Everyday Applications for Custom Plastic Extrusion Products

From the oil and gas sector to common household items, plastic extrusion products play a bigger role in our world than we may realize. Some industries are especially reliant on custom plastic extrusion products and use certain plastics more than others.

Whether it’s the extreme conditions of the oil and gas sector or the food-grade safety that’s required of many household goods, plastic extrusion products are a staple across a wide variety of industries. The material properties of plastic resins enable them to perform in environments where other materials would fail, and if a specific profile is needed, custom plastic extrusion may be the only way to get the product you need.

So, which industries depend on custom plastic extrusion and Inplex Custom Extruders for their operations? We’ll take a look at the most common plastic extrusion products and applications to find out.

Custom Plastic Extruders in the Oil and Gas Industry

The oil and gas sector is forced to operate under many extreme conditions, and the durability of plastic extrusion products makes them a better choice than metal. Metals are considerably heavier than plastic resins, making them more difficult to handle during operation. They are subject to corrosion and scaling when exposed to the chemicals common in the oil and gas industry — hydrogen sulfide (H2S) being one of the most prevalent — and high temperatures can also be damaging.

Plastic extrusion products overcome the disadvantages of metal. Their lighter weight lends them greater maneuverability than metals, making them useful for drilling applications. They often have better corrosion and temperature resistance than metal. Our Injectorplex, Titan capillary tubing, and Kryptonite capillary tubing all possess many of these properties, which is why they are often found in the oil and gas sectors. Some of their most important properties are:

• Temperature resistant at continuous use up to 300°F
• Resistant to paraffin buildup
• Resists acids/bases from pH 2–12
• Hydrolysis-resistant
• Excellent creep resistance
• Will not pit, crack, or corrode

The high temperatures and corrosive chemicals found in the oil and gas industry require a material that can stand up to the heat — and custom plastic extrusion products deliver.

Electrical Utilities that Use Custom Plastic Extrusion

The oil and gas sector requires protection from harmful chemicals, but electrical utilities depend on plastic extrusion products to keep them safe from electricity. Cables, wires, tubing, and conduits must often be insulated to protect workers from electrical currents and heat, and to guard the components from the elements.

Electrical utilities often rely on custom plastic coating and jacketing to protect their cables, and this process is part of custom plastic extrusion. Some of the benefits of plastic coating are:

• Insulation. Cables found in electrical utilities often carry high currents or temperatures, and coatings make them safe for handling and operation.
• Environmental protection. Harsh climates can damage costly cables if they are left unprotected, and plastic coating shields them from moisture and heat.
• Appearance. Many wires in the electrical industry must be color-coded to convey electrical properties, and consumer-facing products can also be color-coded to create a more attractive finish.

Electrical wires often require multiple colors or material properties in the same coating to achieve the desired effect. For example, a wire with a given resistance may need a certain color scheme to comply with industry standards, and some cables will have an outer layer that is more flexible than its inner core.

Custom tri-extrusion is especially helpful here, as multiple uniquely colored plastics can be extruded into one continuous coating. Our dual durometer allows for different hardnesses so that flexible and rigid layers are possible.

Protection is key in the utility industry, and the versatility of coatings and jacketing make plastic extrusion products the safest way to guard electrical cables and wires.

Household Items that Use Custom Plastic Extrusion

Plastic extrusion products are commonly found in industrial applications like the energy and utility sectors, but they are every bit as common in the items we find around our homes. Household consumer products are often made from custom plastic extrusions, like:

• Spray and aerosol dip tubes
• Lawn sprinkler tubing
• Weather stripping
• Tool covers
• Kitchen utensils and appliances
• Flexible and rigid pipes
• Irrigation hose
• Shaped profiles

In addition to a custom-shaped profile, many household items must also be food-grade safe, while outdoor goods must be UV-resistant to retain their finish. From flexible polyethylene with UV-stabilizers to food-grade safe PETG, there are many plastic resins that are both safe and resilient enough to be used around the home.

Inplex Custom Plast Extruders: Leading the Way in Custom Plastic Extrusion Products and Applications

There are many other industries that make heavy use of custom plastic extrusion products, like the highway safety, lighting, and point of purchase display sectors, just to name a few. They may use different resins to fabricate their products, but they all favor custom plastic extrusion for its cost-effectiveness, versatility, and durability that few other materials can match.

Whether it’s the corrosion-resistant tubing of the oil and gas sector, the wire jacketing that keeps electrical cables safe, or the customizable profiles that consumers find around their home, Inplex carries the best custom plastic extrusion products that companies use the most. With in-house engineering and color mixing, and 100 raw materials on 10 different lines, we have the experience and the facilities to fill your order according to spec. Contact our team of custom plastic extrusion experts today to see how we can help.