All About The Structural Web Method

There are many methods that are used to manufacture plastics. Structural web method is one of them. It is
also known as the gas assist method as it makes use of nitrogen gas in the moulding process. It requires low
pressure conditions to curve out thick wall cross sections that are used for other various purposes. The
surfaces produced are always smooth and consistent as they do not have any sink marks, thus of high quality.
The process begins with a mold cavity into which plastic resin is injected. The next thing that must be
introduced into the cavity is nitrogen gas. It is important that this is done in low pressure as this reduces the
amount of energy that is used in the process. Also, this pressure helps the gas to push the molten plastic out
into the cavity walls, by acting on the less resistant parts. This ends up creating hollow products.
This process is highly contrasted to the structural foam method which makes use of a chemical drying agent.
This agent is mixed together with the polymer that has previously been melted. They have to be mixed in low
volumes and pressure so that expansion can occur efficiently. After all this has occurred, you will end up with
a component that is very strong, and whose surface does not have any sink marks.
One of the many advantages of using the structural web method is the quality of all the surfaces of the
components that are produced. They usually have a glossy appearance thus are mostly used by clients who
value the overall outlook of the product. Also, the procedure leaves no marks on the surface thus bring out a
smooth texture. It can also be designed to your specifications in terms of colour and texture, thus is great for
customizing.
The material costs that are required for this method are not as much, as the amount of material that is needed
is also less. This is why the resultant weight of all the products is less than that of the alternatives. This does
not, however, reduce the strength of the product, as it can very well perform many functions.
This method also produces parts from many different kinds of resins. It may not be confined to a specific type
as it is flexible enough to accommodate all kinds of plastics, from the normal and common ones like
polyethylene, to those that are engineered. This makes the process have an edge over the normal injection
molding, as it cannot handle some of the resins or additives.
The gas assist method may be a fairly new method in the industry thus may involve quite a lot of costs when
initializing it. This, however, translates into profits at the end because the products are very beneficial. Also,
the time cycles used are shorter than the others, thus it takes less time to come up with the products.
Before resorting to the structural web, it is important to make sure that you critically look at all the pros and
cons. The determining factor should be the end product and also the cost and time constraints. However, at
the end of the day, what the client wants is what matters.

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