Manufacturers of mufflers, manifolds, and other industrial products are replacing metal with plastic in order to reduce costs and weight. Metal mufflers and manifolds are durable, but they’re also heavier, more expensive, and subject to rust and corrosion. Plastic mufflers and manifolds can support a manufacturer’s light weighting and cost reduction efforts, but product designers still need materials that can withstand impact, vibration, operating temperatures and pressures, and other application conditions.

Rotational molding, a cost-effective form of plastics manufacturing, can produce mufflers and manifolds for demanding environments. Rotomolding has low tooling costs, especially compared to injection molding, and supports the use of plastics that can resist impact, vibration, and a range of temperatures. The strong, hollow parts that rotomolding creates also support undercuts, multiple walls, molded-in hardware, and graphics. Designers can even specify different colors and textures, too.

Rotomolded Plastic Manifolds

Industrial manifolds are fluid or gas distribution systems that connect multiple junctions in one location.  The need to be dimensionally-accurate, leak-proof, withstand contact with specific fluids or gases. When replacing metal manifolds with plastic ones, designers need to consider how expansion and contraction rates vary by material type. Operating pressure also varies by application. To meet these challenges, rotational molding offers a choice of plastic materials such as LLDPE, HDPE, PP, and static-dissipative PE.

Rotomolded Plastic Mufflers

Industrial mufflers reduce noise from machinery and equipment but are subject to sound-induced vibrations, high pressures, and other demanding operating conditions. In manufacturing environments, metal mufflers have long been used with air motors, air tools, compressors, and pneumatic valves. Metal adds weight and costs, however, and can rust or corrode over time. Rotomolded plastic mufflers are strong, lightweight, rust and corrosion resistant, and typically have lower material costs.

Where to Find Rotational Molding for Manifolds and Mufflers

Gregstrom Corporation of Woburn, Massachusetts (USA) provides rotomolding services that are backed by design assistance and help with material selection. As a value-added manufacturer, we also provide services such as plastics finishing, assembly and testing, and quality assurance. To learn more about us and how we can help you to get the plastic mufflers and plastic manifolds that you need, contact us.