Selecting the right plastic extrusion materials is key to creating efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality products. At Inline Plastics, Inc., we lead in custom plastic extrusion by combining precise material selection, expert die development, and reliable extrusion processes.
This guide explains how to choose the right thermoplastic for your project and highlights how Inline Plastics supports your goals through advanced plastic extrusion capabilities.
Why the Right Plastic Matters in Extrusion
The performance of your product depends on the type of plastic you choose. Different plastics offer unique properties such as chemical resistance, UV protection, and impact resistance.
Choosing the right plastic for your extrusion needs ensures strength, flexibility, and consistent results. Inline Plastics helps clients in various industries match material properties with function and budget.
Understanding Thermoplastics for Custom Plastic Extrusion
Thermoplastics are the most common materials used in plastic extrusion. These plastics soften with heat, allowing manufacturers to extrude complex shapes and tubing with precision.
Inline Plastics works with a wide range of thermoplastic materials, including:
- Polyethylene – Lightweight, flexible, and chemical-resistant. Common in tubing and packaging.
- Polycarbonate – High strength and clarity. Ideal for products requiring transparency and durability. Common in LED Lens applications (but not limited to)
- PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – Known for strength and chemical resistance, along with weatherability and UV resistance. Suitable for tubing and rigid plastic profiles.
- Polystyrene – Cost-effective and stable. Frequently used in point-of-purchase displays and plastic winding cores.
Each thermoplastic supports different performance goals. Our team guides you through plastic material selection based on your extrusion needs.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Plastic
Choosing the right plastic requires balancing physical performance, environmental exposure, and design specifications. Inline Plastics considers these factors during every custom plastic extrusion project:
1. Durability and Impact Resistance
Projects that demand strength and toughness need materials like polycarbonate or high-density polyethylene. These plastics resist cracks and hold up under repeated stress.
2. Chemical and UV Resistance
Plastics exposed to sunlight or harsh chemicals must resist degradation. PVC and certain polyethylene grades offer strong chemical resistance and UV stability.
3. Flexibility and Rigidity
Some applications require rigid plastic profiles, while others need flexible tubing. We extrude both types based on your design requirements.
4. Application and Industry Use
Different industries need different plastic properties. For example:
- Automotive – Requires plastics with heat tolerance and structural stability.
- Retail – Needs clear, smooth plastics for displays.
- Medical – Demands precise, clean, and consistent tubing.
- LED Lens – Demand consistent and water-like clarity so lighting can disperse correctly.
Inline Plastics supports all of these with custom plastic extrusion solutions.
Our Custom Plastic Extrusion Capabilities
Inline Plastics excels at producing high-quality plastic extrusions using advanced machines and in-house die creation. This full-service approach allows us to extrude complex profiles with speed and consistency. Key capabilities include:
- Custom plastic extrusion for complex shapes and tubing
- Profile extrusion for retail and industrial uses
- Plastic tubing for medical, consumer, and industrial applications
- Die design and prototyping for unique plastic profiles
We use modern equipment to extrude a wide range of plastics with precision and repeatability. Our clients rely on our consistent output and material versatility.
What Makes Inline Plastics Different
Inline Plastics stands out by offering custom extrusion built around your needs. Our clients benefit from:
- Material Expertise – We help you choose the right plastic based on your goals.
- Design Flexibility – We create extrusion tools in-house, allowing fast adjustments.
- Industry Experience – We serve automotive, retail, construction, and medical sectors.
- Responsive Service – We deliver fast quotes, samples, and production timelines.
Our goal is simple: help you get the right plastic extrusion the first time.
Optimizing the Extrusion Process
The extrusion process shapes heated thermoplastics into continuous profiles. Our team controls every stage to ensure quality:
- Material is fed into the machine.
- Heat softens the thermoplastic.
- The machine pushes material through a custom die.
- The shape cools and hardens.
- Final cutting and inspection take place.
This process allows Inline Plastics to produce consistent, high-quality extruded plastic profiles with tight tolerances and clean finishes.
Ready to Choose the Right Plastic for Your Project?
Choosing the right plastic extrusion material can improve product life, lower costs, and speed up production. Inline Plastics helps you select the correct thermoplastic, extrude accurate profiles, and deliver results on time.
Contact us today to discuss your next custom extrusion project. Our team is ready to help you choose the right material and build a plastic profile that works.