Blow molding (spelled “blow moulding” in most of the English-speaking world outside of the United States) is an extremely affordable, sustainable, and versatile process for manufacturing plastic products, but, as is the case with any manufacturing method, it has its benefits and drawbacks. Blow molding can refer to a few different methods, including extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, and injection stretch blow molding.
While the types of blow molding vary, the benefits of this revolutionary technology are universal.
What are the Advantages of Blow Molding Plastic?
The three major advantages of blow molding are:
- Low Cost
- Speed
- Versatility
1. Blow Molding is Relatively Inexpensive
Cost is a big factor in any manufacturing, especially a large-scale, industrial plastic manufacturing job. Blow molding is typically quite inexpensive compared to other fabrication methods, making it completely customizable and scalable to your or your client’s needs. Furthermore, it simplifies applying external threads, improving overall product quality and consistency.
2. Blow Molding is Fast
Blow molding is also a relatively fast manufacturing solution. Professional grade injection or extrusion blow molding machinery is capable of producing huge quantities of finished plastic products and can run for a virtually indefinite amount of time. Whether you need a short run of plastic bottles or a large order of custom plastic cases, injection blow molding might be the solution for you.
3. Blow Molding is Versatile
The versatility of blow molding is a big advantage and a reason it revolutionized a number of industries. The diverse number of customizable bottles, containers, and other products makes blow molding especially attractive to food suppliers, medical and pharmaceutical companies, and more.
Blow molding also provides a wide range of resins and colors to choose from high-density and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) to polypropylene (PP) to engineering resins such as K-Resin, PETG, and Polycarbonate.
Disadvantages of Blow Molding Plastic
The two major disadvantages of blow molding are:
- Plastic Waste
- Design Limitations
1. Blow Molding Plastic Contributes to Plastic Waste
One disadvantage of blow molding plastic is the fact that you’re working with plastic, a petroleum product. That said, many plastic polymers used in blow molding are recyclable, and our industry is hard at work finding more durable, versatile, and sustainable materials.
2. Design Limitation of Blow Molding
Another disadvantage is the limitations in the design of blow molded products; hollowed out custom plastic bottles, rectangular plastic cases, and other similarly shaped objects are usually the best fit for this process.
The Advantages of Blow Molding Outweigh the Disadvantages!
As you can see, the benefits of blow molding are more numerous and significant than the disadvantages, as long as the product you have in mind is a good fit for one of our processes. Blow molding produces durable, inexpensive products in large quantities, and those products are often recyclable when they reach the end of their life cycle. When you speak to a Blow Molded Products customer service specialist, we’ll have you walk us through your needs and vision for your product. If we think another approach would be best, we’ll tell you and can help guide your project in the right direction. Contact our expert team today at (951) 360-6055!