TPE features the flexibility of rubber and thermoplastic property of plastic, and can be used intensively in various industries through different processing methods. The processing and molding methods of different products vary greatly. Shown below are five major processing methods of TPE for your reference.
Injection molding
This is a process to mold the material through an injection molding machine. It can be divided into single-color injection and dual-color (multicolor) injection. Single-color injection involves using one material to mold, and its specific injection temperature varies greatly depending on the material characteristics. Dual-color (multi-color) injection can be divided into two types: (1) double-shot injection (after a single-shot injection, the substrate must be removed from the mold and put into another set of molds to perform double-shot injection, in which commonly used are TPE and TPR materials); and (2) dual-color (multicolor) injection where it is not necessary to remove the substrate from the mold but turn the mold to allow another injection nozzle to inject the material.
Extrusion molding
This is a screw injection molding process of shaping a required strip product by forcing the material to flow through an appropriate shaped opening (die). Commonly seen are TPE and TPR extruded products such as furniture seals, edge seals, car window seals, door seals, glass cans seals, etc.
Blow molding
The melting strength of TPE is very important in this molding method, but generally, it has a disadvantage of low melting strength. While extruding the material into the bottle, the molten TPE embryo tends to break or the inner wall of embryo tends to stick together to prevent subsequent blow molding. Ho Hsiang Ching Co., Ltd., has developed TPE with a high melting strength to offer more raw material options for the blow molding manufacturers to upgrade their technological level.
Calendaring molding
This is to perform TPE and TPR molding through the usual PVC calendaring process. As there is a large difference in the rheological property (the influence of temperature and pressure changes on material flowability) of TPE and TPR from that of PVC, such processing technique is still considered immature.
Lamination method
This processing method is confined to special composite TPE, such as in the production of composite films, box linings, etc.