How to Maximize Manufacturing by Taking Advantage of Plastic Engineering Services

Customers and manufacturers alike are always looking for an edge when it comes to creating parts and components. One of the best ways for both parties to create plastic parts that can separate them from the competition is by taking advantage of plastic engineering services.

These services can help improve part design, material selection, and tooling considerations, and even enhance process efficiency, all before manufacturing begins. Learn more with Port Erie Plastics and explore how to maximize manufacturing by taking advantage of plastic engineering services.

Practical Ways to Utilize Plastic Engineering Services

When using engineering services, it’s vital to use them practically and correctly. As manufacturers, this means offering the services that are most vital for a universal plastic manufacturing service, such as design for manufacturability. As customers, practical application of engineering services means having superior knowledge of your product, its intended application, and aspects where you want to see improvements in your part before production begins.

• Incorporate engineering services early on in your project, so when design changes happen, they are more cost-effective, quicker, and won’t impact tooling.
• Utilize design for manufacturability reviews to better enhance your design by simplifying geometry, reducing secondary operations, and standardizing features.
• Request material selection assistance, as plastic engineers will have expert knowledge of materials and can pair that with your part’s intended application.
• Ensure that quality management systems are paired with engineering services such as SPC, part validation testing, and process monitoring.

Where Value Presents Itself

The big question has to be asked. Where is the value in plastic engineering services? These services are intended to boost product efficiency, performance, and service life, all while delicately balancing the ever-important cost factor for both customers and manufacturers.

One of the key ways all the goals of plastic engineering services are achieved is through material selection guidance. Whether it’s a customer’s first project or merely their first of the month, engineering teams at experienced manufacturers have seen countless examples of proper material selection with intended part application. When the right material is selected, this better ensures enhanced part performance.

Impact on Manufacturing

Plastic engineering services don’t just impact the customer and their components. Manufacturers running production on components that have undergone thorough engineering services are going to experience impacts as well, which have a trickle-down impact on customers.

• Manufacturers experience higher throughput, meaning customers get their orders faster.
• Scrap material and overall waste can drop drastically when engineering services are performed, saving on costs for both manufacturers and customers.
• Shorter lead times are also achievable with engineering services.
• With engineering services catered to design, manufacturers experience a more streamlined process in production, along with more accurate material usage and handling.
• While engineering services can increase initial upfront costs, they are intended to stave off long-term costs by identifying and reducing, or even eliminating, costly rework.

Trust Port Erie Plastics With Your Plastic Engineering Services

Port Erie Plastics is one of the longest tenured plastic manufacturing companies in the United States. We started out with a single injection molding machine, a small team, and a vision to create high-quality plastic components for OEMs across countless industries. What’s transpired since is multi-faceted plastic manufacturing serving the entire country.

Our plastic engineering operations are led by a highly skilled and knowledgeable team of engineers, where one engineer is assigned to every project that comes through our door. From material selection advice to tooling and die design considerations, and everything in between, our engineering services are aimed at enhancing all aspects of the manufacturing process.

Discover the difference in manufacturing by taking advantage of Port Erie Plastics’ engineering services, and contact us today.

A Guide to Different Plastic Manufacturing Processes: Key Benefits, Top Considerations, and Best Applications

Understanding the roles that different plastic manufacturing processes play throughout the manufacturing landscape can help OEMs and other potential customers know which production methods might be best suited for their next line of components and products.

Port Erie Plastics’ guide to different plastic manufacturing processes is a comprehensive overview of the methods themselves, key benefits of production, and top considerations to make before selecting a specific process.

Key Benefits of Different Plastic Manufacturing Processes

Port Erie Plastics has three different forms of plastic manufacturing processes we perform in our facilities: injection molding, plastic extrusion, and structural foam molding. These three services are the ones we’ll focus on here.

Benefits of Injection Molding

• Injection molding is a highly repeatable process once the mold design has been finalized and properly tooled. Molds can be used over and over again as long as they are properly maintained.
• Additionally, since the process is highly repeatable, it is also a fast production method.
• High-volume production orders are best suited for injection molding as the cost-per-part ratio drops dramatically after tooling costs.
• Since melted plastics are shot into the mold and it takes the shape of the mold, complex designs are possible through injection molding.
• Minimal waste is created through injection molding as it is an additive process rather than one that involves trimming material into a shape.

Benefits of Plastic Extrusion

• Plastic extrusion is often viewed as one of the most cost-effective plastic manufacturing processes on the market because of the use of automation in the process and the ability to create continuous shapes.
• Extrusion is the choice for many OEMs and other customers when they need parts that include cross-sections.
• Multiple materials can be used in a singular extrusion run (co-extrusion), blending materials and leading to further enhanced parts.
• Extrusion operations use highly efficient thermoplastics that can be reused over and over again, leading to material efficiency and minimal waste.
• Parts made through extrusion feature consistent high quality.

Benefits of Structural Foam Molding

• Parts created through structural foam molding traditionally boast a higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to other plastic manufacturing processes.
• In low-pressure structural foam molding, less clamping force is required during manufacturing, which can make it a more cost-effective solution.
• Structural foam molding is best suited for large part manufacturing.
• Structural foam molding can create parts with enhanced performance, specifically chemical, impact, heat, and weather resistance.
• The process creates minimal defects, such as sink and warpage.

Considerations Before Selecting a Manufacturing Process

After viewing the benefits of the different plastic manufacturing processes, these advantages are the guiding principles when selecting a production method. But let’s break it down further.

Select Injection Molding If

Your team needs fast turnaround times where the manufacturing process features fast cycle times. Parts created through injection molding are best suited for high-volume production as the cost-per-part ratio drops quickly, offsetting the tooling costs.

Select Plastic Extrusion If

Your team needs continuous shapes that feature simple or complex cross-sections that are integral to the overall structural integrity of the part.

Select Structural Foam Molding If

Your team needs parts with a higher strength-to-weight ratio and complex geometries that are going to serve in demanding environments. Additionally, if your team needs lower production costs and large part sizes, structural foam molding can align well with your end goal.

Best Applications of Different Plastic Manufacturing Processes

With benefits and considerations covered, the most direct way to showcase which manufacturing process is best for your team is by listing out real-world applications of each process.

Applications of Injection Molding

• Dashboard components in the automotive industry
• Bumpers
• Laptop enclosures
• Mobile phones
• Tubing connectors in the medical industry
• Syringes
• Caps and closures

Applications of Plastic Extrusion

• PVC pipes
• Siding
• Window frames
• Weather stripping
• Plastic films
• Gaskets

Applications of Structural Foam Molding

• Reusable pallets and containers
• Large waste bins
• Point of sale machines
• Kiosks
• Display racks
• Large panels

Contact Port Erie Plastics for All Your Plastic Manufacturing Needs

Port Erie Plastics opened its doors in 1953 with a single injection molding machine, and over the course of 70-plus years, we’ve expanded our capabilities into a multi-faceted plastic manufacturing company.

We’re able to perform different plastic manufacturing processes because of the relationships we’ve built with our customers, allowing us to adapt to their industries and invest in the knowledge and infrastructure necessary to produce the components they need, when they need them. No matter which manufacturing process we’re performing, all of our production methods are backed and vetted by our ISO 9001 certification, which demonstrates our quality management systems.

Whether it’s injection molding, plastic extrusion, structural foam molding, or one of our other capabilities, Port Erie Plastics is ready to take your project on. Contact our team today.

Inside Plastic Injection Molding Design Services and What They Entail

Injection molding services don’t start when the machines turn on. They start when engineer and design teams begin consultations with your group. The right plastic injection molding design means a smooth, streamlined manufacturing process that enables easier production and ensures the benefits of injection molding for your components.

Port Erie Plastics provides an inside look at plastic injection molding design services, including what they entail and how to maximize design services to experience a better manufacturing process.

Common Plastic Injection Molding Design Services

While not meant to be a complete list, these design services for injection molding projects provide a glimpse into what manufacturing companies and their engineering teams can do for your project.

• Design for manufacturing and manufacturability review entails design and engineering teams crafting a design alongside you, with knowledge of part application. This allows for proper material selection and key aspects such as wall thickness, bend radii, and more. If you are bringing a design to the table, engineering and design teams review your specs to ensure the part can be manufactured.
• Design services go hand in hand with material selection because design aspects have to be in place with material selection, and certain materials can withstand certain design aspects. Ultimately, both have to work together toward the part’s intended application.
• When crafting the design for your component, you also have to consider your tooling strategy. This includes making notes on whether it will be a multi-shot or single-shot cavity. Additionally, considerations on runners and gates must be made, as this will impact cycle times and part quality.
• Engineering teams can run samples such as moldflow or flow simulations that can gauge predictable shot filling, weld lines, sink marks, air traps, and warpage before cutting material used for tooling.
• Lastly, prototyping services can produce a rough version of your component, which can be used to alter the design as needed before full-scale production begins.

Why Design Services Matter

It’s one thing to have trust in your design and submit it for manufacturing and wait for your order to show up at its final destination. But utilizing design services will enhance your initial attempt. Consider these points if you’re on the fence about using design services for your injection molding project.

• Plastic injection molding design services can ultimately reduce tooling costs by eliminating needless aspects in an initial design and trimming down sections. This is reflected in the mold and subsequently in the final injected product.
• Not only can it reduce tooling costs, but it can also drastically reduce tooling changes.
• Design services identify potential part defects, and when those are addressed, there is a plan in place to respond and eliminate defects.
• While the main focus is to ensure part manufacturability, design services can positively impact lead times, pricing, and volumes.

Contact Port Erie Plastics for Plastic Injection Molding Design Services Today

Port Erie Plastics specializes in multiple forms of plastic manufacturing and the design and engineering services necessary to make these projects possible. We started our company with a single injection molding machine in 1953 and have expanded to other forms of manufacturing, including structural foam molding, extrusion, and more.

Our plastic injection molding design services and engineering services are made possible by dedicated engineers trained in taking projects from concepts to tangible results.

Contact Port Erie Plastics today, and let’s get started on your project design.

How to Select Injection Molding Materials Based On Product Application

Material selection is one of the most important aspects of any manufacturing process. It defines how the product will survive in its given application and environment, and selecting the right material can be the difference between a long-lasting component and a product that’s destined to fail.

But how to determine the necessary injection molding materials? Knowing the part’s intended application allows engineering teams to help guide you in selecting the best material. Port Erie Plastics’ guide on how to select injection molding materials based on product application is a comprehensive set of examples on matching materials we use every day with common applications.

Define Product Application

When your team has a clear understanding of both your product and its intended design, material selection narrows from vast possibilities to the best options. There are a few parameters to determine and define, however, when discussing your product’s application, both internally and with your manufacturer’s design and engineering team.

• Weigh how much mechanical strength your part will need to avoid defects during application. If you’re having components manufactured that will be part of a bigger assembly, determine if the component can rely on the mechanical strength of the larger piece.
• Ask what forms of resistance are needed for the component to succeed in its environment. This can include resistance to impact, heat, chemicals, UV, and moisture.
• Does the part need to look a specific way? If so, consider whether value-added operations will be needed to alter the material’s appearance once manufacturing has concluded.

Commonly Used Injection Molding Materials

Many injection molded products feature similar or overlapping applications where the polymers used contain shared properties and characteristics that allow the components to thrive in given environments. Below are some of the most commonly used materials with product benefits and application examples.

Polypropylene and Polyethylene

Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) are two of the most commonly used injection molding materials, largely because of the many benefits naturally found in both. They are both cost-effective materials and feature good chemical resistance along with impact resistance. Additionally, PP features positive fatigue resistance.

Because both materials are so commonly used, they can be found in numerous applications from general consumer parts to interior automotive parts, and food industry items such as utensil handles.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and Polycarbonate

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) are right behind PP and PE for commonly used materials in injection molding. These two materials can be used for several applications, including enclosures, consumer electronics pieces, and cosmetic housings. ABS is selected because it balances structural integrity, toughness, and aesthetic properties. It’s also a lightweight material and a good source of electrical conductivity. PC contains high heat resistance, creep resistance, and good toughness, making it ideal for electrical applications.

Nylon and PP

For automotive applications, nylon and PP are good selections for injection molding materials. Both polymers feature strong resistance to elements found in heat, oils, fuels, and the functional aspects of automotive applications.

Contact Port Erie Plastics for Expert Solutions in Injection Molding Materials

While Port Erie Plastics performs multiple variations of plastic manufacturing in our Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, facility, we specialize in injection molding. We started with a single injection molder in 1953 and never lost sight of the manufacturing process that made us who we are today.

Over time, injection molding material options have expanded, all with their own benefits and applications. Our dedicated engineering team continues to invest in education on materials as well as understanding the best applications of those materials, so customers can be confident in our expertise.

Get the most out of your injection molding materials and contact Port Erie Plastics today.

How to Maximize Your Plastic Extrusion Design

Design is one of the most critical aspects of any manufacturing process. A design that has addressed all of the nuances of your product helps ensure a smooth production run, minimizes defects, and in some cases, can even speed up cycle times, which gets your product to market faster.

Port Erie Plastics has solved numerous plastic extrusion design challenges, and there are some best practices we’ve picked up on over the years. Keep this guide in mind as you look to maximize your extrusion design ahead of your next project.

Plastic Extrusion Design Starts With a Focus on the Cross Section

The cross section in any extrusion design is arguably the most critical aspect to get right. Cross sections are what give the final product its shape and require consistency. To ensure the cross sections are in the best shape possible, keep these considerations in mind.

• Keep wall thickness as uniform as possible. When wall thickness is consistent throughout the cross section, unequal flow, differential cooling, bowing, distortion, and other defects are kept in check.
• In tandem with wall thickness consistency, if the thickness has to change, attempt to make it gradual rather than abrupt.
• Rounded corners are preferred compared to sharp corners, as rounded corners are better at limiting notching and cracking.

Carefully Design Hollow Points and Internal Features

There are naturally going to be hollow points inside any extrusion design, and because of that, the potential for defects is much greater than in denser sections. With that in mind, these pointers can be helpful during the design phase.

• Keep hollow sections as simple as possible. The more complex hollow sections and internal features are, the more likely they are to distort during the extrusion process.
• If internal features are necessary for your product’s intended application, consider adding access points such as windows or slots in order for legs, grooves, or other support measures to reach the internal features.

Control Tolerances

Every manufacturer has different levels of tolerances they can provide, so when you have landed on the company that’s going to produce your extruded parts, be sure to have a conversation with their engineering team about tolerances throughout your plastic extrusion design. In general, it’s best to have relaxed tolerances wherever possible. The tighter a tolerance, the more tooling work and costs you’re likely to incur.

Remember, Material Selection Is Part of Design Considerations

Design isn’t just drawing up the blueprint to your product. It’s also having an intimate knowledge of how your component is supposed to function in its environment. While the above tips and considerations are intended to have all of those points in mind, the largest aspect of design that’s impacted by outside influences is the material itself.

Align materials that match the mechanical needs, environmental factors, and regulatory constraints of both the manufacturer and your respective industry, while being extrusion-friendly. This is where your manufacturer’s engineering team can be extremely helpful.

While most extrusion projects can be completed with just a single material source, for more complex jobs, consider blending materials into one uniform product via co-extrusion.

Connect With Port Erie Plastics to Best Enhance Your Plastic Extrusion Design

Port Erie Plastics is your full-service plastic manufacturer with wide-ranging capabilities, including plastic extrusion services. Plastic extrusion design is one of the most critical aspects of the manufacturing process, and getting the design right helps eliminate defects and sets up an easier production cycle.

Our engineering team has worked on numerous extrusion projects over the years, and we continue to work with our customers throughout the process to ensure their designs are set for manufacturing.

Have a question or concern about your plastic extrusion design? Contact Port Erie Plastics today, where we’ll work out the details and create a product that’s built to last.

Applications of HDPE in Plastic Manufacturing

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most commonly used materials in plastic manufacturing. This specific grade of polymer helps make it possible to continue to expand boundaries in plastic products.

Port Erie Plastics walks through some of the most common applications of HDPE in plastic manufacturing, highlighting where using this material makes the most sense.

Understanding Why HDPE is Applicable for Widespread Usage

Before understanding the best applications of HDPE, it’s critical to understand why this material is so prevalent in plastic manufacturing. Below are some of the top reasons why HDPE is used in millions of plastic products every year.

• HDPE boasts an incredible strength-to-weight ratio in comparison to other polymer materials, offering great structural strength and integrity, while remaining lightweight.
• HDPE is naturally chemical resistant and can fend off contaminants from numerous sources, including acids, bases, alcohols, detergents, and solvents. This is why HDPE is used in many piping and tubing applications.
• HDPE is also a good material for impact and abrasion resistance, particularly at low temperatures.
• Along with all of these benefits, HDPE is easy to work with, which is why it is used in multiple plastic manufacturing applications.

Applications of HDPE by Manufacturing Style

HDPE is used throughout numerous plastic manufacturing styles largely because it is an easy material to work with, but that also means it has to endure different manufacturing processes without losing its product integrity.

Highlighting key manufacturing services where HDPE can be used to make products can best demonstrate the material’s widespread applications.

Plastic Extrusion

• HDPE in extrusion is most commonly used to create pressure pipes and varying types of conduit. Specific products include gas and water piping, telecom ducts, and industrial fluid lines. These products all take advantage of the benefits of HDPE, particularly chemical resistance and strength-to-weight ratio.
• It can also be used to create products like wear panels, marine boards, playground surfaces, cutting boards, food packaging bags, and shopping bags.
• Extrusion manufacturers rely on HDPE because of how easy the material is to work with, and consumers of extruded HDPE products rely on the cost-effectiveness of both the material and the manufacturing method.

Injection Molding

• Applications of HDPE in injection molding primarily feature the manufacturing of caps, closures, and small parts. This can include bottle caps, food containers, crates, trays, bins, and non-load-bearing housings for electronic components.
• HDPE can also be used for the creation of functional products, including turnover boxes, dustbins, and general purpose industrial parts.

Structural Foam Molding

• HDPE is also extensively used in the creation of structural foam molded components. These can range from pallets and crates to large, load-bearing products.

How to Validate When HDPE Usage Makes Sense

While HDPE is a common selection for manufacturers and their customers around the globe, there are a couple of considerations to make ahead of production to ensure that the material is appropriate for your product and its intended application.

• If your part can naturally be opaque and mildly flexible
• If your product will be exposed to harsh chemicals, detergents, or outdoor conditions
• If impact resistance is more important than being able to withstand high temperatures

Learn More About the Applications of HDPE and Partner With Port Erie Plastics Today

Port Erie Plastics works with HDPE every day in our Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, facilities. As a full-service plastic manufacturer with extrusion, injection molding, and structural foam molding capabilities all under one roof, our team are experts in knowing if HDPE is right for your product.

Contact our team today for further questions and to see if your project is the right fit for HDPE.

Identifying the Best Structural Foam Materials to Create Long-Lasting Products

It’s critical to understand your components’ design and intended application when considering structural foam materials. Selecting the right materials can make the difference between a long-lasting, successful product and spending unnecessary funds to correct a mistake.

Port Erie Plastics lays out the foundation for how to identify structural foam materials that lead to the creation of long-lasting products.

Structural Foam Materials Should Include Polyethylene Foam

One of the go-to material selections for structural foam molding services is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) foam. HDPE foam contains key properties that make it a versatile selection, including a high level of chemical resistance that is often relied upon by industries facing exposure to harsh substances.

Key Benefits of HDPE Foam

• Durable and lightweight closed-cell material. Since it’s a closed-cell material, HDPE foam is dense, water-resistant, and a strong insulator.
• HDPE foam is a strong load-bearing material, making it a popular choice for industries where heavy weight and stress are commonplace.
• HDPE foam has shock absorption and vibration-dampening properties, providing reliability throughout the entire molded component.
• Along with chemical-resistant properties, HDPE foam also boasts grease, moisture, and solvent resistance.
• HDPE foam also has design flexibility, making it an easy material to work with. And since low pressure can be used with this material, the potential for warping drops dramatically.

Best Applications of HDPE Foam

• HDPE foam is seen in construction applications, most commonly with large trench drains.
• Aside from trench drains, HDPE foam can be used to create flooring, siding, piping and irrigation systems, and more.
• For lawn and garden applications, HDPE foam can be used to create carts, plastic lawn equipment, and even lawn furniture.
• Pallets of any size, shelving, storage, and other material handling equipment can be made from HDPE foam.

Consider Polypropylene Foam

If HDPE foam doesn’t seem best for your design or product’s application, then consider polypropylene (PP) foam. This specific structural foam material is also a rigid, durable, and closed-cell material. PP foam is often chosen in applications where compression ability and impact resistance are required.

Key Benefits of PP Foam

• PP foam has a high strength-to-weight ratio. This allows for the creation of strong, durable components that are lighter than plastic parts. Additionally, material usage drops when using PP foam compared to plastics.
• This specific foam contains numerous resistant properties, including chemical, moisture, impact, and fatigue. This allows for a wide range of applications.
• PP foam contains strong thermal stability, allowing for parts to remain in shape and minimize defects such as warping.
• When comparing PP foam to substitute materials such as plastic, foam is more cost-effective as it contains many of the same properties and benefits seen in polymers.
• Similar to HDPE foam, PP foam has design flexibility and is easy to work with.

Best Applications of PP Foam

• In automotive applications, PP foam is used to create both interior and exterior parts.
• PP foam can be used in the manufacturing of medical housing equipment because of its thermal properties.
• Material handling is a big industry that relies on PP foam to create pallets, crates, containers, and more.
• Some consumer goods and parts for appliances can be created with PP foam.

Contact Port Erie Plastics for More Structural Foam Materials Insight and Services

Port Erie Plastics are experts in structural foam materials and structural foam molding services. We started off with a single injection molding machine and have since mastered numerous plastic manufacturing capabilities.

Our structural foam molding projects are used all across the country, and our customers trust us to create products that last.

Contact us today to gain further insights into structural foam materials and molding, and to get your project started.

Is High Volume Plastic Injection Molding Right For You? Key Considerations to Make Before Deciding

High volume plastic injection molding services are a cost-effective and productive way to create numerous types of products. But, how do you know if high-volume services are right for you?

Port Erie Plastics lays out the foundation for organizations wondering if they should opt for high volume plastic injection molding services, highlighting key considerations as well as the benefits of injection molding services in general.

Why High Volume Injection Molding Services Can Be Right For You

There are a few indications that high volume services are best for you, your product, and your company. While they won’t all be the same, as every need is different, these points should help gauge if these services are right for you.

• The demand for your product is stable, long-term, and high enough to warrant continuous production. Industries such as automotive, medical, industrial, consumer products, and packaging all would fit under this description.
• Customers who need to make parts consistently in the range of multiple thousands up to millions to fill market demand.
• Material choices that lend themselves to high repeatability, such as thermoplastics that feature tight designs and consistent visual features.
• Customers who have minimal — if any —design changes.

Cost Analysis

If your team has determined that high-volume injection molding is the right approach, the next step is to conduct a thorough cost analysis to confirm that the decision makes financial sense — both for your organization and for the customers relying on these components.

• Gather an assortment of estimates, including a price-per-part breakdown as well as a total sum. By collecting from multiple manufacturers, you’re able to see who lines up best with your financial capabilities.
• Weigh tooling costs. This is one of the most expensive parts of high volume injection molding, as it’s a capital-intensive process that can feature the use of steel, multi-cavity solutions, hot runners, and automation.
• Tooling costs can even out or drop depending on how large-scale a given order is.

Design Considerations

When it comes to design considerations for high volume injection molding services, the most important one is to ensure your product is designed for manufacturability. This allows for a quick transition from design to production and minimizes changes, which can save on costs. But there are a few other notes to make related to design.

• Molds used in high-volume manufacturing are often made from hardened steel to promote longevity. There are also multi-cavity solutions that allow for the creation of multiple parts at the same time, increasing the speed of production without sacrificing quality. These molds must be designed and equipped to handle high pressures and fast cycles.
• Key design components such as gate sizing and location, venting, and cooling layout have to be carefully engineered to avoid systematic defects that could potentially harm and even ruin a large number of components.

Quality Management, Operational Stability, and Company Information

Finding a company that makes sense financially and from a value and capability standpoint matters. It can be difficult to find a company that ties in cost-effectiveness, quality, operational stability, and great customer service. But these points can help determine which manufacturer is right for you.

• Explore website pages and see what industries they serve, including yours or a competing industry. This shows part familiarity and knowledge of what’s required to make your order and components work.
• High-volume injection molding services require presses that feature industrial strength, high-speed injection units, varied clamping forces, and automation throughout the production cycle.
• Automation throughout the production cycle includes the ability to run 24/7 to ensure your order can be created in a timely manner.
• Quality metrics can include certifications, process control, program management, testing services, and more.

Contact Port Erie Plastics For Your High Volume Injection Molding Services

Port Erie Plastics is your full-service plastics manufacturer. We’re equipped for multiple plastic manufacturing capabilities, and provide expertise in injection molding.

Our company started back in 1953 with a single injection molding machine, and we’ve since grown into one of the industry-leading suppliers of injection-molded components.

High volume injection molding services are what we do. With multiple materials at our disposal, 90 different machines with various clamping forces and a maximum shot size of 470 oz, we have the means to produce the components you need.

Contact us today, and let’s take the first step toward your high volume injection molding needs.

Extrusion Applications: 5 Common Industries and Key Benefits

Plastic extrusion services are a cost-effective and reputable way to manufacture a high volume of products that will last. Extrusion applications are seen all throughout our daily lives, and many industries around the world rely on extruded parts to keep operations moving.

Port Erie Plastics dives deep into five industries that rely on extrusion applications while highlighting the overall benefits of this key manufacturing style.

Extrusion Applications in Construction

Construction companies across the globe rely on extruded parts for numerous projects, largely because they can be mass-produced at a cost-effective rate.

Key extruded products in the construction industry include window and door frames, facade elements, roofing and siding profiles, drainage systems, and conduit systems

Extruded products have a consistent cross-section profile while also having tight dimension control, making these types of products desirable in the construction industry

Automotive and General Transportation

Extruded applications in transportation are mostly seen in secondary components in vehicles such as roof rails, seat tracks, trims, seals, and under-the-hood conduit systems.

Extruded parts feature a high strength-to-weight ratio and can survive under varying pressures, making them a strong selection for the automotive industry

Electrical Needs

Extruded components are used in electrical systems, advanced electronics, and the tools used in working with electrical components.

Key products include: heat sinks, LED housings, electrical enclosures, cable trays, and insulated sheathing.

Plastic extruded parts add value in wire insulation, conduit, and protective channels, and provide design flexibility.

Extrusion Applications in Consumer Goods

Plastic components are common in the consumer market, so extrusion applications are certainly widespread here. For industries like packaging, extruded parts can make up film and sheets used in protective shipping.

In consumer goods, straws and tubes are some of the most common examples of extrusion applications. Because of plastic extrusions’ high repeatability and cost-effectiveness, consumer goods utilize extrusion services

Medical, Food, and Agriculture

The medical industry uses plastic extrusion services for a number of healthcare products, including tubing, catheters, and IV drip lines.

Food and agriculture industries rely on extrusion applications for varying needs, such as packaging. But the main advantage of extruded products is that they can be made with biocompatible and food-grade polymers, maintaining safety, compliance, and regulatory requirements.

Benefits of Extrusion Applications

All of these industries rely on plastic extrusion services for specific products, but the benefits are the same across the board.

• High-volume manufacturing
• Cost-effectiveness when broken down into cost per part
• Design freedom and custom capabilities
• Consistent quality
• Lightweight and durable

Learn More About Extrusion Applications With Port Erie Plastics

Port Erie Plastics is a premier plastic manufacturing company, and our capabilities expand year after year. Plastic extrusion services are one of the many manufacturing styles we perform every day.

With decades of experience as a production company and a highly skilled team, we know what it takes to bring high-quality projects to life. We utilize three different extrusion machines, each with its own capabilities, to create products our customers can rely on.

Contact us today to learn more about how we handle extrusion services.

How Low Pressure Structural Foam Molding Leads to Better Parts

There are numerous manufacturing methods for creating a high-quality, long-lasting plastic component. Each production process, including low pressure structural foam molding, has its own unique benefits and applications.

From impacting mechanical performance to lowering stress throughout the component, learn more about how low pressure structural foam molding leads to the creation of better plastic parts from Port Erie.

What Low Pressure Changes During the Process

In low pressure structural foam molding processes, the foam is what does most of the work, expanding to fill the mold as gas is blown into the mold and cavity.

Because of this, clamp tonnage and cavity pressures are greatly reduced compared to injection molding or even standard structural foam molding. Low mechanical loads commonly found with low pressure structural foam molding processes allow for the use of softer metals for the molds, such as aluminum.

Reduced mold wear saves on tooling costs and allows for repeatability, which in turn can make this process extremely cost-effective in the long run when creating a high volume of products.

How Low Pressure Changes Part Performance

Stiffness-to-weight ratio is improved. Components produced through low pressure structural foam molding can see a weight reduction of up to 20 percent, while the stiffness levels increase by around three to four times greater than normal. This makes for a light yet incredibly durable part.

With less pressure inside the cavity of the mold, there is less stress on the part, which leads to improved dimensional stability, less warping or distortion, and improved insulation in components used for housings, panels, or enclosures.

Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability

Low pressure structural foam molding is cost-effective because less material is needed. The process doesn’t require large amounts of heavy materials in order to create strong, lightweight products. Less material means lower-cost tooling, saving potentially thousands of dollars. Energy usage and clamp tonnage are also impacted, which saves both operating and overhead costs.

Scalability is achieved when multiple structural foam molding projects happen at the same time, as manufacturers can add in assemblies and reduce secondary fastening services.

Reductions in Defects and Surface Changes in Low Volume Pressure Structural Foam Molding

The process supports thick ribs and heavy cross-sections, so designers can use complex wall sections without fear of surface changes and defects like sink and voids that are more common in high pressure molding processes.

Additionally, reduced internal stress and a more uniform shrink lower the chances of cracking and long-term creep, even on larger components like trench walls. Reduction in defects relies on proper mold venting and cooling procedures.

Contact Port Erie Plastics for Your Low Pressure Structural Foam Molding Services

Port Erie Plastics has over 70 years of experience in the plastic manufacturing space, and that includes low pressure structural foam molding services.

With decades of experience as a production company and a highly skilled team, we know what it takes to bring high-quality projects to life. Low volume structural foam molding capabilities at Port Erie are highlighted by the ability to create parts up to 7.5 feet in length and shot sizes up to 150 lbs.

Contact us today to learn more about our structural foam molding services.