FAQ
Q. What plastic thickness can be moulded using rotational moulding? A. Large capacity tanks have been moulded up to 25mm wall thickness, but for most applications a wall thickness of 4-6mm is considered normal. Q. What colours can I have my rotationally moulded product made? A. We have a standard range of colours suitable for most applications available from our suppliers. Should a specific colour be required we can have this formulated, however there are minimum batch sizes required. Please enquire with us should you require a special match. Q. What types of plastics can be rotationally moulded? More than 80% of the materials used for rotational moulding are from the polyethylene family. Other materials include polypropylene and Nylon however these can are typically much more expensive than the polyethylene grades. Q. How much do moulds cost? A. The costs of moulds vary depending on the size and complexity of the final component. Generally moulds for rotational moulding are much less than blow moulding and injection moulding. Q. How many products can I make off one mould? A. The life expectancy of mould depends on the quality of the mould, welds and the gauge of the metal used. We have produced many thousands of products from some of our moulds without the need for rebuilding of refurbishment. Q. What are the minimum and maximum sizes of a mould? A. We have numerous machines with the capability to produce parts from a little as 0.5L capacity up to approximately 5200L capacity. Q. What are the maximum temperatures that a rotationally moulded product can withstand? A. This depends on the type of material used to produce the part from and also depends on other factors such as the amount of time it is exposed to heat, and any pressure the part may be subjected to. As a guide however, polyethylene is suitable to approximately 60°C and approximately 100°C for polypropylene. Q. How long will my rotationally moulded product last? A. This can vary and is dependent on the application it is being used in, however due to the resilience and strength of rotationally moulded products some could last over 40 years. Q. Can my product be recycled? A. The polyethylene material used for producing rotationally moulded parts can be recycled and used for making into other moulded items. Q. How do I go about making a design for a new product? A. We have over 35 years’ experience producing rotationally moulded products. We are happy to work with you from the initial concept through to the final design. We can manage the whole process of product drawings, mould manufacture, trialling and final production. Talk to us today about your requirements. Q. Can I have flat surfaces on my product? A. It is difficult to produce large flat surfaces on rotationally moulded parts. Distortion during the cooling process and shrinkage are common and difficult to eliminate. These effects can be reduced with the use of jigs, but it is advisable to avoid large flat areas during the design process. This can be achieved with the use of ribs to reduce the size of the flat area. We can assist with recommendations during the design process.