The Dezeen guide to plastic in architecture, design and interiors

Table Of Content

• Dezeen In Depth explores the prospect of a plastic-free future
• Gareth Neal and the New Raw develop 3D printing style based on crafts
• Life Sciences
• Large Formats High Volumes
• Enforce compliance at each step of the product lifecycle
• "We need to design for human behaviour if we're ever to get rid of single-use plastics"

In contrast, low-volume manufacturing processes have low start-up costs, but due to slower cycle times, lower automation and manual labor costs per part remain constant or decrease only marginally when volume increases. I have over 10 years of experience as Automotive Designer / Mechanical Engineer. Holding two master's degrees in automotive and industrial design, my expertise reach from sheet metal parts through classic steel and all-metal components including weldments to design of plastic parts and composites.

Dezeen In Depth explores the prospect of a plastic-free future

Global plastic profiles: Here is how CSE grouped countries on product design and performance - Down To Earth Magazine

Global plastic profiles: Here is how CSE grouped countries on product design and performance.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:56:48 GMT [source]

When we observe the 54th Earth Day on April 22, the health and safety of the planet couldn’t be timelier, especially when it comes to dealing with the proliferation of plastic. Founded in 1948, Jet Plastics is one of the pioneers in the plastics industry. Emerging from the need for plastics in the developing aerospace industry after the Second World War, we have established a tradition of innovation and service. As we eagerly move forward, we are confident and determined to maintain our traditions and continue to build on our rich history. The sharing of the set up and operation on a combo run allows you to source your clamshells or blisters in the most economical manner.

Gareth Neal and the New Raw develop 3D printing style based on crafts

Parts with large radii are also more cost-effective and easier to manufacture, as well as having more strength. The increasing complexity of plastic injection moulded parts is another reason to choose a moulder who follows DFM principles. To meet the quality/cost requirements of customers, tolerance, draft angles, undercuts, and other factors must be considered during the design stage. There are many production, mold-making and assembly options that can affect costs. It’s important to choose carefully, to take full advantage of the specific properties of the plastic materials you’re utilizing to design manufacturing cost-efficiency in from the start.

Life Sciences

Snap-fit, press-fit, threaded assemblies – each has its best practices, advantages and limits. Choosing the right one is a matter of knowing materials and function, and designing an assembly process to match. Embracing design modification is not just a fact of life, it’s a potentially a huge advantage. Designing to plastic’s strengths opens opportunities for possible integration of functions, simplification, cost-efficiency and innovative design. API is experienced in molding all thermoplastics, specializing in engineering, high performance, and glass reinforced resins.

In house tooling design, CNC prototyping, plus both small and large thermoforming machines coupled with tool size flexibility, mean better economics for our customers. This combination allows us to meet your changing needs and add value to your organization. We stock various flocked materials used for imparting a high sheen or velvety surface texture.

INJECTION

Shrinkage is the contraction of a moulded part as it cools after injection. Depending on the resin (amorphous vs. crystalline materials) family, each material shrinks at a different rate. Depending on the direction of flow, the resin may also shrink differently. As a rule of thumb, a 10% change in mould temperature can result in a 5% change in original shrinkage. For mass production, we can choose any method of manufacturing, depending on the above factors. But to make them reproducible and increase repeatability, we need to optimize the design according to the manufacturing process chosen for Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA).

Plastics and the circular economy – deep dive - ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

Plastics and the circular economy – deep dive.

Posted: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:59:20 GMT [source]

To choose the right materials, it’s imperative to know different material options inside and out, from properties to performance testing. Sent every Thursday and featuring a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, much like polystyrene, is a hard thermoplastic derived from a clear, liquid petrochemical called styrene. In ABS, this is combined with butadiene rubber to create a stronger, more durable material that can withstand compression better than concrete and has been injection moulded to form billions of hardwearing Lego bricks since 1963. The composite material is lighter and stronger than steel while being cheaper and more flexible than carbon fibre. As a result, fibreglass is used to create products where performance is key, including skis as well as the rotor blades of helicopters and wind turbines.

Plastics Engineering Major

I can concept-design your products, provide 3D modeling and 2D drafting as well as dimensions and production technology consultations. Add your questions or comments on plastic part design in the comment box. To manufacture a new plastic product design, one shall have knowledge of industrial design, material selection, manufacturing, and product management, once its life cycle is over. Plastics offer many advantages for product designers, including limitless aesthetic freedom, parts consolidation, and functionality. Highly creative plastic designs are achieved by integrating form and function.

"We need to design for human behaviour if we're ever to get rid of single-use plastics"

Once discarded, designers have been able to repurpose this packaging into sculptural chairs and beckoning cats, as well as melting it to create moulds. In architecture, it can be used for insulation or more experimental applications as in ADX's Soil House (above), which features walls of loose soil fixed in place with a foam spray. Derived from chlorine and ethylene, PVC makes up about 20 per cent of all plastic produced. Due to its strength and durability, the material is commonly used to create pipes, gutters and window frames, which designers have variously recycled into flower vases and cladding (above). "Part of why plastics are so cheap is that they are a co-product of fossil fuels," explained designer Charlotte McCurdy, who has created a bioplastic made from algae. The creation of mold from scratch is recommended for projects with at least $100,000 in estimated sales, since the manufacturing of the same mold may not be able to cover the costs of the project.

If you're an entrepreneur looking to get professional renderings done for marketing purposes, you need a printed prototype to test, or you need to take a prototype to full-scale production, I have experience with each. I'm flexible on my rate depending on the job and typically spend more time than I bill to make sure my clients are 100% satisfied. Mechanical Engineer with 2+ years of experience designing and developing products from customer specifications. Works closely with manufacturing to support the integration of materials, methods, and tools necessary to build specified designs. Skilled in Product Design and Development, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, ANSYS, Autodesk Fusion 360, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), and Programming Language (Python). Higher the value of the draft angle, easy the removal of the part from the injection mold.

By incorporating materials’ color patterns that vary by collection site and season, the design suggests wider decorative applications beyond its primary function. Additionally, the piece is designed with a simple structure for easy disposal and uses VOC-free, water-based acrylic resin as a binding agent, ensuring environmental consciousness throughout the production process. With the latest in automated fabrication equipment and expert computer aided design capability, Plastic Design, Inc. can supply any quantity, from the one-off prototype to full production runs. Plastics engineers can help you to design, create, and manufacture your next plastic product while focusing on cost-efficient process planning. Engineers can also research which types of plastics work best in different situations, or even develop new kinds of plastics and methods according to your project needs.

One idea that came from someone who has been seeing all these tiny pieces of trash left on the Makuhari Beach in Chiba City is to create a game out of them. Debris is a tower-stacking game similar to Jenga and Uno Stacko but is made from the marine plastic collected from the area. The tiles have different color patterns based on the season and the collection site where these microplastics came from. It uses VOC-free (no volatile organic compounds) and water-based acrylic resin as a binding agent. A diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.

Afterward, when the thick section starts to cool, the injection-molded part shrinks, and built-up stresses near thin and thick section boundary areas. This will decrease assembly costs, reduce work-in-process, and simplify automation. Consider the features that are suitable for your application and compare them to the options accessible in a given production process. The geometry of a design may limit manufacturing options, or it may require significant design for manufacturing (DFM) optimization to make it cost-effective to produce. Holes can be added to a part for functionality or to reduce overall part weight (coring). Core pins are typically used to form a hole, preventing the molten plastic from filling in that space.

This refining process yields not just fuels such as gasoline and kerosene but also chemical byproducts such as ethylene and propylene, which are the most important feedstocks used to create plastics. If the project is planned in less than ten weeks, it will not be possible to produce everything from scratch. The most viable thing would be to look for pieces, designs, or molds that are already in circulation in the market, and that can work for the part. If you have more than ten weeks to produce it, you can develop it from scratch. Validating all the pieces will reduce future part repetition costs since error margin is more defined and controlled.

Thickness transitions that are rounded or tapered reduce molded-in stresses and stress concentrations caused by sudden changes in thickness. Incorporating the right wall thickness for your part can have a significant impact on the cost and speed of production. The least wall thickness that can be used is determined by the part's size and geometry, structural requirements, and resin flow behavior. Injection moulded parts typically have wall thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 4mm (0.080" to 0.160").