Plastic granules are one of the key materials for plastic goods production. But how are they produced, which sectors are they used in, and what solutions does Vismec offer for granulation? Let’s talk about it in this article.

What are plastic granules?

Plastic granules are an essential raw material for plastic manufacturers. They are very small granules, similar to grains of rice, used for the production of plastic objects such as bottles, food industry packaging, electronic product components and many others.

They are generally made from natural or synthetic polymers and, once available, are used by companies according to production needs and the type of objects or components to be manufactured.

They offer a greater efficiency and flexibility than raw resins. In addition, they avoid waste, as material that has already been moulded but not used can be recycled and reused to produce new granules.

However, plastic granules also offer other advantages. Let’s see them all.

• Wet granulation: the starting plastic material is immersed in a special liquid and then passed through a granulator, forming the plastic granules.
• Dry granulation: plastic powder particles are subjected to high pressure. As a result of the pressure, these materials aggregate to form granules.
• Melt granulation: the process involves kneading powders or other plastic materials with specific substances. Once created, the mixture becomes the material from which the granules are made.
• Granulation by grinding: in this case, a mechanical grinding system is used to reduce the solid material into granules of the desired size. This process also allows plastic waste from production processes to be reduced into granules.

Thus, the last of the systems we introduced also offers the advantage of being sustainable, since it allows re-use of waste material.

Vismec operates as a reseller of machinery that acts by shredding plastic waste. In fact, our company offers plastic processing companies granulators designed for in-line recovery of sprues.

In this way, waste can be reused in the production cycle, reducing the environmental impact of operations.

Plastic granules: areas of use and applications

Having seen what plastic granules are and how they are produced, let us now look at some of their main applications.

Plastic granules are widely used in various industries, including the automotive, technology products, medical, bioplastics, electrical engineering and beverage sectors.

• In the automotive industry, plastics are used for their wear, impact and extreme weather conditions resistance. Thus, plastic granules are used for the production of interior and exterior car parts: bumpers, dashboards, seats, airbag parts and many other components.
• They also find various uses in the technology sector. Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers and cameras feature various plastic elements, which provide strength, lightness and flexibility.
• The medical sector is another important target market. Plastic is a material that, if properly processed and with the right composition, meets specific requirements for sterility, safety and durability.  As a result, plastic granules are used to produce, for example, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and diagnostic equipment.
• In the field of bioplastics, different types of plastic granules are used, made from natural raw materials such as cellulose, sucrose and starch. These materials are used in the production of various goods, from bags to food packaging: all products whose basic materials help to reduce the environmental impact of plastic products.
• The electro-technical industry uses granules mainly for the production of electrical and electronic components such as cables, connectors, covers and switches. Plastics are perfect for these applications. Since they have insulating properties, can withstand high temperatures and resist the aggression of chemicals.
• Finally, the beverage sector uses plastic granules for the production of plastic bottles, caps and rings suitable for containing and preserving beverages without altering their properties.

So, for companies in the plastic material processing sector, the granulation process is crucial.

For this reason, Vismec offers its customers efficient and sustainable inline granulation and sprue recovery machines in cooperation with specialised partners.

Our granulating systems are efficient, easy to clean and maintain, and can be tailored to your company’s needs.

If you want to know more, contact us!