Value-Added Plastic Services at Emco Plastics, a Metro Plastics Sister Company

Emco Plastics is a full-service provider of machined and fabricated plastic components. While plastics distribution is our main focus, we also provide value-added services designed to help businesses simplify their supply chains, minimize project complexity, increase time-to-market, and reduce end-to-end component costs. From our 50,000 sq. ft. facility in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, we offer value-added machining and fabrication services that allow us to deliver top-quality products for a range of industries and applications.

Our Value-Added Plastic Services

At Emco Plastics, we offer a range of value-added machining and fabrication services along with our extensive line of plastic materials. Our expert engineers can work with you to select the best material option and develop a final product to meet the needs of your unique application. To meet this challenge, the Emco facility houses top-of-the-line industrial saws, mills, lathes, welding machines, and a variety of other machining and fabrication tools.

Our value-added services include:

Machining.  The CNC machining process uses a range of tooling, such as turning mills, lathes, and grinders, to precisely and accurately create various plastic parts. Our CNC machining services include milling, turning, drilling, sanding, forming, grinding, punching, tooling, and welding. We specialize in large components and parts, and our ISO-certified equipment can handle high-volume orders and custom tolerances while ensuring quick turn-around times and optimal quality.

At Emco Plastics, we can deliver custom CNC-machined parts from a range of strong, high-temperature, and high-resistance plastics, including:

 

Fabrication. Emco Plastics has the capabilities to create high-quality plastic parts using a wide range of fabrication methods and machinery. Our engineers can work with you during material selection, tool design, and testing to ensure we deliver the best possible product for your needs. Our plastic fabrication capabilities include:

  • Thermoforming. This safe and cost-effective process involves molding a thin sheet of plastic around a mold to create the desired part.
  • Die cutting. Die cutting is a fast and economical plastic fabrication method that involves cutting components out of a plastic sheet using a custom die.
  • Solvent welding. This process uses liquid polymers and solvent chemicals to permanently join plastic.

Cut-To-Size. Emco Industrial Plastics continuously invests in the latest plastics cutting technology to support your cut-to-size needs. And because we precision-cut your plastic materials to exact size, you’ll not incur any extra material costs for material you don’t need!

  • Ability to process plastic materials from .001″ thick and greater to widths and lengths up to 126″
  • Close-tolerance plastics cutting within ±0.005″
  • Smooth, chip-free edges requiring no secondary machining
  • Cut-to-size pieces are always clean and dust-free
  • Access to our in-house inventory, including phenolics, glass polyesters, and fiberglass material offers our customers a distinct competitive advantage and significant cost savings

Welding. There are a number of methods to weld thermoplastics, which include hot gas (air) hand welding, and hot gas (air) extrusion welding. In the following, hot gas (air) hand welding and hot gas (air) extrusion welding are being addressed since they play a major role in the field of custom thermoplastic fabrication. A further application for these techniques is the modification or repair of rotationally molded, blow molded, vacuum formed or injection molded parts.

Edge Finishing. Acrylic, also known as plexiglass, is a versatile material used in various applications, from DIY projects to professional displays. While acrylic’s clarity and durability make it a popular choice, achieving a polished and professional look requires attention to detail, especially when it comes to edge finishing. Proper edge finishing not only enhances the visual appeal but also improves the functionality and safety of the acrylic piece. Edge finishing involves smoothing and polishing the edges of acrylic sheets to remove any roughness, scratches, or saw marks left after cutting. This process is essential for several reasons:

  • Aesthetic Appeal: Polished edges give acrylic a sleek, professional look, making it suitable for high-end applications such as displays, signage, and furniture.
  • Safety: Smooth edges reduce the risk of injury from sharp, rough edges, making the acrylic safer to handle and use.
  • Durability: Properly finished edges are less prone to cracking and chipping, extending the lifespan of the acrylic piece.
  • Optical Clarity: Polished edges enhance the optical clarity of acrylic, which is crucial for applications where transparency and light transmission are important.

Laser Cutting. The Multicam 2000 has a working area of 60” x 96” and can cut and polish up to 1/2″ thick acrylic. This amazing plastic sheet laser cutting machine complements the extensive list of other CNC equipment Emco Industrial Plastics currently employs in its fabrication department. The plastic laser cutting machine will ensure that Emco Industrial Plastics’ clients get the latest technology to create stunning products faster.

Drape Forming.  Drape forming is a process whereby a plastic sheet is heated to the state where it can be pressed, bent or formed into or over a mandrel or form and sometimes using both an inside and outside form creates the desired shape without the use of vacuum. A major benefit of drape forming is the low cost tooling or fixtures. Another benefit of drape forming is that the plastic is not typically stretched during the process so the plastic retains its full dimensional thickness from that of its original form in a flat sheet of material. In addition, the plastic sheet, if clear or textured, will retain its surface features post-processing.

Vacuum Forming. Vacuum forming is a very economical method for producing plastic parts. The vacuum forming process can produce parts in various configurations in small and large quantities at a reasonable price. This process involves the controlled heating of plastic materials to a temperature where it is flexible enough to be altered by the shape of a mold with the help of vacuum. In this method, the heated plastic sheet is forced against the mold by the air pressure differential created by pulling a vacuum between the sheet and the mold.

CNC Routing. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) routing is a highly accurate and efficient method for cutting, shaping, and engraving plastic materials. Here are some key benefits:

  • Precision: CNC routing provides unparalleled accuracy, ensuring that each piece meets exact specifications.
  • Consistency: Automated processes guarantee uniformity across multiple pieces, making it ideal for large production runs.
  • Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of plastic materials, including acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC, and more.
  • Complex Designs: Capable of handling intricate designs and complex shapes that are difficult to achieve with manual methods.

With these capabilities, Emco Plastics can serve a range of industries such as chemical processing, OEM replacement parts, food and beverage, display industries, and more.

Contact Metro Plastics Today

Metro Plastics has been your trusted, experienced, and reliable injection molding manufacturer for more than 50 years. Located in Noblesville, Indiana, we create the components that you need in order to be successful.

We work closely with other manufacturers like Emco to ensure your products are the quality you expect them to be and serve their applications as designed.

For all your plastic injection needs and any additional value added plastic services, contact the Metro team today.