Practical Guide to Rotational Moulding

3rd Edition - October 8, 2021
Imprint: Elsevier
Authors: Roy J Crawford, Mark P Kearns
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 2 4 0 6 - 9
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 8 1 6 - 8

Practical Guide to Rotational Moulding, Third Edition, takes a step-by-step approach to rotomoulding, covering applications, moulds, machinery, materials, and design. This thir… Read more

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Practical Guide to Rotational Moulding, Third Edition, takes a step-by-step approach to rotomoulding, covering applications, moulds, machinery, materials, and design. This third edition has been thoroughly revised to include the latest advances, including novel materials and moulds, new products, and automation.

The book begins with a chapter that introduces the rotational moulding process, analyses advantages and disadvantages, and explores common applications for rotomoulded products. The subsequent chapters provide detailed, methodical coverage of moulds, machinery, materials, and design for functionality, supported by clear illustrations and diagrams. Finally, challenges and future developments are discussed.

This hands-on technical guide helps engineers, designers and practitioners to understand all aspects of rotomoulding, with the aim of producing performant end products and parts, with uniform wall thickness and potentially in complex shapes. The book is also of great interest to professionals across the plastics industry, as well as researchers and advanced students in plastics engineering, industrial design, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and materials science and engineering.

Cover Image
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction to the rotational moulding process
Summary
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The rotational moulding process
1.3 Overview of rotational moulding
1.4 Special nature of rotational moulding
1.5 Advantages of rotational moulding
1.6 Disadvantages of rotational moulding
1.7 Common applications for rotomoulded products
Chapter 2 Rotational moulding moulds and tooling
Summary
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Mould materials
2.3 Sheet steel
2.4 Aluminium
2.5 Electroformed nickel
2.6 Comparison between mould materials
2.7 Mould design
2.8 Moulded-in structural components
2.9 Temporary inserts
2.10 Threads
2.11 Mould clamps
2.12 Mould guides and hinges
2.13 Automatic mould movement
2.14 Mould venting
2.15 Automatic venting
2.16 Mould surface finish
2.17 Mould outer surface–heat transfer enhancement
2.18 Mould shielding (internal)
2.19 Mould shielding (external)
2.20 Mould release
2.21 Moulding aids
2.22 Airflow amplification
2.23 Electrically heated moulds for rotational moulding
2.24 The use of internal mould cooling in rotational moulding
2.25 Simulation of the rotational moulding process – Rotosim
Chapter 3 Rotational moulding machinery
Summary
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Types of rotational moulding machines
3.3 Mould swing
3.4 Mould speed
3.5 Speed ratio
3.6 Oven air flow amplification
3.7 Cooling
3.8 Material feed systems
3.9 Developments in machine control
3.10 Internal air temperature measurement in rotational moulding
3.11 Monitoring pressure inside a mould
Chapter 4 Materials for rotational moulding
Summary
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Typical characteristics of rotationally moulded plastics
4.3 Materials used in rotational moulding
4.4 Polyethylene
4.5 Polypropylene (PP)
4.6 Polyamides (PA)
4.7 Amorphous materials
4.8 Other plastics
4.9 Additives used in rotational moulding materials
4.10 Powders for rotational moulding – grinding/pulverising
4.11 Particle size distribution
4.12 Dry flow
4.13 Bulk density
4.14 Factors affecting powder quality
4.15 Micropelletising
4.16 Colouring of plastics for rotational moulding
4.17 Types of pigments
Chapter 5 Rotational moulding design for functionality
Summary
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Preliminary design considerations
5.3 Material
5.4 Number of parts
5.5 Size of moulds
5.6 Part complexity
5.7 Wall thickness distribution
5.8 Tolerances and shrinkage
5.9 Warpage
5.10 Residual stress
5.11 Stiffening of parts
5.12 Double walled parts
5.13 Corner radii
5.14 Draft angles
5.15 Surface quality
5.16 Surface texture
5.17 Graphics and surface decoration
5.18 Design of foamed sections
Chapter 6 Rotational moulding industry – the future
Summary
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Rotomoulding Industry 4.0
6.3 Material development
6.4 Rotational moulding mould and tooling development
6.5 Rotomoulding machine development
Index

Roy J Crawford

Roy J. Crawford was Vice Chancellor of the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Prior to this he was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. At Queen’s University, Dr. Crawford was responsible for establishing the Polymer Processing Research Centre which included the Research Group on rotational moulding of plastics, which he also founded. In 1998, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and in 2005, he was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers. In the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, Dr. Crawford was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to tertiary education. Dr. Crawford sadly passed away in 2016.

Affiliations and expertise

Vice Chancellor of the University of Waikato, New Zealand

Mark P Kearns

Mark P. Kearns is Moulding Research Manager of the Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC) within the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, he has a Master’s Degree in Rotational Moulding and has managed polymer processing research, development and industrial support and training projects for companies and industrial trade associations across Europe, Australasia, South Africa, North and South America for more than 25 years. Following an initial two years as Deputy Production Manager of a UK rotomoulding company, Mark has since project managed over 20 applied industrial technology transfer projects and has helped co-supervise rotomoulding Post-Doc, PhD, MSc and BEng students since the early 1990s. He has co-authored two books on Rotomoulding, over 70 papers, articles & conference proceedings, and lectures extensively worldwide on rotomoulding technology.

Affiliations and expertise

Moulding Research Manager, Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC), School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health