Plastic Profile Extrusion Advantages: Is It Right for Your Application?

Plastic profile extrusion advantages make it one of the most popular manufacturing processes. From being energy efficient and cost-effective to providing you with products that are durable and functional, this process is great for a wide range of industries. Let’s explore some of the biggest plastic profile extrusion advantages.

Plastic Profile Extrusion Advantages

Low-Cost

Plastic raw materials are typically less expensive than metal, reducing your initial costs. Additionally, plastics are very easy to work with. They require less time and labor for production and these products can be created with tooling made of less expensive materials, ultimately lowering your production costs.

Energy-Efficient

The plastic granules used in the plastic profile extrusion process are melted and hardened in order to create products. Any excess plastics in this process can be reused, reducing the amount of waste produced during the process. Plus, since you can reuse excess materials, this also lowers the raw material costs and reduces the process’s environmental impact.

Versatile

There are a variety of different plastic extrusion processes that can be used to create plastic products that meet the needs of your application. These processes can yield products of various shapes and sizes, and products that have different hardnesses or properties.

Easy to Fabricate

Plastics are extremely easy to fabricate and machine. Not only is the plastic extrusion process efficient and easy, but the finished parts are also easy to cut, drill, and shape, allowing for easy fabrication and installation.

When Should You Use Profile Extrusion?

When You Need a Durable, Versatile Product

The plastic profile extrusion process is a popular manufacturing process for many industries. Since certain plastics carry many properties, such as UV resistance, temperature resistance, water resistance, and more, profile extrusion is used in industries that have demanding environments. Also, these extrusion processes allow for the creation of products with different properties to meet your needs.

Some of the industries that utilize plastic profile extrusion due to their durability and versatility include:

• Construction: Plastic extrusion is used to create tubings, fittings, and parts for doors and windows that can withstand constant use and exposure to the elements.
• Renewable Energy: Parts for solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal systems are created through plastic profile extrusion so they can withstand exposure to rain, sun, snow, and more.
• Lawn and Garden: With their outdoor applications and exposure to chemicals and the elements, lawn edging, garden hoses, and more need to be durable enough to withstand these conditions.

When You Need a Product with Multiple Properties

Co-extrusion and tri-extrusion are used to create products that have different hardnesses or flexibility and different processes. The co-extrusion process is when two different materials are being extruded through the same die, merging them into a single part or product. Co-extrusion creates products with flexible and rigid sections, outer layers that are resistant to chemicals or UV, and more. Tri-extrusion is the process where three compatible polymers are extruded together, allowing for products with different colors and finishes, and rigid and flexible parts.

When You Need a Lightweight Product That Can Do the Job of a Metal Product

Profile extruded products are lighter weight than their metal counterparts and they are nearly as durable. This allows you to choose to replace your metal parts or products with plastics. Plus, when you choose plastic, you can select the exact polymer used based on the properties you desire in your products.

Experience the Custom Profile Extrusion Advantages with Custom Profile

At Custom Profile, our team has been performing plastic extrusion for over 30 years. In this time, we have honed our various extrusion processes, including co-extrusion, tri-extrusion, dual durometer co-extrusion, crosshead extrusion, and tubing extrusion. We can also create your tooling and extrusion dies and make sure your products are exactly as you imagine with our finishing services.

Contact our team to get started today.