The process of blow molding has become very common for manufacturing, and almost every industry uses blow molding for individual components, containers, or shipping. It’s easy to say every industry, but what specific blow molding products are out there? Have you seen them or used them? Let’s take a look at a few of the industries and note which products and parts they use every day.
- Automotive industry – Many of the parts storing fluids use blow molding. Cooling system overflow containers, windshield washer fluid bottles, and even fuel tanks are commonly made with blow molding.
- Appliance components – Your major appliances at home include reservoirs that contain fluids and help to wash your clothes and dishes. These are commonly made via blow molding.
- Medical supplies and parts – If you’ve been to a health clinic, your dentist, or to visit your family doctor you can quickly start counting how many hollow containers are used. Spray bottles, water bottles, and storage containers line the cabinets. All of those are quickly made with blow molding.
- Children’s toys – If you have a small child, you could quickly count how many hollow lightweight toys they have. Blocks and squeeze toys are common uses for blow molding.
- Lawn and garden items – You could almost put lawn and garden into the automotive and bulk container categories as it uses bottles for liquid products and uses blow molding for mowers and power equipment for fuel tanks, oil storage and distribution.
- Marine – Products that go in the water need to be buoyant, and blow molding makes hollow products with ease. Reservoirs, buoys, and other items are commonly made with blow molding.
- Packaging – Customized packaging with Polystyrene keep products safe, and blow molding makes hard to create shapes with ease.
- Sporting Goods – A common blow molded product in sporting goods is a plastic bat, a plastic ball, or another hollow piece of equipment.
- Industrial bulk containers – Think of larger fluid containers like barrels to transport and store water, oil, or anything else liquid. Those are made with blow molding.
Should Your Next Product Incorporate Blow Molding?
Blow molding has three different types: Extrusion blow molding, Injection blow molding, and Injection stretch blow molding. Extrusion Blow Molding (EBM) is commonly used to make bottles, industrial containers, automotive products, appliance components, and children’ toys. Injection Blow Molding (IBM) is normally used to make smaller bottles (usually smaller than 16oz / 500ml in volume) with high production volumes. The best examples are pharmaceutical industry bottles, medical industry parts, and cosmetic or other consumer product packages. Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM) common uses Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene (PP) because their physical properties are enhanced by the stretching operation to improved strength and barrier properties with lighter weights and better wall thickness consistency. One of these options may suit your new product perfectly depending on its function, design, and the climate it will be used in.
What Are the Best Polymers for Products?
Blow molding has three main types, but the list of resins that can be used for blow molding is quite extensive. Low density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polycarbonate (PC), Polystyrene (PS), Co-polyester, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Nylon, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) are the main resins utilized with blow molding. Each resin will be suited best for one of the three main types, such as PET and PP being used in Injection Stretch Blow Molding.
Blow molding offers advantages compared to other injection molding processes that you may be researching for your new product. Many industries use one of the three blow molding types to create common every day products, while others use the process to create unique low volume products. Determining if one of the three types of blow molding will be your best choice, and which resin would best suit your new product takes an expert level of design and manufacturing. SEA-LECT Plastics can aid with resin selection, turn-key assembly options, and program management to see the complete development cycle through with success. Give us a call at (425) 339-0288 or email us at mattp@sealectplastics.mystagingwebsite.com. We can offer you advice on the best technology to use, the best materials to meet your product demands, and how to navigate through each development stage. At SEA-LECT Plastics, we specialize in military product applications, outdoor adventure gear, musical instruments, supporting the medical and consumer product industries. Our goal is to make your project efficient and cost-effective to manufacture, assemble, and ship no matter how complicated your concept is.
Matthias Poischbeg was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany. Matt moved to Everett, Wash., after finishing his bachelor’s degree in business in 1995 to work for Sea-Dog Corporation, a manufacturer, and distributor of marine and rigging hardware established in 1923.
In 1999, Matt took over the reins at Sea-Lect Plastics Corporation, a sister company of Sea-Dog and a manufacturer of plastic injection molded products with an in-house tool & die shop. Matthias Poischbeg is also a contributor to Grit Daily.