| Resins used for injection molding of technical parts - PS, ABS |
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| 2010.07.25. |  | |
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In the next sub-section of our Injection Molding study publication series, we continue to discuss in detail the main resin types used for injection molding of technical parts, this time looking at polystyrene, ABS and other styrenics. A survey of CEE injection molders reveals that the E+E industries are the biggest users of PS and ABS based components in the region, followed closely by the vehicle industry.
6.2. PS and ABS
Polystyrene, ABS and other styrene-based polymers represent 11% of the total plastic consumption in CEE.
Two thirds of PS is used as GPPS and HIPS, one third as EPS.
Injection molding represents about 20% of PS consumption and 85% of ABS consumption. Almost three fourth of the IM products based on PS are used as packaging and mass products: Technical parts represent 27%, mainly components of appliances and E+E parts.
In the case of ABS technical products has a dominant share with 80%.
The technical uses of PS and ABS are similar, so we evaluate these resin types together. (Other styrene-copolymers, like ASA, SAN etc. represent small share in CEE, so we included it to ABS). We use the common term "styrenics".
Applications
The distribution of applications of PS and ABS based technical products according to the number of companies is shown in the next table (Because a big number of companies are taken into account, the distribution according to volume is similar to the distribution by number of companies):
| IM of PS+ABS |
| Application |
Company number |
% |
| Automobile |
129 |
40 |
| Electronic |
71 |
22 |
| Electric |
68 |
21 |
| Engineering, manufacturing |
31 |
10 |
| Building |
22 |
7 |
| Total |
321 |
100 |
| Table 6.2.1.Applications of IM technical products made of PS and ABS |
E+E industries represent 43%, so occupy the first place among the applications of IM products made of styrenics. Housing and other main components of electric, electronic and IT equipments, small household machines dominate in this application.
Automobile industry is on the second place among the applications of styrenics based IM technical products, representing about 40% of the total. Main interior elements and many different small parts of cars and small utility vehicles are made of ABS by IM technology.
General engineering has a share of 10%, many technical parts are used in different applications belong to that group. In the building and construction industry bathroom equipments and fittings are used.
Main advantages of styrenics in comparison of competing materials are the excellent esthetical and good technical properties, easy processing and low price in comparison to other engineering resins.
End products
The distribution of main end products according to the number of companies is shown in the next table. (Because a big number of companies are taken into account , the distribution according to volume is similar to the distribution by number of companies):
| IM of PS+ABS |
| End products |
Company number |
% |
| Vehicle parts |
136 |
42 |
| Electronic parts |
65 |
20 |
| Electric parts |
50 |
16 |
| Small appliances |
20 |
6 |
| Major appliances |
15 |
5 |
| Fitting |
10 |
3 |
| Others |
25 |
8 |
| Total |
321 |
100 |
| Table 6.2.2. Technical products made of PS and ABS by IM |
Many different vehicle parts, E+E parts and appliances are a produced by IM using PS + ABS as basic material.
Size of enterprises
Injection molders producing technical parts are generally small and medium size companies, it is so also in the case of PS and ABS, but other engineering resins, too. The distribution of IM companies according to the volume of PS+ABS used is shown in the following table:
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| Company size |
Company number |
Share t/year in number % |
Share in volume % |
| 2000-5000 |
6 |
2 |
29 |
| 1000-2000 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
| 500-1000 |
19 |
6 |
20 |
| 100-500 |
72 |
22 |
30 |
| 10-100 |
221 |
69 |
15 |
| Total |
321 |
100 |
100 |
| Table 6.2.3. Size distribution of IM commpany using PS + ABS |
The relatively big companies (producing more than 1000 tons in a year) represent 3% in number but 35% in volume.
The companies using 100-1000 t/y styrenics have a share of 28% in number and 50% in volume, so these two segments are dominating in the output.
There are a great many small IM companies using PS + ABS.
The size distribution of injection molder companies producing technical parts based on PS+ABS and PA (table 6.3.3) and PC (table 6.4.3) is similar.
Technical level of injection molder companies should be characterized by the average age of IM machinery used.
The distribution of 321 companies producing PS and ABS based technical products are shown in the next table:
| IM of PS+ABS |
| Machine age |
Company number |
|
| 0-5 years |
113 |
35 |
| 5-10 |
85 |
26 |
| >10 |
67 |
21 |
| N/A |
56 |
18 |
| Total |
321 |
100 |
| Table 6.2.4. Distribution of the age of IM machines of PP technical part producers |
About 60% of the companies using styrenics operate IM machines less than 10 year old, which means, that the technical level is good, these companies are able to fulfill high requirements in quality and reliable supply.
Source: ECEBD
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