Process of our manufacturing

There are three processes involved in the manufacturing of BlueDuct and QADUCT: Rotomolding, injection molding and extrusion all have inherent design strengths, such as consistent wall thickness and strong outside corners that are virtually stress free. For additional strength, our engineers have designed reinforcing ribs into the fittings where needed

Our Engineers have selected the best HDPE material for BlueDuct and QADUCT application, that is, materials that meet LOAD requirements.

ROTOMOLDING

Rotomolding is useful in QADUCT and BlueDuct product lines. This process to create one piece seamless and stress free with superior surface finish is here. BlueDuct products can be up to 36 inches or as small as 3 inches to create a complete air distribution line. 

Rotomolding is a method that involves the slow tumbling, heating, and melting of a thermoplastic type powder in a bi-axial rotating mold to produce seamless, hollow plastic parts. This process is typically used to mold hollow parts, especially those with complex and varied shapes not easily obtainable by other hollow-art processes. It is a virtually a shear-free and pressure-free process. The wall thickness uniformity and part weight can be easily maintained. Additionally, in the process of manufacturing there is very little wasted  material due to recycling.

Process Steps

The Rotomolding process begins by placing a pre-measured amount of plastic material (in either liquid or powder form) in a cavity. The mold is then closed and indexed into an oven where it and its contents are brought up to the molding temperature. AQC Industries production capabilities uses multiple state-of-the-art rotational molding machines, including a process-controlled system. As the mold is heated it is rotated continuously about its vertical and horizontal axes. This biaxial rotation brings all surfaces of the mold in contact with the plastic material.

The mold is rotated within the oven until all the plastic material has been picked up by the hot inside surfaces of the cavity and dandifies into a uniform layer. Rotating arms move the mold out of the oven and into the cooling chamber. Air, or a mixture of air and water, cools the mold and the layers of molten plastic material. This cooling process continues until the part has cooled sufficiently to retain its shape. The machine then indexes the mold to the loading and unloading station. The mold is opened and the part removed. A new batch of material is then placed in the cavity, the mold is closed and the process is repeated.
 
Injection molding
 Our clamps use injection molding. This is accomplished by large machines called injection molding machines. The resin is injected into the mold by a reciprocating screw or a ram injector. The reciprocating screw offers the advantage of being able to inject a smaller percentage of the total shot (amount of melted resin in the barrel). The ram injector must typically inject at least 20% of the total shot while a screw injector can inject as little as 5% of the total shot.

Resin is fed to the machine through the hopper. Colorants are usually fed to the machine directly after the hopper. The resins enter the injection barrel by gravity through the feed throat. Upon entrance into the barrel, the resin is heated to the appropriate melting temperature. 

The mold is the part of the machine that receives the plastic and shapes it appropriately. The mold is cooled constantly to a temperature that allows the resin to solidify and be cool to the touch. The mold plates are held together by hydraulic or mechanical force. The clamping force is defined as the injection pressure multiplied by the total cavity projected area. Typically, molds are over designed depending on the resin to be used. Within each resin there is a calculated shrinkage value applied that keeps the process consistent. 

As part of our research and development, we have an on-site performance testing laboratory. We subject our BlueDuct molded products to the conditions in the field.

Extrusion molding

Our three 3" High Velocity pipes are manufactured using extrusion molding, which is a process, forcing a solid metal through a suitably shaped orifice under compressive forces.

AQC Industries, INC uses the hot extrusion process. In this process, a heated billet of metal is placed in a cylindrical chamber and then compressed by a hydraulically operated ram (see illustration). The opposite end of the cylinder contains a die having an orifice of the desired shape; as this die opening is the path of least resistance for the billet under pressure, the metal, in effect, squirts out of the opening as a continuous bar having the same cross-sectional shape as the die opening. By using two sets of dies, stepped extrusions can be made. The extrusion is then cooled and forms a solid shape. The tube may be printed upon, and cut at equal intervals.

Rotomolding

Injection molding

Extrusion