Plastic moulding is affecting all our lives

Plastic moulding is helping reshape our lifestyles

Peter Yexley looks at why Plastic moulding is affecting all our lives

Nobody needs telling how plastic has drastically changed our lives and indeed saved many lives. The older we are are the more of an impact it has had on our lives, the younger we are, the more we take plastic for granted. Plastic has always been the great imitator, it can pretend to be leather, wood, stone and glass, but the best I have seen is Cast Iron. Nearly all our modern toys are made from plastic and working life is almost ruled by plastic. From computers to office equipment. Modern day building sites owe much of their efficiency to plastic. The super tough mortar tubs used to shift and carry, day after day. Traffic cones and safety barriers. Cast Iron rainwater products help replace old architecture with new longer lasting and less expensive components.

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A Potted History of Plastic

When Alexander Parkes unveiled his first man-made plastic at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. He would never have foreseen the Rotamoulding process. It was called Parkesine. Parkes made the claim that Parkesine could do anything that rubber could do, but cheaper. It could be transparent as well as carved into many shapes. However, Parkesine's investors pulled the plug on the product due to the high cost of the raw materials needed in its production.

In 1907 Leo Baekeland, a New York chemist created a resin, he named it Bakelite. Once hardened the resin replicated any vessel which contained it. It would not burn, boil, melt, or dissolve in any commonly available acid or solvent. This meant that once it was firmly set, it would never change. Bakelite was the first thermoset plastic which would retain its shape and form under any circumstances. Rayon and Cellophane soon came, followed by Nylon, PVC, Saran, and Teflon. 1933 brought us Polyethylene, then velcro and the famous 'Silly Putty'.

Modern Plastics.
Picture Courtesy of
Oaklands Plastics Ltd

In 1991 'Rota Tub' were quickly establishing themselves as a leading supplier of mortar tubs for the construction industry. This enabled rapid growth which led to the formation of Oaklands Plastics in 1995. Rotamoulding is the modern method of producing low cost hard wearing plastics.

The Rotamoulding process offers more design freedom and flexibility of form than many other techniques. Despite its simplicity and economical tooling,surprising complex forms can be achieved that are unobtainable with other processes. The advantages are many and varied:

Plastics powder or paste is heated inside a closed mould which is slowly rotated in two directions (biaxially) so that polymer forms a coating over the inside of the mould without pressure of centrifugal force. The speed ratio between the two revolving axes is carefully planned according to the shape of the moulding. The cycle length varies from around three minutes to one hour, depending on wall thickness.

Rotamoulding is a three-stage process.

Thermoplastic powder is placed inside a cold mould which closes and moves into an oven chamber. The mould is heated to 230 - 400°Cand starts to rotate simultaneously around vertical and horizontal axes.As the mould rotates, its inner surface passes continually through the mass of powder at the bottom of the mould which fuses and adheres to the mould surface still rotating, the mould moves round into the cooling chamber to be cooled by air or water jets. The hollow moulding can be removed as soon as it can hold its shape.

Rotamoulding allows for intricate textured designs

Such as this Bath Dated Hopper from Oaklands Plastics it takes on the lovely tradition of having the current Annum on it's facade. The numbers are raised in a traditional flat-faced Chisel type face. The style is that of lead worked cisterns/hoppers found around the town of Bath and other Georgian towns. This Hopper can also be supplied with a worn gilded finish. The Small Dated Hopper has the Annum on the facade. The numbers are raised in a traditional flat-faced Chisel type, framed by a light moulding round the top, with a thin bead underneath. The mounting ears are half Quatrefoils.

..... But when the going gets tough !

The revolutionary range of rotational moulded containers has been designed and developed in close co-operation with a number of major construction and mortar companies. The result is an extremely strong, stable, safe and durable product available in 200, 250 and 300 litre sizes in a wide range of colours.

Rota-tub containers have been officially tested to a proof load of 1 tonne and a safe working load of 500 kgs under Construction Regulations 1961, regulations 34(1)b and 35. The design emphasis is on rigidity under load, this is achieved by double skinning and/or box strengthening ribs, also stability when lifted by a forklift truck is ensured by the heavy duty built in pallet channels running the whole width of the container. The high density and integral strength of rotational moulded containers overcome the potential hazards of conventional methods of handling mortar at a sensible cost. Rota-tub containers can have your company name moulded in for security purposes. Also special colours can be supplied subject to order quantity.

Sometimes you just want to lie back, close your eyes and listen to the tranquil, calming sound of running water as it transports
your memory to the idylls of faraway places, pastures green or a bygone era fashioned in time. We can spend a lifetime searching for a water pump like this self contained water feature and plant holder. The Belfry offers a traditional stoneware style bell shaped base where water from a bronze classic style water pump trickles across Highland cobble stones surrounded by three plant holders. The inclusion of your own choice of plants and shrubs will create a unique and colourful contribution to any setting. The Belfry is finished in either light sandstone, washed Terracotta or Sun Kissed Blue Brick and has maximum size 20" diameter x 17" high.

Oakland Plastics manufacture a beautiful range of water features such as replica millstones, pumps and fountains.

Postal Address and Contact Details:

Contact Information

Oaklands Plastics Ltd.
Station Road,
Coleshill,
Birmingham
B46 1HT
Telephone: 01675 466321
Facsimile: 01675 462395

www.thewordis.com

News Release By

Peter Yexley
Hertfordshire Internet
The Granary,
Redwell Wood Farm, Ridge,
Herts,

EN6 3NA

Telephone 01707 646457
Fax: 01707 646475
Email.peter@ukhq.com