Again, Bedford Technology is proud to offer three very uniquely distinct plastic board manufacturing techniques: Molded (Hard Tool), Continuous Extrusion (CE) and Multi Stage Extrusion (Multi-X). Our next process explored in this series of blog postings, is what Bedford Technology refers to as Hard Tool (HT) plastic lumber manufacturing, which is used to produce 100% recycled plastic boards in our SelectForce, FiberForce and BarForce product lines.
The Hard Tool (or molded) process is similar to injection molding. The molten plastic material with additives (UV stabilizers, colorant, strengtheners, etc.) is forced, under pressure, through channel runners and gates into a finite mold. The molten HDPE recycled plastic is pressure packed to the net shape of the mold and allowed to cool until it is solid. Larger molds take hours to cool, so the molds are disconnected and rotated around to the extruder between the fill, cool, and part removal steps. The output typically is a single or multi cavity linear shaped plastic lumber part run in a horizontal line set-up. (See image for diagram) It can also can be a large custom molded shape (i.e. the leg of an outdoor park bench, cribbing block, etc).
Some of the many advantages to producing 100% recycled plastic lumber (SelectForce, FiberForce and BarForce) in a Hard Tool plastic extrusion process include:
- wide variety of HDPE recycled plastic material may be used and will typically produce higher product strengths than other plastic extrusion processes
- the Hard Tool plastic extrusion process is economical at low order quantities – down to one as long as the desired color is being run
- consistent surface quality with a medium rough texture
- machinability and color consistency throughout plastic lumber profile
- capability to make medium and large plastic extrusion lumber profile sizes
- structural plastic lumber product capabilities (FiberForce and BarForce) with the addition of glass fiber and full length fiberglass rebar
Hard Tool extruded recycled HDPE plastic lumber is a great alternative to aluminum extrusion, wood profiles, lumber profiles, composite lumber and other plastic extrusion products, where long lasting outdoor durability and low maintenance color consistency is desired.
Bedford Technology’s plastic lumber serves as a replacement to traditional parts made from injection molding, rotational molding, vacuum forming, aluminum extrusion, flow molding, lumber profiles and wood profiles. Bedford Technology can also design a custom plastic lumber product to suit your specific application, so contact us today at (800) 721-9037 and talk with one of our knowledgeable sales representatives. Visit us online at www.plasticboards.com, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bedfordtechnology or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/plasticboards.
