Faq

 

WHICH ARE THE ADVANTAGES IN USING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL?
Plastic (an organic substance, derived from natural resources) was one of the protagonists during the ‘70s, a time of great social and economical changes.

The reasons for its wide spreading are practical, functional, aesthetic and economic.

We mostly use thermoplastic materials such as PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate), ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), SAN (Styrene acrylonitrile), PC (polycarbonate), MOPLEN (Polypropylene).

We prefer these materials because they are light and extremely resistant at the same time (heat-proof, shock-proof, deformation-proof, scratch-proof, abrasion-proof) and they allow the widest creative design possibilities in carrying out the most diversified forms and surfaces (polished, transparent, crystal effect, opaque, satinized, sandblasted, neutral and coloured).

The thermoplastic material is therefore able to supply the widest performances: functionality, practicality and aesthetic keep up with one another. In many applications thermoplastic materials can substitute glass very well, granting high economic advantages too.

 

WHAT IS PMMA?
PMMA is the abbreviation of polymethyl methacrylate, known as methacrylate.

 

WHAT DOES INJECTION MOULDING MEAN?
 
Injection moulding is a manufacturing process through which thermoplastic granules are melted at high temperatures and injected in steel or aluminum moulds in order to make objects of very different forms, without limits.
 
 
 
WHICH ARE METHACRYLATE’S MAIN FEATURES?
 
Extraordinary shock-proof capacity (ten times more resistant than glass)

Very high light transmittance coefficient (92%), allowing an almost total transparency, even with high thickness. With glass, on the contrary, the hither is the thickness the lower the transparency.

Excellent protection against ultraviolet rays.

Minimum maintenance (for the self-cleaning surface).

Maximum resistance to heat, scratches, abrasions, water.

Many possibilities of  aesthetic combinations. Methacrylate matches well with chromium-plated, golden, polished, opaque inserts, or with other kinds of materials such as wood, baked clay, steel.

These characteristics make methacrylate an increasingly used material even for very thick items, whose processing requires professional skills and specific equipment. The processing of very thick methacrylate is a complex one and require high professional skills to avoid imperfections such as bubbles, shrinkages, and other aesthetic defects of various kinds.

Only a few firms can carry out this processing. Tecnoplastica is among them.

 

WHICH MAY BE METHACRYLATE’S USES AND APPLICATIONS?
Methacrylate’s applications are practically infinite due to its extreme adaptability. Here are some application fields:
 
 
> Furnishing (handles and accessories)> Bath furniture / Thermotechnics> Espresso coffee machines> Household objects and gift items > Illuminating engineering> Bonbonnières> Footwear> Gift and fancy goods> Various products

 

WHICH SERVICES CAN TECNOPLASTICA OFFER ITS CUSTOMER?

Tecnoplastica, together with its customers, acknowledges the centrality of the final user, thus searching for the best solutions for his satisfaction, with the aim of assuring the mutual maximum advantages from the shared work.
 

Our technical skills grant the customer the optimization of the different stages of the manufacturing process: 

  • feasibility test, selection of the thermoplastic material according to the item shape and its intended use, design, industrialization, carrying out of specific equipment (moulds, devices for auxiliary processing, etc.);
  • assessment of the productivity and moulds lifecycle in relation to the expected production volumes;
  • carrying out of prototypes, setting of production processes and costs
  • injection moulding with our customers’ moulds or with moulds made solely against their orders
  • possible auxiliary activities such as mechanical works, surface finishing, serigraphy, assemblage, packing, etc…