Plastic Profiles

Binder + Wöhrle is producing customer-specific plastic profiles, plastic hoses, plastic sheathing and much more in Hausach in the Black Forest for over 50 years using the so-called extrusion process. In this process, plastics are plasticized, processed and shaped by a die and calibration.

The field of extrusion originated in the sheathing of sleeves and spirals for Bowden cable applications and developed into the processing of all thermoplastic materials. Through strategic investments in recent years, plastic profile extrusion has grown into an important division of the company with a wide range of modern machinery. Today, Binder + Wöhrle specializes in the processing of engineering and high-performance plastics in the diameter range from Ø0.5 mm to Ø50 mm. The processing of standard plastics is also no problem. Plastic profiles and tubes can be wound “endlessly” onto spools or cut to a tolerance of a few hundredths of a millimeter.

Application Examples of Plastic Profiles

Plastic profile extrusion by Binder + Wöhrle enables almost limitless shaping possibilities in the processing of plastic. The properties and geometries of the plastic profiles, pipes and hoses can vary greatly, from thick-walled and stable pipes, to complex and detailed profiles, to thin-walled and flexibly layable profiles.

Product Portfolio of our Plastic Profiles

B + W’s plastic profile extrusion offers a wide range of solutions for various applications. High demands on dimensional accuracy, timely and reliable deliveries and the processing of all plastics characterize our production.

Plastic Pyramid

Binder + Wöhrle processes almost all thermoplastics available on the market in plastic profile extrusion and injection molding. For more than 50 years we have been gathering knowledge and know-how in plastics processing and are constantly expanding this with new projects. In the plastics pyramid below you can discover some of the most important plastics and learn some basics about them.

Feel free to contact us with questions about your plastics application!

High-Performance

Engineering

Standard

High-Performance Plastics

High-performance plastic profiles are characterized by outstanding thermal, mechanical, chemical and electrical properties. Due to their extremely high load-bearing capacity, they are used in applications where the demands on the material are particularly high.

As a rule, high-performance plastics are more expensive than engineering and standard plastics because they are more difficult to manufacture and process.

They are used in particularly demanding applications where conventional plastic profiles reach their limits. A few of the most important areas of application are:

  • the aerospace industry, due to their high strength, stiffness and temperature resistance
  • the automotive industry for engine components or brake systems, due to their high resistance to extreme temperatures and chemicals
  • or the medical technology for devices, instruments or implants, because they are biocompatible and sterilizable.

Binder + Wöhrle processes all high-performance plastics available on the market, such as PEEK, PEI, PFA or PVDF.

Standard Plastics

Standard plastic profiles are generally low-cost options for everyday applications. As a rule, they have good durability, are comparatively soft, flexible and can withstand only minor stress.

In general, standard plastics are easy to process and do not require special equipment.

Standard plastics are used in a variety of applications like everyday products such as water pipes, packaging, household goods, toys, and more. Some examples of standard plastics are PP, PE, ABS, PVC and TPE.

Engineering Plastics

Engineering plastic profiles have optimized properties such as higher strength, stiffness and temperature resistance. This is accompanied by slightly higher material costs, making them suitable for use in challenging industrial applications.

Processing of engineering plastics is generally easy and does not require any special measures.

Engineering plastics are used in all branches of industry, from mechanical engineering, construction and the automotive industry to medical technology. They are used for plain bearings, guide rails, pipelines, catheters, cable insulators and much more. Some examples of engineering plastics are PA, PBT, PET, PK or POM.

Plastic Profiles with Additives

In the search for the right plastic material, technical and economic interests may come into conflict, or technical requirements cannot be met by any plastic available on the market by itself. In such cases, additives are used. These are technical materials that can be added to plastics. They enable or optimize properties such as hardness, flexibility or magnetism.

Glass Fiber

Glass fiber (GF) is a frequently used additive in plastics processing. By adding it, technical properties such as stiffness, impact strength, heat resistance and creep resistance can be increased. It is often used to replace profiles that were originally made of metal. Typical mixing ratios are between 10% and 40%.

Carbon Fiber

Plastic profiles are reinforced with carbon fiber (CF), also known as carbon, when the application places high demands on weight, hardness and impact strength. These properties clearly separate carbon fiber from glass fiber. It should be noted, however, that the price of carbon is much higher.

Carbon fiber reinforced profiles have a very extensive range of applications from aerospace and automotive to electrical engineering and leisure articles.

Talc

Talc, also known as magnesium silicate hydrate, is used in plastic profile production to improve certain properties. For example, this additive increases impact strength, stiffness, heat stability and chemical resistance. It also improves the flow properties of the plastic in the thermoplastic state. As a result, talc-reinforced plastic profiles have a lower abrasive effect on the extrusion die than carbon or glass fiber-reinforced profiles.

Metal Powder

Metal powder is an additive in plastics processing that is used to optimize or change certain properties of plastic profiles. Various metals, such as copper, brass or steel can be added to the plastic. Plastic profiles with metal powder find a wide field of application due to advantageous properties such as conductivity, strength, optical effects or magnetism.

Flame Retardant

Plastic profiles are usually easily combustible because they consist of organic polymer chains. In order for them to be used in technical and industrial applications, it is common that the flammability needs to be reduced. Flame retardants can increase the time it takes for a fire to start or even prevent it completely. There are different types of flame retardants such as halogenated, phosphoric or mineralized.

Plasticizers

The use of plasticizers makes it possible to optimize the flexibility and installation properties of plastic profiles. Various circumstances must be taken into account in the application. For example, granules with admixtures of plasticizers cannot be stored for long periods like other plastics because they diffuse out of the material. Exposure to sunlight also accelerates the disappearance of plasticizers.

Today, plasticizers are only used in a few applications, not least because they are considered carcinogenic.

Advantages of Plastic Profiles

The use of plastic profiles, pipes, hoses and many other applications offers several advantages over materials such as metal, wood or ceramics.

  1. Lightness – In general, plastic profiles are very light and yet can withstand high mechanical and thermal forces. This makes them ideal for use in mobility applications to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.
  2. Corrosion Resistance – plastic profiles are typically resistant to acids, alkalis, water, environmental influences and more where metal, for example, rusts quickly.
  3. Flexibility – plastic profiles are flexible and can be formed into any shape. This gives them a wide range of applications. The particular material properties and mixing ratios with stabilizers such as glass fiber can adjust the flexibility to the requirements of the applications.
  4. Insulation – plastics are excellent insulators of electricity and heat. They are therefore particularly suitable for cable sheathing and component insulation.
  5. Durability -In general, plastic profiles are very durable and resistant to friction and wear. As a result, they can be used for many years without material fatigue occurring.
  6. Recyclability – The vast majority of thermoplastic profiles and pipes today are already recyclable. This is important for the environmental impact and also provides economic benefits.