Plastisart specialises in the design and manufacture of plastic parts and assemblies for the indu...
Custom boiler making and plastic sheet metal service Manufacture of custom plastic parts and structures without molding tools
Plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working refer to all the transformation techniques that allow parts, structures and components to be manufactured from thermoplastic sheets, tubes and profiles, through cutting, bending, bending, welding and bonding. These processes apply without investment in moulding tooling, which makes them accessible from the very first part and particularly suited to small runs, made-to-drawing parts and projects requiring great design flexibility.
At Plastisart, plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working are complementary disciplines to our other transformation processes. They broaden our ability to respond to varied industrial projects, particularly for technical structures, cladding, tanks, protective equipment and casing that do not require the tolerances or complex three-dimensional geometries found in thermoforming or injection.
What is the difference between plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working?
These are two closely related disciplines that apply to distinctly different part typologies.
Plastic boilermaking
This technique is generally used to process parts with demanding mechanical or chemical characteristics such as tanks, retention trays, reservoirs, containment structures or industrial pipework. This process uses heavy thicknesses and advanced plastic welding to maximise the robustness, tightness and chemical resistance of parts.
Sheet plastic working
This process is close to the techniques of metal sheet working that we apply to thermoplastics: cutting, hot bending, bending and assembly. These techniques can be used for flat parts as well as parts with angles such as covers, protective panels, open housings, facades and cladding. Thicknesses are generally lower and the visual appearance of the surface is more important.
At Plastisart, we master all plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working techniques. Thanks to this expertise, we direct each project towards the techniques best suited to the functional needs of our clients.
The main advantage: no moulding tooling investment required
This is the central argument for plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working. Unlike thermoforming or RIM injection which require the manufacture of a mould before producing the first part, these processes start directly from raw material in sheet or profile form. There is no tooling cost to amortise, which makes these techniques cost-effective from the very first part.
This characteristic is particularly valuable for made-to-drawing parts intended for specific applications, functional prototypes to be produced quickly, small runs without a constraining minimum order, and evolving projects where the dimensions or characteristics of the part are likely to change.
Our boiler-making and plastic sheet metal techniques
Cutting and blanking
Thermoplastic sheets and profiles are cut with precision according to the manufacturing drawings. Saw cutting, laser cutting, contour milling on a CNC machining centre: the technique is chosen according to the material, thickness and required tolerances. Our 3 and 5-axis machining centres allow the most complex cuts to be executed with high dimensional precision.
Hot bending and forming
Hot bending consists of locally heating the sheet along a bending line to create a precise angle without weakening the material. Hot bending allows curves and radii to be obtained on sheets or profiles. These techniques avoid the need for thermoforming tooling for relatively simple geometries and allow fast shaping at lower cost.
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Plastic welding
Assembly by welding is the most widely used technique for fabrication parts requiring tightness or high mechanical resistance. Hot air rod welding, extrusion welding, contact welding: the process is selected according to the thermoplastic, the thickness and the mechanical constraints of the assembly. Plastic welding carried out properly produces joints whose resistance can approach that of the base material.
Plastic bonding
For assemblies not subject to tightness constraints, bonding with structural adhesives offers a clean, fast and reliable solution. We select adhesives suited to each material combination and operating environment.
Mechanical assembly
For dismountable assemblies or multi-component structures, we carry out the necessary mechanical operations according to the assembly drawings defined with our clients, such as screwing, riveting and insert crimping.
Our materials for plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working
We work in plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working with the most common thermoplastics in industrial applications :
- PEHD
- PP
- Rigid PVC
- PMMA
- PC
- ABS
- POM
- PA
- PTFE
- And other derivatives
The choice of material is defined according to the mechanical, chemical and thermal constraints of the application, as well as the finish requirements and regulatory compatibility according to the sector.
Our different areas of application
Industrial Sector
Medical & Health Sector
Aerospace & Defense
Auto & Transport Sector
Agri-food & Childcare Sector
Communication & Event Sector
Cosmetic Sector
Office Sector
Building & Construction Sector
Energy & Environment Sector
Sports & Leisure Sector
Why choose Plastisart?
Plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working allow robust and precise industrial parts to be produced without the time and cost constraints associated with tooling manufacture. It is a way to access custom plastic manufacturing without exceeding your budget while obtaining a flexible and responsive service.
At Plastisart, these techniques are integrated into a complete plastic transformation offering: integrated design office, in-house tooling, precision machining, finishing and quality control. All under one roof, in our workshops in Belgium.
FAQ
What is plastic fabrication?
It is all the transformation techniques applied to thick thermoplastics, including cutting, machining and extrusion or hot air welding. It is primarily dedicated to the manufacture of watertight, robust industrial structures with high chemical resistance, such as tanks, reservoirs, pipework or retention trays.
What is sheet plastic working?
This process transposes the principles of metal sheet working to thinner plastic sheets, generally ABS, Polycarbonate or PMMA. Through cutting, hot bending, bending and assembly operations, it allows custom protection and cladding parts to be designed such as covers, housings, facades and casings, with a strong emphasis on the aesthetic quality of the surface.
Is it possible to order a single custom part?
Yes, absolutely. Since this technique requires no mould or costly moulding tooling, plastic fabrication and sheet plastic working start directly from material in sheet or profile form. There are no fixed tooling costs to amortise, which makes these processes extremely cost-effective from the very first part, for your prototypes or very small runs.
Are plastic welds completely watertight and resistant?
Our assembly techniques, hot air rod welding and extrusion welding, are specifically selected according to the material such as HDPE, PP and PVC. Carried out professionally by our technicians, a plastic weld provides perfect tightness and displays mechanical resistance very close to that of the base material.
