Shaping and processing of plastic materials
Plastics shaping is a particular type of finishing that involves the use of high-speed, high-pressure milling equipment to transform materials such as plastics into the desired shape. It’s therefore a high-precision mechanical operation that allows the raw material to be deformed, cut and shaped to obtain finished products and can be performed for various purposes and uses, to prepare semi-finished pieces or plastic materials for the subsequent processing stages.
Plastic materials have the advantage of being extremely resistant, light and very resistant to shocks, for this reason today they are used in the most varied sectors: from that of vehicles, to that of basic necessities, to that of household appliances up to that of furniture and crafts. Plastic has become a widely used material, practically indispensable in daily life. Milling is suitable for all types of plastic materials, both thermosetting resins, such as PTFE, and thermoplastic resins, such as PVC, PET and PEEK.
How to best carry out the shaping of plastic materials?
The finishing of the plastic materials, in the case of the shaping of the profiles, is carried out using high-speed cutting tools; on the other hand, to make over/under radii in a single pass, double milling units are used with copying rollers capable of following the pieces along their entire length. For the finish to be optimal, there must be an automatic feeder.
Furthermore, by heating the plastic materials, they will tend to change their colour: therefore, to prevent the cutting tools from overheating the plastic, it’s necessary to work at low speeds and to have the shaper units, the belt units and the wheel units follow to restore the original color.
Which Volpato machines are suitable for milling plastic materials?
Volpato machines for processing plastic materials are designed and manufactured to obtain a finished product of the highest quality: in fact, they allow you to carry out a vast number of plastic shaping operations, from the simplest ones, such as top/bottom radiusing, to the most complex as the shaping of the profiles. The most suitable machines for this type of operation are those that work in line, such as the LS 1R 1N 1RF 1A machine, capable of carrying out highly precise finishing operations and suitable for both milling and smoothing and satin finishing operations, and the LBK150 ST1 sanding machine, a less complex but highly versatile machine, consisting of two processing stations that allow it to carry out up to 6 different processes. This sander offers numerous advantages, such as the possibility of manual work with the work table tilting up to 45°, the micrometric adjustment of the entry guide on the pad to determine the desired removal depth and the guarantee of performing quality finishes thanks to the mechanical tape swing.
Volpato machinery allows you to change the shape and size of the plastic material according to the customer’s personal needs: thanks to the experience and knowledge acquired in over 70 years of activity in the material finishing sector, Volpato is in fact able to offer and guarantee a very high quality and reliability of the machinery. In addition to the standard solutions, ideal for both small and medium-large craft businesses, the company also specializes in the design and manufacture of customized finishing machinery, which can be customized according to the type of production and the specific needs of every customer.
If you need further information on the shaping of plastic materials or on the proposed milling machinery, you can contact our team of experts by filling out the form in the contact section. We will reply as soon as possible!