Vinyl dip moulding production
The production process starts when the design phase and the first prototype product have been successfully completed. Below, we explain how the production process of vinyl dip-coating and dip-moulding goes.
Vinyl dip moulding
In vinyl dip moulding, the liquid PVC goes into large heated containers. Aluminium moulds are preheated and then immersed in the liquid mass. The PVC then adheres to the dip mould and leaves a thin layer on the mould. The heat of the mould combined with the dipping time determines the thickness of the plastisol. The mould is then reheated where the plastisol melts and then cures. After this, the formed vinyl can be removed from the mould. This is done using compressed air. As the vinyl caps and plugs are elastic, even complex shapes can be easily removed from the dipping moulds.
Vinyl dip coating
The difference with dip moulding is that with vinyl dip coating, the supplied product is dipped whole in the plastisol, which is then cured by heat. Dip coating is mainly used to protect materials such as wire grids and racks, but also handles of tools, for example.
Costs of dip moulding products
In practice, the cost for initial production usually turns out to be significantly lower than the cost of designing a prototype. This is because when the prototype is made, the settings of the dip moulding process are specified such as the dipping speed, dipping time and temperature of the furnaces. Production costs then depend only on the material (use) and the hourly rate of the machine. When ordering large numbers of products, the ideal ratio between the number of moulds and the number of times they need to be dipped is of course examined in order to produce as efficiently as possible.
Advantages dip moulding process
With vinyl dip moulding and vinyl dip coating, you do not have to deal with seams or unevenness. Also, dip moulding is a very precise process because the plastisol follows the details of the mould exactly. In addition, the possibilities are endless when it comes to colours, textures and thicknesses. The finish of vinyl products can range from glossy to matte. It is amazing what shapes can all be made by vinyl dipping.
