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RotationalMoulding

Overview
Rotationalmoulding,alsoknownasrotomoulding,isaplasticsmouldingtechnology
whichisidealformakinghollowarticles.Itisacastingtechnicbutunlikemostother
plasticsprocessesthereisnopressureinvolved.Mouldsfortheprocessarerelatively
inexpensiveastheydonothavetowithstandpressureandthereforerelativelyshort
productionrunscanbemadeveryeconomically.

(http://www.matrixpolymers.com/)

Rotomouldingisusedtomakeaverydiverserangeofproducts.Theprocessoffersthe
productdesignerexceptionalfreedomasjustaboutanyshapecanbeproduced.There
isalmostnolimittothesizeofmouldingsandthereareliterallythousandsof
applications.

ClickHereToViewLargeAnimation(http://www.bpf.co.uk/data/content/images/1/1_rotational_moulding.swf)

TheProcess
Theconceptofrotationalmouldingisverysimple.Aplasticmaterial,normallyinpowderformisplacedintoa
hollowmould,usuallymadefromcastaluminiumorfabricatedfromsheetsteel.Themouldisclosedandrotated
slowlyontwoaxis.Themouldisthenheatedinanovenwhilstrotatingandthepolymergraduallymeltsandlays
upontheinsideofthemould.Oncethepolymerpowderhasfullymeltedthemouldismovedtoacoolingstation
andcooledusuallywithairandsometimesafinemistofwater.Asthemouldcoolsthepartsolidifies.Whenthe
materialhasfinallycooledsufficientlytoreleaseawayfromthemouldsurfacetheprocessisstoppedandthe
productistakenoutofthemould(demoulded).

Whilsttheconceptofrotationalmouldingisextremelysimpleanyonewhohaseverbeeninvolvedintheprocesswilltellyou
thatitisinfactextremelycomplicated.Itisacastingprocessandthereisnormallynopressureinvolvedwhichmeansthat
thematerialcannotbecontrolledinthesamewayashighpressureprocessessuchasinjectionmoulding.Therearemany
variablesthatcanaffectproductionandtheendproductsuchasambienttemperatureandhumidity,typeofmould,material
specificationandpowderquality.
TovisittheBPFRotationalMouldingpageClickHere(/Members/Rotational_Moulding_Group.aspx)

Materials
TodaytheindustryisheavilydependentonPolyethylene(PE)and97%ofrotomouldedproductsaremadefrom
thismaterial.Polyethyleneisaversatile,easilymouldableandreadilyavailablepolymerwhichhascometo
dominatetheprocess.Rotomouldingisacastingtechniqueinwhichpowderisnearlyalwaysusedratherthan
granules,meaningthematerialmustbeground.Polyethyleneisrelativelyeasytogrindatambienttemperatures.

Thedevelopmentofotherpolymershasbeenhinderedbythefactthattheprocessisrelativelylongandtherefore
aggressiveonpolymers,howeverthereissomeusageofPVC(usuallyinliquidplastisolform),Polypropyleneand
Polyamide(PA6,PA11&PA12).ManyofthesenonPolyethylenematerialsaredifficulttogrindandmostneedtobemade
intopowderusingcryogenicgrindingthatisfreezegrinding,whichisamorecostlyprocess.Thereisawelcome
increaseinR&Dtoexpandtherangeofmaterialsavailabletotheindustry.

Keyadvantages
Rotomouldinghasseveraluniquecharacteristicsandadvantagescomparedtoothermouldingprocesses.
Lowtoolingcosts.Asthisisacastingprocessthereisnopressure.Thismeansmouldsareinexpensiveandlow
volumecanbeeconomic.Ifyouhaveagreatideaforanewproductbutdontknowhowmanyyoullsellorsimplywant
alowvolumeproductionrun,rotomouldingslowinitialinvestmentmakesitparticularlyattractive.
Itseasytomakecomplicatedshapes.Rotomouldingreadilyaccommodatesproductioncomplexitiessuchasstiffening
ribs,mouldedinsertsanddifferentsurfacetextures.
Uniformwallthickness.Rotomouldingachievesconsistentwallthicknesswithcornerstendingtobethicker.This
increasesproductstrengthandintegrity.Otherprocessessuchasblowmouldingstretchthemoltenmaterialatcorners
orsharpedgescreatingpotentialthinspotsandweaknesses.
Rotationalmouldingmachinecostsarelowcomparedtootherprocessesandtheinvestmentrequiredissmall.Thereis
greatproductionflexibilitywiththeprocess.
Thereisalmostnolimittothesizeofproductsandseveraldifferentproductscanbemouldedatthesametime.

Products
Thisexceptionallyversatiletechnologycanproducearemarkablerangeofmouldings.Therearethousandsofproductsthat
arerotomouldedusedinamultitudeofsectors.Keyareasinclude:
Tanksforstoringwaterandchemicalsupto50,000litres
Materialhandlingproductssuchascontainers,crates,palletsandinsulatedfishandcoolerboxes.
Environmentalproductswhichincludelitterbins,roadcones,bollards,trafficdividersandroadsigns.
Floats,buoysandpontoons.
Automotiveproductssuchastruckmudguards,ducting,dieselfueltanks,toolboxesandtractordashboards.
Kayaks,canoesandboats
Productsfortheoutdoorssuchasgardenplanters,waterbuttsandfurniture.
Toysandplaygroundequipment.

Aswellasthesetraditionalareastherehasbeenabiggrowthindemandforinnovative,designleditemsincludinginterior
andexteriorobjetdart,lightingandhighenddecorativeproducts.

InconclusiononeoftheIndustrysmostrespectedpioneersProfessorRoyCrawfordsumsuptherotationalmoulding
processinthefollowingwords:
Therecanbenodoubtthattherotomouldingindustryhasmadechangesandadapteditsapproachthroughmajor
technologicaladvancesinrecentdecades.Rotomouldinghasevolvedfromamanufacturingmethodviewedbymanyasa
blackartintoasophisticatedprocessforcreatinghighqualityproducts,someofwhichcouldnotbecreatedbyanyother
mouldingmethod

ContactAMoulder
TheBPFRotationalMouldingGrouprepresentsandpromotestheinterestsofallthoseinvolvedintherotationalmoulding
process(alsoknownasrotamouldingandrotomoulding)theseincludesmallandlargesizedmoulders,materialsuppliers,
machinerymanufacturers,ancillaryequipmentsuppliersandserviceproviders.
The information you submit on this form will be sent directly to this group of companies and they will then contact you .
Pleasefillouttheformwithasmuchinformationaspossibleasthiswillallowyoutoreceiveatimelyresponse.
If you have any queries about this service please contact Dr Sara Cammarano: scammarano@bpf.co.uk
(mailto:scammarano@bpf.co.uk)orcall02074575013

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