Water Tanks

Submitted to : Dr. Ra'ed Maale By: Ashraf , wafa , Amane .

Abstract:

Polymeric materials processing has many mechanisms , one of the most important mechanisms , which is used in manufacturing of storage containers , toys and sporting equipments is rotational molding , which is a molding process for creating many kinds of mostly hollow items , typically of plastic . Thermoplastic resin is used in order to manufacture such products , mold features and mold cycle will be discussed in details Many polymeric materials can be molded using this method such as PE family "LLDPE , HDPE" , plasticized PVC ,nylons and PP. this process can be accomplished by loading a measured quantity of polymer in to the mold , then heating the mold in an oven while it rotates , until the polymer has melted and adhered to the mold wall , after that the Mold is cooled , finally the part is removed

Introduction:

Water tanks are liquid storage containers, these tanks are usually storing water for human consumption. The need for water tank systems is as old as civilized man. A water tank provides for the storage of drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food preparation as well as many other possible solutions. Rotational molding, also referred to as rotomolding, is widely used to produce hollow articles such as water tanks.

Normally all rotation molding systems have a number of parts including molds, oven, cooling chamber and mold spindles. The molds are used to create the part, and are typically made of aluminum. The quality and finish of the product is directly related to the quality of the mold being used. The oven is used to heat the part while also rotating the part to form the part desired. The cooling chamber is where the part is placed until it cools, and the spindles are mounted to rotate and provide a uniform coat of plastic inside each mold

For the process, a thermoplastic resin is placed in a mold which is then closed, heated and rotated on two axes, to allow the resin to melt and uniformly coat the interior of the mold. The mold is then cooled and the molded article is remove In many instances, it is highly desirable to have a foam layer or core in the interior of the molded article to provide insulation, impart structural integrity or stiffness to the article, reduce weight, or the like. This is accomplished by including a foaming or blowing agent with the resin which decomposes at the molding temperature to release a gas, such as CO2 or N2

Production process

The rotational molding process is a high-temperature, lowpressure plastic-forming process that uses heat and biaxial rotation (i.e., rotation on two axes) to produce hollow, one-piece parts. Critics of the process point to its long cycle times only one or two cycles an hour can typically occur, as opposed to other processes such as injection molding, where parts can be made in a few seconds. The process does have distinct advantages. Manufacturing large, hollow parts such as oil tanks is much easier by rotational molding than any other method. Rotational molds are significantly cheaper than other types of mold. Very little material is wasted using this process, and excess material can often be re-used, making it a very economically and environmentally viable manufacturing process

The rotational molding process consists of four distinct phases:

Loading a measured quantity of polymer (usually in powder form) into the mold. Heating the mold in an oven while it rotates, until all the polymer has melted and adhered to the mold wall. The hollow part should be rotated through two or more axes, rotating at different speeds, in order to avoid the accumulation of polymer powder. The length of time the mold spends in the oven is critical: too long and the polymer will degrade, reducing impact strength. If the mold:

spends too little time in the oven, the polymer melt may be incomplete. The polymer grains will not have time to fully melt and coalesce on the mold wall, resulting in large bubbles in the polymer. This has an adverse effect on the mechanical properties of the finished product. Cooling the mold, usually by fan. This stage of the cycle can be quite lengthy. The polymer must be cooled so that it solidifies and can be handled safely by the operator. This typically takes tens of minutes. The part will shrink on cooling, coming away from the mold, and facilitating easy removal of the part. The cooling rate must be kept within a certain range. Very rapid cooling (for example, water spray) would result in cooling and shrinking at an uncontrolled rate, producing a warped part. Removal of the part.

Rotationally molded parts have to follow some restrictions that are different from other plastic processes. As it is a low pressure process, sometimes designers face hard to reach areas in the mold. Good quality powder may help overcome some situations, but usually the designers have to keep in mind that it is not possible to make some sharp threads used in injection molded goods. Some products based on polyethylene can be put in the mold before filling it with the main material. This can help to avoid holes that otherwise would appear in some areas. This could be also achieved using molds with movable sections. Another limitation lies in the molds themselves. Unlike other processes where only the product needs to be cooled before being removed, with rotational molding the entire mold must be cooled. While water cooling processes are possible, there is still a significant down time of the mold. Additionally, this increases both financial and environmental costs. Some plastics will degrade with the long heating cycles or in the process of turning them into a powder to be melted.

Limitations

Advantages:

A hollow part can be made in one piece with no weld lines or joints The end product is essentially stress-free The molds are relatively inexpensive The lead time for the manufacture of a mold is relatively short Short production can be economically viable There is no material wastage in that the full charge of material is normally consumed in making the part It is possible to make multilayer products Different types of product can be molded together on the one machine Inserts are relatively easy to mold in High quality graphics can be molded in

Disadvantages

The main disadvantages of rotational molding are:

The manufacturing times are long The choice of molding materials is limited The material costs are relatively high due to the need for special additive packages and the fact that the material must be ground to a fine powder Some geometrical features (such as ribs) are difficult to mold

Conclusion
Though in a state of infancy, Rotomolding offers unique advantages over other plastics processes There are endless opportunities for research and development Rotomolding has a very promising future, more so than many competing processes

References:

[1]Ward, Noel M. A History of Rotational Moulding. 200912-03. [2] Beall, Glenn Rotational Molding. Hanser Gardner Publications. pp. 152. [3] E. Perot, K. Lamnawar and A. Maazouz. Optimization and modelling of rotational molding process, International Journal of Material Forming, Volume 1 January, 2008. [4] R J CrawfordA G Spence M C Cramez M J Oliveira. Mould pressure control in rotational moulding, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, Volume 218, Number 12 / 2004, 1683-1693

Thank-you

for your attention