Rotomolding’s Role in the Automotive Market 680473

The development of plastic materials for many components of automotive vehicles has created a new potential for the rotational molding process. By using these plastics in powdered or liquid form, rotational molding offers advantages over the other molding processes (injection and blow) including greater flexibility of design, reduced fabrication and tooling costs, and double-wall constructions. This process yields parts which show excellent detail and finish, have little or no waste scrap, are relatively stress-free and exhibit good uniformity in wall thickness. Significant improvements in equipment and technology coupled with the development of polyethylene and other polymeric powders have led to a number of rotational molding applications in the automotive industry. Currently, products molded by this technique include heater and air conditioner duct work, sun visors and arm rests, filler tubes, truck dash boards, and several proprietary items still under development.