Plastic bending involves heating plastic until it is pliable, then producing the desired number of folds. Plastic materials commonly used include acrylic, polyvinylcarbonate, and styrene. Manufacturers use power lines or tape heaters for bending plastic sheets, while bending plastic pipes involves heat. Mandrel bending involves inserting something into the pipe to ensure internal integrity during the bend.
Plastic bending usually involves changing the shape of the plastic sheet or embedding corners into rigid plastic tubing for specific applications. Bending usually requires heating the plastic until it is pliable, then producing the number of folds needed. This can be done manually or by an automated plastic bender. Plastic materials commonly used in the bending process include those made from acrylic, polyvinylcarbonate, or styrene.
Both small and large manufacturers use power lines or tape heaters for bending plastic sheets. The heater contains a specially designed heating element which runs in a straight line for the desired length. The heat produced by the element can range from 500 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit (260 to 482 degrees Celsius). Most heaters have a regulator that allows the machinist to adjust the intensity of the heat based on the thickness of the plastic. The line heater generally lies in a thermally protected channel at a depth below the containment plane of the plastic sheeting.
Depending on the type of plastic products a manufacturer produces, the heating line elements might be adjustable on some machines, located in a channel anywhere within the plane of the plastic sheet. With the elements turned on, the plastic heats up along the line created by the element. After reaching the desired temperature, the plastic becomes flexible enough to accept a bend. In this wrinkled state, workers typically place the plastic sheet in a holding area that holds the wrinkle until the plastic cools. While some plastic bending machines only heat the plastic, others heat, bend and cool the product.
Bending plastic pipes also usually involves heat, but the process might occur in a manufacturing factory, construction site, or personal workshop as part of a do-it-yourself project. Manufacturers generally have large automated machines that process a number of tubes at once. The machine heats the tube at the appropriate point, applies the right degree of bend and cools the finished product.
While on the job, a plumber may require pipes with more than one specific bend. You may need to bend tubing around a spa or accommodate other space requirements, but many professionals prefer the durability of rigid polyvinylcarbon tubing over flexible tubing. To get the correct shape, however, it is often necessary to heat the entire length of the tube. When heated, the plastic becomes spongy and can be bent during installation.
Hobbyists could use a mandrel or a combination of heat and a mandrel to bend plastic tubing. Mandrel bending involves inserting something into the pipe, which ensures the internal integrity of the pipe during the bend. Common materials used for mandrel bending include metal hose or sand. Once the plastic tube is bent, the mandrel is removed. The heated sand can be used in a thermal type mandrel bending process, the heat makes the plastic flexible and the sand holds the shape of the pipe.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
