Plastic has slowly become one of the most used materials in almost every industry. If anything, plastics receive more patents in the UK each year than glass, material, and paper combined. It has gained higher importance in a wide range of sectors. Though this shouldn’t come as any surprise.
It provides a wide range of benefits from being extremely affordable to being durable. Often it is considered a much better alternative to other materials such as metal. This might be because how it doesn’t rust and can be recycled easily.
Choosing which plastics to use in your industry is not an easy task and requires proper research. The kind of plastic used by an auto lamp manufacturer would not be the same kind of plastic that is being used by China wholesale jewelry suppliers. When selecting plastics, it is important to consider the end-use. Not only this but as well as the moldability and performance of the product during the injection molding process. This is important as it can guide you through some of your key concerns and considerations. Some of them are:
- The Type of Plastic: is it amorphous? Or perhaps semi- crystalline?
- The Characteristics: This includes all the physical aspects of plastic. It can include size, shape, and thickness.
- The Strength and Flexibility: It is important to know how the plastic will react under different situations before making it interact with any chemical or environmental factors.
Some of the industrial sectors where plastic has started to dominate as a material are:
Furniture
Surprisingly enough, many prefer plastic furniture to others and consider it a basic requirement. This probably has to do with the fact that they are more cost-effective and don’t need any maintenance. They are also a more eco-friendly choice since you will be reducing the number of trees being cut down by investing in plastic furniture rather than wood furniture.
Plastics are also relatively lightweight and so it is easier to carry them around. It would be much easier to move an OEM plastic chair around the house rather than a wooden or metallic one.
Containers
Since plastic is durable and long-lasting, it only makes sense that it is the most preferred material for containers. The most common being polyethylene packaging and containers that are often used for the transportation of packaged products such as liquids etc. due to it being a lightweight material, it makes the transportation itself much easier too.
Construction
The most common type of plastic often used in construction is PVC. Due to its great versatility as well as excellent strength-to-weight ratio, it has become the go-to material for construction. Not only this but it has high insulating power and is considered a very resistant material. No matter where you go, whether it be a mall or a house, it is almost sure there have been PVC used in certain parts of the building. It is considered an economically cost-effective choice.
Medical devices
Plastic has been an absolute game-changer for the healthcare industry. Especially for one-time use medical devices since it is the most affordable material for equipment that is discarded multiple times a day. Its flexible nature allows the healthcare industry to develop safer medical equipment. At the same time, it allows them to create precise and intricate equipment which is necessary for medicine.
Most doctors and medical staff prefer plastic medical equipment over others since they are easier to carry and use. Unlike metal medical equipment, they can last very long without rusting. The long life span and sterility that comes with using plastic for medical devices make it the most popular material in use.
Electronics
Because of its high insulating capacity, plastic is often used as a protector from external agents. Electricity has always been essential to our way of living. However, that does not make it any less lethal. This is why plastics, such as PVC, are largely used to insulate electric wiring. It is also used for handles, switches, hairdryers, or electric razors. By using plastic in such products, it decreases the risk of the consumer having to suffer from an electric shock.
Conclusion
With every passing day, the usage of plastic in various industrial sectors has increased. Most of our daily life products are made from plastic. We are surrounded by multiple types of plastic at every moment and we do not even realize it.
The word “plastic” itself comes from the Greek word “plastikos”. Plastikos means “to grow” or “to form”. Just like its original meaning, plastic as a material has started to grow all around us. No wonder many consider plastic as the future. We are excited to see how plastic is utilized in the near future and beyond.
