2021/04/13 10:58:21
How Furniture Manufacturers Produce Plastic Furniture
Plastic is a highly versatile furniture material. It is conveniently lightweight, easily recyclable, and applicable in various industries. However, producing plastic furniture requires unique processes and equipment that demand high accuracy and specialized skills.
Finding the right material supplier and processing equipment is significant in plastic furniture manufacturing as they both determine the quality of furniture. This is why industry events like the China International Furniture Fair that bring together thousands of plastic furniture manufacturers and material suppliers are so beneficial. They give buyers and manufacturers a chance to learn, shop, and find certified suppliers.
That said, here is how plastic furniture is made.
Production Processes
Lots of effort goes into plastic furniture manufacturing and each step builds into the next. They occur in the following order.
Material Purchasing and Management
There are 2 main types of materials that are used in plastic furniture production; thermoplastic and thermoset materials. They are both forms of plastic but are differentiated by their characteristics.
- Thermoplastic materials- they are usually processed and supplied in the form of pellets. They are then melted into molten to allow for molding. When subjected to heat, thermoplastic materials do not form bonds. Consequently, it is possible to melt them again and recycle them. Examples of thermoplastic materials include polypropylene, acrylic, polyethylene, and polycarbonate among others.
- Thermosetting plastics- this type of plastic material is supplied in sheets. They get their name from how they react to heat. When a thermosetting material is heated, exposed to UV light or radiation, its polymers form tight bonds. This means that if they are heated again in an attempt to recycle them, they burn and become degenerated as opposed to melting. They leave no room for error as they can not be or recycled or remolded. Examples of thermosetting materials include epoxy, vulcanized rubber, silicone, and polyester.
Furniture manufacturers usually consider the type of furniture they are making when choosing between plastic materials. Issues such as recyclability and cost may also influence material choice.
Molding
Molding is a process where plastic materials are made into the desired shapes of furniture. It can be done in several ways depending on the shape to be molded.
- Injection molding - this is the most commonly used type of molding for producing 3D injection molding furniture. It starts with designing a mold or tooling that is identical to the furniture part to be produced. Plastic material is then heated into a molten state and injected at high pressure into the mold and left to cool. As it cools, it solidifies and takes on the shape of the mold.
- Extrusion molding- in this method, molten plastic is injected into a die which gives it its linear shape. The extruded part is then cooled and later cut into equal pieces or left as is. It is a cheaper method as it does not require a mold to be developed and only handles simple designs that have a continuous profile.
- Blow molding- this type of molding is commonplace in manufacturing hollow furniture parts. It too begins with the plastic material being melted and formed into a tube-like structure. It is then conveyed to a mold where pressurized air is blown into it to form the hollow part. The pressure used is, however, much lower than in other molding methods to avoid cracking or deforming the parison.
Molding processes require accuracy and careful furniture design approaches as plastic can easily be deformed during any of the processes.
Forming
Forming is a different way to achieve similar results as those achieved by molding. There are two main forming methods.
- Thermoforming- in this method a plastic sheet is heated until it is pliable. It is then pushed into a mold to obtain its shape. This method is ideal for forming sunken or curved parts like seating area of plastic chairs or the tabular parts of baby high chairs or walkers
- Vacuum forming- in this case, a plastic sheet is placed over a mold attached to a vacuum system. The sheet is heated until soft and the vacuum is activated. The suction from the vacuum pulls the plastic sheet into the mold and sucks out all the air between them. As the sheet cools and solidifies, it takes the shape of the mold.
Casting
The casting process begins with the formation of a mold. Once formed, it is coated using a special liquid that prevents the cast part from adhering to the walls of the mold. At this point, the mold may be preheated. Meanwhile, a synthetic resin like silicone is mixed with a curing agent. It is then poured to fill the prepped mold. The cast is given time to cool until it is fully cured and solid. The part is ejected and trimmed if there are any excesses. This method is ideal for prototyping furniture parts and low-volume productions.
Foaming
Foam is generally associated with fine bubble-like holes. Plastic foaming is, therefore, a design approach used to make cellular plastic commonly used in sofas and mattresses as well as office furniture. It is achieved by injecting resin into a mold. The mold in this process is built with a foam inlet through which a foaming agent is introduced. This causes the resin to expand and with bubble-like holes. As it cools, the holes solidify and the resin takes the shape of the mold. Foaming can be used for high-volume productions and is mostly performed using thermosetting materials.
Conclusion
While there are many ways to produce plastic furniture, it is challenging to come up with ways to make it innovative and attractive. Further, plastic presents a host of manufacturing challenges. How do you achieve intricate designs without flaws? Is it possible to make production processes more cost-efficient? If you are looking to adopt eco-friendly practices, where should you begin?
The internet is an endless learning resource. However, it does not beat interactive sessions with industry experts and in-person analysis of plastic furniture exhibition displays. Every year, in March and September, the China International Furniture Fair sets camp in Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively. Both China furniture manufacturers and international plastic furniture brands grace these events. Yes, you will find recycled plastic furniture manufacturers there too. You would also have a chance to visit the variety-filled Foshan furniture market which is right next door to Guangzhou. You can find all the information you need here.
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2021/04/24 03:36