Machine building

Machine building: steel versus plastic

In the machine-building sector, steel has always been the most commonly used construction material. The reason for this is that many clients require unique products that meet their exact specifications. The strength of steel is also a major factor. However, there are a few trends that advocate the use of plastic in the machine-building sector. At Cipax, we support this development wholeheartedly. Contrary to popular belief, the use of plastic in the machine-building sector has no downsides – quite the opposite, in fact. Allow us to explain.

Two trends: plastic in the machine-building sector

The first trend is weight reduction, where plastic offers a clear advantage over steel. When a machine is in need of maintenance or repair, it is far easier for a technician to move a lightweight plastic protective hood than a heavy steel one. Using plastic benefits the ergonomics of the machine and makes life easier for your service technicians. The second trend is the growing importance of design in the machine-building sector. Whereas machines used to have straightforward and utilitarian designs, their outward appearance and colour scheme are becoming increasingly important these days. That is where plastic can be extremely useful. It goes without saying that the basic framework of a machine has to be extremely strong, so steel is still the go-to material for that. However, the outer components that determine the visual aspect of your machine, e.g. protective hoods, can easily be made of plastic instead.

From the initial idea up to the realisation of your plastic products: we are your partner throughout the entire process.

At Cipax, we can manufacture plastic products for a wide variety of applications via rotomoulding. We invite you to challenge us with your request.

Plastic components for your designer machine

We want to explore the latter trend a bit more. In order to give steel a high-grade appearance, it has to be covered in e.g. matt paint or a coating. However, if you opt for a plastic housing for your machine, you get a much wider range of options to choose from. For example, you can choose any RAL colour to make sure that the plastic components of your machine perfectly match your corporate style.

Plastic offers financial benefits

Furthermore, plastic offers a number of financial benefits compared to steel. The shape of your plastic product – e.g. a protective hood or a liquid-storage tank – is determined by the mould we use in the rotomoulding process. Our expert engineers create a custom design for your mould, based on your specific wishes and requirements. Once the design is finished and the mould has been produced, it can be reused over and over again. In other words, the mould is a one-time investment. After its initial use, we will carefully store it in our warehouse, so it is ready for reuse when you need a new batch of products.

Producing plastic components with rotomoulding

The final benefit we offer is that rotomoulding produces hollow plastic products. This means that the plastic machine components we produce are suitable for a range of applications. For example, a protective hood can also be used to store liquids. Here is how the rotomoulding process works: your custom-made mould is filled with plastic powder in the colour of your choice. The mould is then heated up until the powder has melted. Next, the mould is slowly cooled down, giving your product the desired (hollow) shape.
Having your plastic machine components made

Are you convinced of the benefits of using plastic products in the machine-building sector? Our expert engineers are eager to tackle any challenge you have for us. Contact us today.

Aebi Schmidt

BRINE TANKS

One of our customers in the machine building sector is Aebi Schmidt.

Over the years, Cipax has produced thousands of products with a wide range of shapes, colours, dimensions, materials and physical properties. We operate in a number of sectors, including the machine-building sector.

Machine building