Plastics Fabricating Industry Profile

A survey conducted for PM&F magazine reveals the equipment usage and buying trends of the plastics fabricating industry.

The plastics fabricating industry is in a state of continual improvement. Among the trends recorded in a recent survey for Plastics Machining & Fabricating are the plans of many fabricators to upgrade their equipment in order to increase production rates and capabilities.

The results of the survey are based on a 54 percent response rate from a sample of 500 subscribers of the magazine. Conducted by Vance Research Services, the survey included the following questions:

• Primary end product and/or services provided;
• Types of machines and accessories used;
• The purchasing intentions for machines and accessories;
• Types of materials used;
• Ease of use of specified materials in the fabrication process.

Respondents represented all geographic regions of the country. Specifically, 49 percent of the respondents were located in the North Central region of the United States, 21 percent were located in the South, 19 percent in the Northeast and 11 percent in the West.

Products and Services
Plastic fabricators represent a diverse mix of multiple products and services in the plastics industry. More than half of those surveyed -- 53 percent -- said they manufacture at least one product and provide at least one service. Three-fourths of those interviewed -- 76 percent -- said they provide at least one service.

Nearly one-third of PM&F's subscribers report their primary service as plastic fabricator, while more than one-fourth state their primary service as thermoformers or injection molders. Sixteen percent list their primary service as distributor.

A wide range of machines are used by fabricators in their operations. More than three-quarters -- 80 percent -- use either a manual or CNC router/trimmer. Panel saws are used by almost two-thirds of the respondents -- 65 percent -- with 22 percent using CNC saws and 53 percent using manual/automatic varieties. With regards to other types of equipment, 48 percent said they use sanders, 38 percent machine with either CNC or manual lathes and 31 percent use CNC machining centers.

Similar results were obtained in determining the importance of various fabrication methods in job performance. Cutting and sawing was rated the most important sheet fabrication method, followed by drilling/die cutting and solvent bonding/gluing.

Store fixtures and point-of-purchase displays represent the largest category of products manufactured by respondents, followed by plastics-plate/sheet laminate, general parts and automotive parts and accessories.

Equipment Purchasing Plans
According to a majority of the respondents -- 57 percent -- there is a need for improvement in the fabrication area. Sawing and routing/trimming/machining were cited most often as fabrication methods which needed improvement.Bonding and welding received the second highest mention, followed by finishing, thermoforming/forming and bending.

To improve their operations, 28 percent of the respondents said they plan to spend up to $50,000 for machinery and/or accessories during the next 12 months. Seventy-two percent said they plan to spend up to $499,999 and 9 percent said they expect to spend $500,000 or more. Only 13 percent said they are not anticipating any expenditures.

Nineteen percent said they plan to purchase a CNC router/trimmer in the next 12 months. Nine percent expressed plans to purchase CNC machining centers and another 9 percent of those surveyed said they plan to purchase vacuum formers. Of the remainder, 8 percent said they plan to buy a thermoformer, and 7 percent plan to purchase CNC panel saws and sanding equipment.

Choosing a Material
Acrylic is the most commonly used material, with 59 percent saying that it is used in operations. ABS and polycarbonate are also very popular, with 57 percent of the respondents saying they use each of these materials. Other materials, in order of their ranking, are: polyethylene (49 percent), polypropylene (48 percent), PVC (46 percent) and polystyrene (45 percent).

ABS is rated the easiest of the plastics materials to fabricate, followed by Plexiglas. Acrylic ranks third, followed by PVC and polystyrene. Respondents placed polycarbonate toward the bottom of the list for ease of fabrication.

However, it appears that ease of fabrication is not necessarily the determining factor in choosing a material. Material performance, availability, cost, supplier reputation and technical service all received a higher rating when it comes to material/supplier selection criteria. The most important factor to influence usage is performance of the material, which includes durability, looks and strength.

Plastics Machining & Fabricating
P: (847) 634-4347 F: (847) 634-4379 EMAIL: hfrankurba@aol.com	P.O. BOX 1400 LINCOLNSHIRE ILLINOIS 60069