What method?

[kkutter]

Im needing to have a large plastic item made and not sure what methods are out there let alone the one I should use.....

The Item will be as big as a 50 gal drum (plastic trash can) it has alot of the same design as the trash can exept its square...but will have some detail and other parts attached to it....

It will need to be about a 1/4 inch thick and some internal support(gussets) so it wont get twisted so easily....it will also have a door and the finish will need to be a matte or textured ....Im needing the door to be without a metal hinge ...can it have its own plastic hinge and still be durable ?...

Any help would be great....Thanks !!!!

 

[patprimmer]

How many of these do you want.

If it is one off you will need to fabricate it out of sheet.

Plastic hinges can be durable if designed correctly for the load and environment

Regards

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[kkutter]

Well....After we get it made to our specs we will be wanting several hundred a year....It will be a four sided Item w/ a bottom....the top will be added later.....What is the best way to get them made when needing several hundred of them?

 

[patprimmer]

Either FRP or by a plastic sheet fabricator.

A plastic sheet fabricator buys the plastic in sheet form, then shapes it by cutting, heating and bending or pressing or drawing it and maybe by gluing or welding.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[kkutter]

What is FRP? B-)

 

[patprimmer]

Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic, commonly known as fibreglass.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[BillPSU]

Sounds like a thermoforming job or a roto-molded part. You need to answer a large list of questons to really get you a definitive answer.

Environment to be used temperature, sunlight, water, corrosives, electrical, humidity.

Strength required

Longevity

Does it need to be clear, translucent, or opaque.

Does it need dent resistance?

Cost requirement?

Size and method of fabrication are also issues.

Polypropylene is called the living hinge material which can be fabricated into a hinge which will flex a very high number of cycles. Polyethylene is the least expensive and most commonly used plastic. These are two of many thermoforming plastics while FRP, epoxies, and phenolics are examples of thermoset plastics.

Thermoforming is limited by the sheet size you can purchase and the ability to heat it. Roto-molding can be performed up to the size of the roto-molding machine. I have seen a 7000 gallon roto-molded tank.

 

[deper]

Kkutter-
BillPSU is correct. There are alot of factors to consider but with your initial description, Rotomolding came to mind.