Development status and research progress of plastic molding processing technology

The plastic molding processing technology is undergoing a profound transformation from traditional processes to intelligent, green, and high-precision directions. The following analysis is conducted from three dimensions: technological status, cutting-edge progress, and core challenges:

1、 Current Status of Technological Development

1. Continuous optimization of traditional molding technology

Injection molding: accounting for over 35% of plastic processing volume, equipment is developing towards high speed and precision. For example, the Yizhimi UN160A6 intelligent injection molding machine achieves dynamic optimization of process parameters through MES system, with a product qualification rate of over 99%. Gas assisted injection molding technology (such as BMW bumper molding) can reduce mold locking force by 40% and material consumption by 15% -20%.

Extrusion molding: Reaction extrusion technology realizes the integration of polymerization and molding, such as the DuPont Nylon 6 continuous polymerization extrusion production line, which increases production capacity by 30%. Precision extrusion can control the diameter tolerance of the pipe within ± 0.05mm through closed-loop feedback control.

Blow molding: Three dimensional negative pressure extrusion blow molding technology (such as Culus double-layer extrusion) can produce complex structured containers, and stretch blow molding makes PET bottles resistant to internal pressure up to 3.5MPa.

2. Comprehensive penetration of intelligent manufacturing

Device interconnection: IoT sensors collect over 300 parameters in real-time, reducing abnormal response time from hours to 90 seconds. For example, a certain automotive parts production line achieves collaboration between injection molding machines, robotic arms, and quality inspection equipment through 5G networks, reducing energy consumption by 15%.

AI driven: Machine learning models predict the optimal injection parameters, reducing the number of trial molds by 60%; Visual algorithm recognizes 0.02mm weld lines with an accuracy rate of 99.7%. The Yizhimi intelligent process system has been applied in enterprises such as Midea and Hisense, with a 40% increase in process debugging efficiency.

Digital twin: Virtual production line model optimization scheduling, reducing mold switching time by 23%. A certain household appliance company improved product stability by 50% by dynamically compensating for changes in environmental temperature and humidity.

3. Breakthrough in Green Manufacturing Technology

Biobased plastic processing: BH bioplastics prepared by mixed micro scale biomass co assembly technology (such as cotton fiber+pollen shell) have a tensile strength of 52.22 MPa, can be water processed, and completely degrade within 6 months. However, the problem of poor plasticization (such as unmelted particles caused by improper temperature control) still needs to be solved through screw optimization (such as adding mixing sections).

Recycling: Microwave radiation processing technology achieves the depolymerization and regeneration of waste plastics. The light cured 3D printing resin developed by Zhejiang University can be recycled infinitely, and the mechanical performance retention rate after recycling exceeds 90%. However, the cost of plastic sorting after consumption is high, with only 12% currently achieving effective recycling.

2、 Frontier research progress

1. Extreme scale processing technology

Ultra thin forming: The multi-step intermittent stretching technology (SAMIS) developed by Fu Qiang's team at Sichuan University reduces the thickness of polyethylene film to 12 nanometers (theoretical limit), with a length to thickness ratio of 10 ^ 7 and a tensile strength of 113.9 GPa/(g/cm ³), which is applied to nuclear fusion ignition support materials.

Microporous foaming: MuCell ™ The process forms a microporous structure with a diameter of 10-100 μ m in PC, reducing weight by 30% while maintaining impact strength. It has been used in the interior of Tesla Model 3.

2. Innovation in new molding processes

Water plastic processing: The water mediated phase separation technology developed by the Donghua University team enables reversible conversion of plastics between low hydration state (glassy state, σ b=211.2MPa) and high hydration state (dough state, reshaped at room temperature), breaking through the temperature limitations of traditional plastic processing.

UV curable 3D printing: The team led by Xie Tao from Zhejiang University discovered the thiol aldehyde based photo click reaction and developed a recyclable UV curable resin with a tensile strength of up to 150MPa, solving the problem of traditional 3D printing materials not being recyclable.

3. Functional material forming

Optical grade COC processing: Cycloolefin copolymer (COC) is produced through precision injection molding (mold temperature control ± 0.1 ℃) to produce optical lenses with a transmittance of 91% -93% and haze<0.1%. It has replaced some glass for mobile phone camera modules.

Intelligent response material: Thermochromic polyimide film is formed by rolling, reducing its transmittance from 85% to 15% at 60 ℃, and is used for energy-saving windows in smart buildings.

3、 Core Challenges and Future Directions

1. Key technical bottlenecks

Biobased plastic processing: PLA and other materials need to be processed at 170-230 ℃, which is prone to oxidation and degradation, and require the addition of 0.3% -0.5% antioxidants (such as IrgaNOx 1010). Product defects caused by poor plasticization (such as surface roughness>7.94 μ m) still need to be addressed through screw combination optimization (such as adding barrier segments).

Micro nano forming: The replication accuracy of nanoscale structures (such as 50nm gratings) is affected by the elasticity of the melt, and the shear rate needs to be controlled above 10 ^ 4 s ^ -1 to reduce elastic recovery.

Circular economy: Low efficiency of plastic sorting after consumption (manual sorting cost $0.8/kg), requiring the development of AI visual sorting system (recognition accuracy>98%) and chemical recycling technology (such as PET depolymerization purity>99.9%).

2. Future Development Trends

Intelligent deep integration: edge computing gives equipment the ability to make local decisions (such as predictive maintenance response time<1 second), and blockchain technology enables the traceability of raw materials and finished products throughout their life cycle.

Breakthrough in bio based materials: Hybrid micro scale co assembly technology (such as cellulose+lignin) can be used to prepare bioplastics with tensile strength>60MPa, and the market share is expected to reach 15% by 2030.

Extreme environmental applications: PEI (polyetherimide) injection molding technology that can withstand temperatures above 200 ℃ (mold temperature of 180 ℃, holding pressure of 120MPa) will be extended to transparent components in aerospace.

4、 Typical Case Analysis

1. Intelligent injection molding factory

The digital production line deployed by a certain household appliance enterprise achieves quality and efficiency improvement through the following technologies:

Equipment layer: 48 chamber connected water cover high-speed production unit (cycle 2.7 seconds) integrated pressure sensor (accuracy ± 0.1MPa) and visual inspection (resolution 0.01mm).

System layer: Digital twin models simulate different production scheduling schemes, reducing mold switching time from 2 hours to 45 minutes and energy consumption by 15%.

Application layer: AI algorithm analyzes over 3 million sets of historical data, predicts the optimal injection parameters (such as melt adhesive temperature fluctuation ± 1 ℃), and reduces the defect rate from 3% to 0.5%.

2. Industrialization of biobased materials

BH Bioplastics: A material prepared by assembling cotton fibers (30%) with pollen shells, with a tensile strength of 52.22MPa. It can be processed and molded in water at 25 ℃, with a soil degradation rate of 100% after 6 months, but the production cost is 20% higher than PP.

PLA tableware processing: It is necessary to control the mold temperature at 50-70 ℃ and the cooling time at 8-12 seconds to reduce warping. Currently, only 12% of PLA products worldwide enter industrial composting facilities.

5、 Summary

Plastic molding processing technology is innovating along the entire chain of "material process equipment application": molecular design (such as dynamic covalent bonding), process innovation (such as multi field coupling molding), equipment upgrading (such as magnetorheological injection molding machines), and application expansion (such as flexible electronic packaging) constitute the four major points of technological breakthroughs. In the next decade, with the deep integration of AI, biotechnology, and manufacturing technology, plastic processing will unleash greater potential in areas such as lightweighting, functional integration, and carbon neutrality. At the same time, it is necessary to break through the three core bottlenecks of bio based material processing stability, micro/nano structure replication accuracy, and circular economy cost.