Some plastic products that you can use in the household are much lighter than you would expect. Think of a huge garden planter or a storage box. Even a patio table can look heavy, but turns out to be surprisingly light when you pick it up. That mainly comes down to the way plastic products are made nowadays. Manufacturers try to use less material where they can and that while still making sure the product is strong enough for normal use. That helps keep the weight down, which makes it easier to move the product in daily tasks. Additionally, transportation will get easier and cheaper when the products are lighter.
Lightweight Does not Have to Mean Weak
Plastic still has a bit of a reputation for being cheap or easy to break. For a long time now, this actually has not been the case. Of course this depends a lot on the type of plastic and how the product is made. With larger items, weight matters more than you might think. A heavy garden box may feel solid, but it also becomes annoying when you want to move it. The same goes for planters or outdoor furniture. That is why manufacturers often try to reduce the amount of material without making the product feel cheap or too thin. There are several factors that play a role in this, such as the shape and internal structure.
Different Ways of Producing
One method used to reduce the weight of plastic products is structural foam moulding. With this process, the inside of the plastic is given a foamed structure while the outside stays solid. The result is a part that uses less material than a fully solid piece of plastic. That can make quite a difference in weight. At the same time, the product can still stay rigid enough. Of course, that also depends on the type of plastic and the design. Also the way the product is built up is of influence on this.
What Can You Check in a Shop?
You usually cannot tell exactly how a plastic product was made just by looking at it. Still, there are a few things worth checking. Pick the item up and see how the weight compares with its size. Press gently on some of the larger surfaces as well. This can give you an idea of how flexible or rigid the material is. It is also worth looking at the edges and fixing points. Those areas often show whether a product has been finished properly. Are you planning on buying an outdoor product? Then check whether the material is actually suitable for outdoor use. Think of aspects such as temperature changes, sunlight and moisture. These can affect the plastic over time. Specialist manufacturers such as HSV-tmp take these kinds of factors into account when developing plastic parts. The right production method depends on what the final product needs to do.
Weight is Only Part of the Story
Are you planning on buying some product for your household? For example a planter or big storage box? Then most people first look at the colour, size and design. Of course those aspects are also important, but it is also necessary to check the way the material feels. A lighter product can be useful if you need to move it regularly. It still needs to feel strong and solid enough for everyday use. As known now, weight alone does not tell the whole story. It’s actually the combination of the material, design and production method together that determine how a plastic product will actually hold up in daily use.
