Plastic Pails
For most of us, a pail has one shape, which is that of a tall cylinder of two to three feet capable of holding between a gallon or three liters and 13 gallons or 50 liters. They are found in homes, offices, factories, and industrial operations as a means of carrying liquids, such as fuel and chemicals, or granules, such as sand, dirt, and saw dust. The most crucial aspect of a pail is that it can be tightly sealed so contents do not escape.
Quick links to Plastic Pails Information
Plastic Pail Design and Customization
There are a few variations to the common plastic pail. Some can even have a top that is sealed and closed. The traditional type of pail has an open top for easy access and a handle in the shape of a half circle made of plastic or metal. This version is flexible and useful for a wide variety of applications and jobs. The closed head or sealed top version of a plastic pail has a limited but important use as a container for fuels, acids, chemicals, and other liquid substances. They have one or two plug holes for pouring their contents.
Materials Used in Manufacturing Plastic Pails
The most common material used to produce plastic pails is actually a group of materials known as thermoplastics. Thermoplastics are exceptionally durable, pliable, ductile, and resistant to acids, chemicals, and deterioration. The ones that are most commonly used are polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS). These are used for the production of packaging materials.
Manufacturing Process of Plastic Pails
The modern and technological method for making pails out of plastic is the use of a process known as blow molding, which is an extremely useful and productive method for molding and shaping plastic. Blow molding begins by melting a polymer resin and blowing it into a two sided die. The molten plastic, referred to as a parison or preform, has gusts of air forced into it such that it opens into a blown shape and adheres to the walls of the die. In a few seconds, the parison takes the shape and form of a pail as it hardens against the walls of the die.
Once the resin is evenly spread, it is allowed to cool before being ejected from the die. The blow molding process produces thousands of pails per hour, which have the exact dimensions and thickness of the original pail design. The replicability of blow molding, as well as its ability to produce precise tolerances, makes it the perfect method for producing plastic pails.
