Automation and Plastics Extrusion

Automation is one of the fastest upward trends in manufacturing today, from advancements in materials and machinery to robotics and 3D printing. Technology in this area has progressed considerably in a relatively short amount of time. Companies of all sizes are relying on it to keep production up, costs down, and quality consistent. It’s also one of the reasons why American manufacturing, as a whole, is becoming so competitive and in demand.

When it comes to custom plastic profile extrusions, much of the actual process is hands-on. Unlike injection molding, thermoforming, and other processes, which can easily be automated from raw beginning to finished end, custom extrusion often involves manual touching and forming. However, many secondary and in-line processes for extrusions can be automated, and this is significantly increasing within the industry.

Services such as embossing, laminating, punching, welding, bar coding, printing, notching, and packaging lend themselves well to automation, allowing these to be offered more and more as value-added services. A client may have once had to send their product through multiple service industries for added processes in one extrusion; now, automation allows it all to take place not only in one facility, but within the production line for better uniformity and quicker turn-around from the time the order is placed.

Sophisticated customers are looking for a complete part or piece from one source. In order for companies to remain competitive, offering secondary and in-line services is critical to future growth, and automation is key to keeping labor costs in check. Preferred Plastics utilizes these automated technologies and continues to incorporate new innovations into our production lines for comprehensive, non-stop service. This equates to easier coordination and accessibility for less time and money. It’s one of the many ways we stay ahead of the competition.

In the future, we anticipate a greater demand for plastic manufacturers to provide these options in secondary services to their customers. New innovations and practices are evolving and changing the overall result clients expect to receive from their plastics vendor. As other emerging technologies are developed, we will continue to grow our service offerings with the best in new equipment, practices, and techniques, without hesitating to modify or change with emerging technologies that promise to enhance these processes and bring the best to our customers.