1. Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate is well known and widely used for several prominent reasons. First, it has extremely high impact strength for a plastic material. This makes it an ideal choice for use as a composite material in bulletproof glass and/or for riot gear (plastic shields) used by police to combat a riotous crowd. Polycarbonate also has very high transmissivity. That is, it allows very effectively for the passage of light. Combining its impact strength and high transmissivity makes polycarbonate an ideal material for commercial greenhouses used in northern climates. For example, in Canada you get a lot of snow. Farmers wanting to grow crops in the winter and/or early in the spring would find a polycarbonate greenhouse very useful because it allows the sun to reach the plants while at the same time meeting the load requirements for a roof subject to large winter storms and snow loads.

2. Acrylic (PMMA)

Acrylic is also well known for two principal characteristics. First, like polycarbonate, acrylic has very high transmissivity (it allows for the passage of light). Second, acrylic is extremely scratch resistant. Because of these two qualities acrylic is frequently the plastic of choice for optical devices. Another characteristic that makes acrylic a great choice for optical devices is that relative to glass acrylic is much less damaging to skin or eye tissue when it is fractured. This is actually a characteristic common to most plastics (not just acrylic), but it is extremely relevant in the case of acrylic because it is more frequently being chosen as an alternative to glass for optical applications.

Although Polycarbonate and Acrylic have certain applications to which they are both particularly well suited, they can also be used in conjunction with one another. An example might be a storefront window in which both the characteristics of PC and PMMA are important. Scratch resistance is important because the window is exposed to pedestrians that may or may not touch the window (necessitating an outer layer made from Acrylic) while higher than normal impact resistance and/or strength is also required because display windows are large and require certain wind resistance (necessitating an inner layer made from Polycarbonate). Different plastics can be used in conjunction with one another and/or as a composite to achieve unique material properties that fit your particular application. If you’re trying to develop a prototype from plastic material Creative Mechanisms can help. We have 30 years of experience in prototype development specializing specifically in plastic materials. Contact us today or visit our web page specifically dedicated to plastic materials to learn more about the right plastic for your job.

Better Design

It’s easy to see why engineers love the freedom gained by using plastic injection molded parts over metal counterparts. Design features include:

– When the latest software and technology is used, injection molders can test a variety of materials in the design phase – allowing for predictive design tweaks and stronger performance outcomes
– Ability to integrate and accommodate complex shapes and geometries as well as consolidate parts
– Weight reduction and improved structural limits
– Improved aesthetics – since plastics are available in a wide variety of colors, along with offering surface finishes and textures that are more appealing than metals, plastic injection molded parts tend to dominate metal counterparts. Also, plastic parts allow for enhanced decoration or labeling within the mold, further expanding their aesthetic appeal

Improved Performance

When compared to metal parts, plastic parts are typically up to 50% lighter in weight and offer performance attributes that metals simply can’t beat, including:

– Reduced size, weight, and thickness – when you consider the tight space restrictions when manufacturing small appliances, engines, medical equipment, and technology devices, the fact that injection molded parts can be made to be smaller, thinner and lighter than metal parts, are valuable attributes
– Increased strength and durability – not only can today’s engineered plastics withstand a substantial amount of stress, the plastic parts made from them can hold tight tolerances, making them just as robust and reliable as metal parts
– Resistance to impact, corrosion, and heat – with more than 25,000 engineered plastic materials to choose from, including new blends and hybrid formulations, injection molded parts can be designed to meet very specific performance requirements. Some blends and formulations are ideal for applications that demand impact absorption and need to stand up to corrosive elements and heat resistance

Faster Manufacturing

From a manufacturing standpoint, plastic injection molding offers a faster and more consistent process versus metal parts fabrication – including uniform production, increased customer satisfaction, and decreased warranty claims.
Plastic injection molding also provides the ability to combine multiple components in a single mold design, rather than making several components out of metal and assembling them together. This means that joints that would normally have to be welded can be made seamless in an injection-molded part – usually without a parting line. Additional features include:

– Freedom from maintenance – Unlike metal parts, plastic components do not need coating or painting to protect the material, making them virtually maintenance free
– Longer tooling life – While the tooling cost for a metal part and a plastic part are very similiar, the rate of manufacturing is often slower for metals. Another consideration is that the tooling life for plastic parts is on average ten times that of the life expectancy for a cast aluminum tool
– Easier changes – It’s essentially impossible to switch to a less-expensive metal without going through a complete redesign. However, the cost of resins does not typically affect the mold, which provides a higher level of flexibility with material quality and cost
– Plastic components can be produced more quickly than their metal counterparts by employing cyclical and highly repeatable processes that have fewer overall steps. Unlike metal production processes, plastic part production is often automated, mechanized, and requires minimal supervision
– Plastic injection molds can eliminate the need for secondary assembly processes by producing complex and geometrically variant components in a single step. Post-production metal fabrication often includes welding multiple pieces together, adhering ancillary parts like bearings, and applying protective coatings. Plastic injection molds yield a single, ready-to-use component, accommodating multi-piece designs, integrating supporting pieces, and mixing protective coatings directly into the material.

Reduced Production Time and Cost

Reducing the cost of materials is just the beginning of the savings possible with metal-to-plastic conversion. Many elements contribute to significantly reducing the total manufacturing costs for plastics, including:
-Material market stability – Not only does the price of metals fluctuate in the marketplace, but proposed tariffs and economic uncertainty often translates to higher costs. But the cost of plastics and resins used to manufacture injection molded parts often remains stable
-Energy savings – With lower melt temperatures and the elimination of successive machining steps, injection molding requires less energy than metal part production
-Reduced scrap and waste – The injection molding manufacturing process inherently lessens the scrap and waste that typically accompanies metal fabrication
-Lower shipping and operating costs – Since the size and weight of plastic parts is almost always significantly less than metal counterparts, the costs associated with shipping finished parts to the customer or manufacturer, along with other operating expenses, are reduced. Depending on product type, transportation can even be considered during the component design phase, creating products that nest or stack within each other, optimizing space during transport

In the joint announcement, Ton Emans, president of Plastics Recycling Europe, and Steve Alexander, president and CEO of The Association of Plastic Recyclers, pointed to the onslaught of recent announcements around commitments to package sustainability and recyclability.

“The use of the term ‘recyclable’ is consistently used with packages and products without a defined reference point,” says Alexander. “At the end of the day, recyclability goes beyond just being technically recyclable there must be consumer access to a recycling program, a recycler must be able to process the material, and there must be an end market.”

“Recently, we have seen many announcements regarding legislative measures on plastics products and pledges of the industry actors committing to making their products recyclable,” added Emans. “As recyclers, we are a fundamental part of the solution to the issue of sustainability of plastics, and we need for the appropriate audiences to understand what is necessary to label a product or package ‘recyclable.’ We welcome these commitments and encourage others to follow. Nevertheless, clear and universally endorsed definitions and objectives are needed.”

1. The product must be made with a plastic that is collected for recycling, has market value and/or is supported by a legislatively mandated program.
2. The product must be sorted and aggregated into defined streams for recycling processes.
3.  The product can be processed and reclaimed/recycled with commercial recycling processes.
4. The recycled plastic becomes a raw material that is used in the production of new products.

Innovative materials must demonstrate that they can be collected and sorted in sufficient quantities, must be compatible with existing industrial recycling processes or will have to be available in sufficient quantities to justify operating new recycling processes.

Over the last century and a half humans have learned how to make synthetic polymers, sometimes using natural substances like cellulose, but more often using the plentiful carbon atoms provided by petroleum and other fossil fuels. Synthetic polymers are made up of long chains of atoms, arranged in repeating units, often much longer than those found in nature. It is the length of these chains, and the patterns in which they are arrayed, that make polymers strong, lightweight, and flexible. In other words, it’s what makes them so plastic.

These properties make synthetic polymers exceptionally useful, and since we learned how to create and manipulate them, polymers have become an essential part of our lives. Especially over the last 50 years plastics have saturated our world and changed the way that we live.

The First Synthetic Plastic

The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who was inspired by a New York firm’s offer of $10,000 for anyone who could provide a substitute for ivory. The growing popularity of billiards had put a strain on the supply of natural ivory, obtained through the slaughter of wild elephants. By treating cellulose, derived from cotton fiber, with camphor, Hyatt discovered a plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory.

This discovery was revolutionary. For the first time human manufacturing was not constrained by the limits of nature. Nature only supplied so much wood, metal, stone, bone, tusk, and horn. But now humans could create new materials. This development helped not only people but also the environment. Advertisements praised celluloid as the savior of the elephant and the tortoise. Plastics could protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need.

The creation of new materials also helped free people from the social and economic constraints imposed by the scarcity of natural resources. Inexpensive celluloid made material wealth more widespread and obtainable. And the plastics revolution was only getting started.

The Development of New Plastics

In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning it contained no molecules found in nature. Baekeland had been searching for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator, to meet the needs of the rapidly electrifying United States. Bakelite was not only a good insulator; it was also durable, heat resistant, and, unlike celluloid, ideally suited for mechanical mass production. Marketed as “the material of a thousand uses,” Bakelite could be shaped or molded into almost anything, providing endless possibilities.

Hyatt’s and Baekeland’s successes led major chemical companies to invest in the research and development of new polymers, and new plastics soon joined celluloid and Bakelite. While Hyatt and Baekeland had been searching for materials with specific properties, the new research programs sought new plastics for their own sake and worried about finding uses for them later.

Plastics Come of Age

World War II necessitated a great expansion of the plastics industry in the United States, as industrial might proved as important to victory as military success. The need to preserve scarce natural resources made the production of synthetic alternatives a priority. Plastics provided those substitutes. Nylon, invented by Wallace Carothers in 1935 as a synthetic silk, was used during the war for parachutes, ropes, body armor, helmet liners, and more. Plexiglas provided an alternative to glass for aircraft windows. A Time magazine article noted that because of the war, “plastics have been turned to new uses and the adaptability of plastics demonstrated all over again.”^[1] During World War II plastic production in the United States increased by 300%.

The surge in plastic production continued after the war ended. After experiencing the Great Depression and then World War II, Americans were ready to spend again, and much of what they bought was made of plastic. According to author Susan Freinkel, “In product after product, market after market, plastics challenged traditional materials and won, taking the place of steel in cars, paper and glass in packaging, and wood in furniture.”^[2] The possibilities of plastics gave some observers an almost utopian vision of a future with abundant material wealth thanks to an inexpensive, safe, sanitary substance that could be shaped by humans to their every whim.

Growing Concerns about Plastics

The unblemished optimism about plastics didn’t last. In the postwar years there was a shift in American perceptions as plastics were no longer seen as unambiguously positive. Plastic debris in the oceans was first observed in the 1960s, a decade in which Americans became increasingly aware of environmental problems. Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, exposed the dangers of chemical pesticides. In 1969 a major oil spill occurred off the California coast and the polluted Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire, raising concerns about pollution. As awareness about environmental issues spread, the persistence of plastic waste began to trouble observers.

Plastic also gradually became a word used to describe that which was cheap, flimsy, or fake. In The Graduate, one of the top movies of 1968, Dustin Hoffman’s character was urged by an older acquaintance to make a career in plastics. Audiences cringed along with Hoffman at what they saw as misplaced enthusiasm for an industry that, rather than being full of possibilities, was a symbol of cheap conformity and superficiality.

Plastic Problems: Waste and Health

Plastic’s reputation fell further in the 1970s and 1980s as anxiety about waste increased. Plastic became a special target because, while so many plastic products are disposable, plastic lasts forever in the environment. It was the plastics industry that offered recycling as a solution. In the 1980s the plastics industry led an influential drive encouraging municipalities to collect and process recyclable materials as part of their waste-management systems. However, recycling is far from perfect, and most plastics still end up in landfills or in the environment. Grocery-store plastic bags have become a target for activists looking to ban one-use, disposable plastics, and several American cities have already passed bag bans. The ultimate symbol of the problem of plastic waste is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which has often been described as a swirl of plastic garbage the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean.

The reputation of plastics has suffered further thanks to a growing concern about the potential threat they pose to human health. These concerns focus on the additives (such as the much-discussed bisphenol A [BPA] and a class of chemicals called phthalates) that go into plastics during the manufacturing process, making them more flexible, durable, and transparent. Some scientists and members of the public are concerned about evidence that these chemicals leach out of plastics and into our food, water, and bodies. In very high doses these chemicals can disrupt the endocrine (or hormonal) system. Researchers worry particularly about the effects of these chemicals on children and what continued accumulation means for future generations.

The Future of Plastics

Despite growing mistrust, plastics are critical to modern life. Plastics made possible the development of computers, cell phones, and most of the lifesaving advances of modern medicine. Lightweight and good for insulation, plastics help save fossil fuels used in heating and in transportation. Perhaps most important, inexpensive plastics raised the standard of living and made material abundance more readily available. Without plastics many possessions that we take for granted might be out of reach for all but the richest Americans. Replacing natural materials with plastic has made many of our possessions cheaper, lighter, safer, and stronger.

Since it’s clear that plastics have a valuable place in our lives, some scientists are attempting to make plastics safer and more sustainable. Some innovators are developing bioplastics, which are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, to create substances that are more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. Others are working to make plastics that are truly biodegradable. Some innovators are searching for ways to make recycling more efficient, and they even hope to perfect a process that converts plastics back into the fossil fuels from which they were derived. All of these innovators recognize that plastics are not perfect but that they are an important and necessary part of our future.

Global Pallet Market Drivers/Constraints:

• There has been a rise in the expenditure on both housing and infrastructure activities owing to a significant increase in disposable incomes and rapid urbanisation. This is one of the major factors which has been propelling the market growth.
• Manufacturers have increasingly started using multiple-trip pallets instead of single-trip pallets as they offer lower cost per-trip, eliminate solid waste and enhance operational efficiency. This has, in turn, positively influenced the growth of the market.
• Over the past years, there has been a significant development in the logistics and transportation sectors as well as trade volume of numerous emerging nations which have contributed towards an augmented demand for pallets across the globe.
• The limited availability of pallets and increasing cost of raw materials are some of the other factors which act as major factors impeding the growth of the global pallet market.

Type Insights:

On the basis of type, the market has been segmented into wood, plastic, metal and corrugated paper. Amongst these, wood pallets exhibit a clear dominance in the market as they are lightweight, stiff, durable and cost effective.

Application Insights:

Pallets currently find myriad applications across various sectors which include food and beverage, chemicaland pharmaceutical, machinery and metal, and construction. The food and beverage sector currently represents the largest segment.

Structural Design Insights:

Based on structural design, the market has been segregated as block, stringer and others. Block pallets generally use plywood, solid wood, or plastic blocks for supporting the unit load, whereas, stringer pallets use boards of 2 x 4’s or 3 x 4’s, placed between the top and bottom deck boards.

Regional Insights:

On a geographical front, North America represents the largest region for the global pallet market, accounting for the majority of the share. This can be accredited to rapid development in the industrial sector and an increase in exports across the region. Some of the other major markets include Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.

Import and Export:

On the basis of imports and exports scenario, Germany currently represent the largest importer, whereas, Poland represents the biggest exporter of pallet across the globe.