Crane Plastics has a number of extrusion technologies and techniques that can be brought to bear on a particular problem.  By doing so our intent is to lower the 'all in' cost of the components we supply.  This might be as a result of improving 'extrudability,' using a lower cost material, or incorporating several functions into one custom profile extrusion.  Examples include -

 

Use of Post-Industrial Recycled Materials

   Crane Plastics is a net consumer, by several million pounds annually, of recycled resins.  We've developed a network of specialized suppliers who can provide a variety of materials, grades, and forms.  Replacing a wooden part where screw retention, bulk, and stiffness are important would be a typical application.  We have truckload scale mixing equipment to homogenize and blend the materials in order to eliminate the variations inherent in regrind.  We can also test for certain properties both pre and post extrusion to insure adherence to requirements.

 

Foaming of Rigid PVC

   This is an area where significant progress has been made the last few years.  The objectives in foaming plastic can include weight reduction, cost reduction, staple holding power, and wood simulation.  Crane can also cap stock foam, including full ecapsulation to permit critical appearance surfaces to be applied just where they are needed, including weatherable materials.  We also have great expertise in foaming post-industrial recycled materials to achieve favorable economics.

 

Embossing

   Crane's early history in the Vinyl Siding business has spurred a number of developments in this area.  Wood grain finishes are frequently seen, but pebble finishes to resist dirt and scratches are routinely done in both our plants.  Profiles that may seem impossible to emboss can be extruded in one configuration, embossed, and then manipulated back into the finished profile.  Gloss can also be adjusted in the embossing process to allow a part to resemble a variety of paint finishes.

 

Close Tolerance Cutting

   Just a few years ago +/- 1/32"  were deemed all but impossible.  Today they are routine, and in certain cases the tolerances can be even closer.  Using servo controllers we can punch holes to a certain pattern, and then cut the part into a variety of lengths, each with a different hole pattern.  Another example calls for many lengths, each with a complex end cut, only some of which call for a 'window' in the center of each part.  All are possible with Crane technology.

 

 

 

Quad Extrusion

   Co-extrusions typically employ two materials in one profile.  It may be desirable, for example, to add a flexible seal to a predominately rigid part to eliminate the need to caulk a joint.  Crane can incorporate up to four materials in one profile to develop all of the properties in a given application.  A good example might be where one surface needs to be one color, another surface a different color, and the bulk of the part must be low cost.  By using the expensive weatherable materials or colorants only where they will be seen, our customers are able to consolidate parts, and eliminate unnecessary use of expensive materials.