Plastic Extrusion: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
PolymerFamily
+/-0.2mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
77Parts in finder
Plastic extrusion melts polymer and pushes it through a die into a continuous profile, pipe, tube, sheet or film that is cooled and cut to length.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Pipe, tube, trim, seals and sheet in long continuous runs.
Watch for
Constant cross section only; tight tolerances need calibration and control.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Dry resin
Dry and feed the resin.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Extrude
Extrude through the profile/pipe die.
Tooling Die Tolerance - Lead -
Cool & size
Cool and size in a calibrator/water bath.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Cut
Cut to length.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check section and dimensions.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
PVC
Cheap, rigid
HDPE
Tough, chemical
PC/ABS
Tougher profiles
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Plastic Extrusion. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Uneven wall thickness.Even the section.
Hollow unsupported spans.Add internal webs.
Cost
What it costs
Pipe, profile, sheet of constant section; cheap die, priced by weight/length. High-volume continuous.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$1.4 to 3.5per part at 100 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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Plastic extrusion melts polymer and pushes it through a die into a continuous profile, pipe, tube, sheet or film that is cooled and cut to length. The typical route is: Dry resin; Extrude; Cool & size; Cut; Inspect. Pipe, tube, trim, seals and sheet in long continuous runs.
What does Plastic Extrusion cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $1.4 to 3.5 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Plastic Extrusion hold?
Typically about +/-0.2 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Plastic Extrusion?
Common choices are PVC (Cheap, rigid); HDPE (Tough, chemical); PC/ABS (Tougher profiles).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
