There’s a famous line in the 1967 film, “The Graduate” that goes, “One word. Plastics”. In the film, the line was a metaphor for a dull and sterile lifestyle. In real life, plastics have become a major industry and have revolutionized many products. One common method of creating things out of plastic is resin casting.
The Process
Flexible urethane casting resin Essex MA is commonly used to create plastic objects. Synthetic resins that are thermosetting are mixed with a curing agent that polymerized them. Many different types of resin are used depending on the application. The resin is heated and liquified and then poured into a mold shaped like the object being manufactured. The molds are generally made of some type of rubber and are flexible. They have a limited lifespan but are inexpensive and thus cost-effective.
Gravity draws the liquid resin into the mold and fills it completely. Air bubbles in the liquid are eliminated by centrifugal force, a vacuum chamber, or a pressure pot. The liquid is cooled and solidified and the new object is removed from the mold.
Uses of Resin Casting
Resin casting works very well for small objects. It is commonly used to make a number of things:
- Small toys
- Detailed plastic models
- Action figures
- Industrial prototypes
- Making jewelry
- Embedding objects
- Making dentures, dental guards, and dental bonding
- Creating sculptures
These are the most common applications of resin casting. It is fairly inexpensive, can create objects with significant detail, and is easy enough to be done at home by hobbyists.
Plastics have gotten stronger and more useful over the decades. Many lightweight and durable objects and parts can be made inexpensively in mass production from plastic. It is a scientific discovery that has had a major impact on almost every aspect of work, play, and day-to-day living.
