drain for the Construction Industry”
Contact Port Erie Plastics for Your Plastic Trench Drains and Other Structural Foam Molding Building Applications
Port Erie Plastics has been one of the United States’ premier plastic fabrication manufacturers since our doors opened in 1953. We’re located in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, and all of our manufacturing capabilities take place underneath a single roof – ours.
When Port Erie Plastics first started, all we had was a single injection molding machine. Today we proudly boast injection molding, plastic extrusion, and structural foam molding capabilities, with the engineering and secondary services necessary to support three distinct manufacturing methods.
Our work as a structural foam molder is well-regarded by our customer portfolio which includes OEMs, supplier programs, and other sources. We can have part production up to 7.5 feet in length, wall thickness between 0.2 and 0.5 inches, machine platen size of 96×89 inches, tie bar spacing is 58.5×67.5 inches, and shot sizes up to 150 pounds. Additionally, we specialize in two material sources – polypropylene and polyethylene.
Need a new supplier for your plastic trench drains? Contact Port Erie Plastics today.