What are you supposed to do when your favorite plastic gewgaw breaks? There are a gazillion items made out of plastics these days, from automobile accessories to household goods. When something cracks or gets a hole in it, you might not want to throw it away. Luckily, you do not have to, because there are multiple ways to repair broken plastic items.
Type of Plastic
There are different types of thermoplastics, and you have to know what kind you have in order to repair it correctly. You might have:
- Polyvinyl chloride also known as PVC
- Polypropylene also known as PP
- Polyethylene also known as PE
The household items you probably have around your home that are made from these three plastics include window trim, door trim, appliance trim, toys, and containers. These plastics are usually rigid or semi-rigid.
Common Plastic Items in Your House
You may not even realize how many items in your home are made from plastic. Many materials and products that were formerly made from wood, glass, stone, leather, or ceramic are now routinely manufactured out of plastic. If you go from your kitchen to your medicine cabinet and even out to your garage, you will find a plethora of plastic-ware, such as:
- Cups, plates, and bowls
- Measuring cups
- Timers
- Chip-clips
- Prescription drug bottles
- DVDs/CDs and their cases
- Automobile exterior and interior trim
Plastic Welding Process
One way to repair plastic is through a welding technique. This method creates a molecular bond between two suitable plastics. This technique:
- Creates a very strong bond
- Involves short cycle times
- Can include mechanical connection with snaps and screws
- Bonds with chemical adhesives
Different Methods to Weld Plastic
There are different welding processes that can be used, and each has a different source of heating, bonding, and cooling. The options are:
- Vibration
- Spin
- Hot plate
- Laser
- Ultrasonic
- Radio Frequency
- Implant
Fusion Welding Technique
To repair broken plastic with fusion welding, you will need to perform the following steps:
- Clean the plastic around the cracked area with soap and water so that it’s grease-free.
- Cut a teardrop V-shaped groove that extends along the crack.
- Heat up the plastic welding tool, so that it is hot enough to melt easily a PP welding rod.
- Work the plastic into the cracks.
- After it has cooled, go over it with the welder again to create a smoother surface.
The modern-day world is filled with products made out of plastic. When these items break or crack, thankfully there are ways to repair them.
