The Co-Extrusion Process for Plastics

In its very basic form, the extrusion process involves melting plastic granules, pulver or pellets, pushing them through a die to create a shape. This shape is then cooled and set to the correct dimensions and then cut to the right length.  

Co-Extrusion requires multiple extrusion machines forcing two or more different materials through the same die, creating a single piece of layered or encapsulated part. The resulting part can yield properties distinct from that of a part produced using a single plastic, due to the combined materials. 

Sometimes, five or more materials will be used in a single cycle, but each individual plastic will retain its original properties while being combined into a single part. 
Continue reading →

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Extrusion. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

The Plastics Extrusion World Expo 2019

Taking place at the Huntington Convention Centre in Cleveland, USA, 8-9th May 2019, the Plastics Extrusion World Expo is a free-to-attend tradeshow where exhibitors and visitors alike can come together to celebrate the innovation, insight and education found within the plastics industry.

Running alongside the Compounding World Expo and the Plastics Recycling World Expo, the Plastics Extrusion World Expo will build on their shows from the past to provide a bigger and better networking event for industry colleagues and enthusiasts.

The event is shaping up to be one of the biggest plastics industry gathering in the USA, building on from the success of AMI’s previous shows around Europe.
Continue reading →

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Events. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Plastic Innovation: The New Hybrid Thermoplastic

Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corporation unveiled the results of a recently completed test demonstrating the bond strength of over-moulded thermoplastic composite hybrid parts.

Validating the performance of hybrid composites, the bond between the unidirectional thermoplastic composite and the injection-moulded thermoplastic was shown to be twice as strong as industry standard adhesive and 85% the strength of the base laminate.

This multilayer material is structurally stronger and simpler to process whilst using less energy to do so.
Continue reading →

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Innovations. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

What is Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic. This means that this type of plastic will respond to heat, so it can be moulded or extruded when heat is applied.

When ABS and other thermoplastics are heated they melt, allowing them to be extruded. This means that they are reusable and can be recycled.

How is it made?

ABS is commonly created through the process of emulsion. This process entails mixing materials which don’t typically combine, forming one product.

As we mentioned before, ABS can be reused and recycled, so a lot of ABS products are made from recycled material, or have a percentage of recycled material in them.
Continue reading →

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in ABS Plastic. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Could recycled plastics supply three-quarters of UK demand?

As a whole, the UK consumes over 3.3 million tonnes of plastic products every year, and for many industries plastic is a necessity. So, the prospect of three-quarters of this being replaced with recycled plastics is an appealing thought for many of us.

Currently, the UK is only recycling 9% of the total amount of plastic we use; the rest is exported to be recycled abroad.

Recently a report from Green Alliance stated putting taxes onto products made from ‘virgin’ plastics could encourage an additional 2 million tonnes of plastics to be recycled in the UK, and used within our industries.
Continue reading →

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic and the environment. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

High Impact Polystyrene – What You Need to Know

High Impact Polystyrene is one of the many materials we can use in the plastic extrusion process, but what actually is this material and why is it useful?

What is it?

HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) is a type of thermoplastic; this means that is it mouldable when heated and solidifies when it cools.

Most people are familiar with general polystyrene, the difference between this and HIPS is that HIPS has been modified with rubber to make it more impact resistant.

The popularity of this material is down to its versatility, high impact strength and rigidity.
Continue reading →

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in High Impact Polystyrene. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Get to Know Rayda Plastics

This blog is something a little different from our usual posts, but we thought it was time to let you in on our family-run firm so that you can learn a little bit more about Rayda Plastics.

Our Premises

Rayda Plastics was founded in 1976 by Ray Vincent and has been continually growing ever since. Our first home was a 2,500 sq ft unit, from which we supplied the local Devon area with our products, mainly used in the agriculture and fishing industry.
Continue reading →

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Company Information. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Plastic Innovation: Tesco’s Big Step for Recycling

There are plastic innovations left, right and centre, but this one has caught a lot of people’s eye. Maybe because Tesco is such a large, influential company and this step is the first of its kind for Supermarkets.

What Did Tesco Do?

A Tesco Extra store in Scotland has recently used a slightly different approach to resurfacing their car park: in the form of recycled plastics.
Continue reading →

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Innovations. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

TPV: Is It Rubber or Plastic?

TPV is the new material which has bridged the gap between plastics and rubber. Increasingly designers are turning to TPV as their material of choice, but why is this hybrid becoming so popular?

What is TPV?

TPV, also known by its full name of Thermoplastic Vulcanisate, is a form of rubber which has been vulcanised during the compounding process. This means that the polymers are converted into more durable materials through the introduction of crosslinks.
Continue reading →

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Innovations. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

What You Need to Know About Prime Polymers Containing Recycled Content

A prime polymer is the natural source of the polymer; this means it will be the pure form of the polymer. Whereas when a prime polymer contains recycled content, it is using polymers that have been previously used.

Historically, recycled content meant the polymer would be traded at a lower value compared to the same prime pure polymers. This decrease in value is associated with a few key points:
Continue reading →

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Properties. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment