Dip-Molded Plastic Key Terms

Learn about common terms related to dip-molded plastic

By Howard Robertson

The process of dip molding dates far back in history, to the ancient art of candle making. These days, plastic dip molding has become a thriving industry. Initially, dip-molded plastic was a product of choice, by virtue of its shiny look and smooth feel. However, recent advancements in the technology have added more reasons for choosing dip-molded plastic. With technological advancements in the formulation, dipping and curing processes, manufacturers produce several new materials, such as open-celled foams, textured formulations and matte finish formulations. If you want to buy dip-molded plastic or become a supplier of dip-molded plastic products, you will need to understand some terms related to the process.

Dip molding

Dip molding is a process of dipping a hot metal tool in a cold elastomeric compound, like plastisol, drying the metal tool and then removing the plastisol coating as the final product.
Try: You can read through the basic information on the plastic dip-molding process at Steere Enterprises, an international plastics supplier.

Plastisol

For the manufacturers of dip-molded plastic, plastisol is a material of choice. Plastisol is an elastomeric solution that possesses unique properties such as flexibility, smoothness and the ability to stretch itself. Plastisol contains PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and a plasticizer.
Try: Visit Carlisle Plastics Company, a manufacturer of plastisol plastic products and a provider of plastic dip molding services, to learn more.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

PVC is a fire- and water-resistant polymer. It is an important ingredient of plastisol.
Try: Learn the basics of PVC at the Polymer Science Learning Center in the Department of Polymer Science of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Neoprene

Neoprene is another popular material for the plastic dip-molding process. Neoprene possesses unique chemical properties, such as resistance to degradation from sun, weather, oil and ozone, and sustainability to a wide range of temperatures and toughness.
Try: You can read through the detailed information on Neoprene at DuPont Performance Elastomers.

Drying

Some manufacturers use the word "drying" interchangeably with curing. The process of removing a solvent from the end product is called drying. This is an important part of the dip-molding process. The drying process usually follows the dipping process.
Try: Learn more at C.A. Litzler, a manufacturer of molding and coating machinery.

Rotational molding

Rotational molding is an efficient process of plastic dip molding. It is the process of creating hollow forms with different wall thicknesses and various shapes.
Try: You can get read a definition of rotational molding by visiting Rutland, a manufacturer of plastisol compounds and polyurethanes.

Mandrel

A mandrel is one of the most important parts in the plastic dip-molding process. It is an extruded or machined metal shape that forms the internal shape of the dip-molded product.
Try: United Plastics Technology, a manufacturer of dip-molding machines, has a definition of mandrel.