What is the development history of rotational molding technology?

What is the development history of rotational molding technology?

The development history of rotational molding technology is as follows:

Origin and early exploration

1855: British R. Peters successfully applied for a patent for a machine design that rotates and heats simultaneously on two axes, which was used to produce metal shells and other hollow containers, laying the foundation for the prototype of rotational molding technology.

1905: American F.A. Voelke introduced this method into the business of producing wax products.

1910: Two Swiss companies used this method to produce chocolate eggs.

1932: Landau registered a patent for the swing machine. At this time, the processing objects of the rotational molding process included various materials, but there were no commercial plastic raw materials in the world at that time, so it could not be called rotational molding.

Introduction and initial development of plastic raw materials

In the 1940s: PVC began to be commercially produced, and the rotational molding industry developed rapidly, but due to material limitations, the product strength was insufficient and the size was difficult to increase.

1949-1950: The first aluminum mold appeared.

1953: Bud Lamont produced the first polyethylene roto-molding product, Mickey Mouse, using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) powder.
1955: Pallman developed the first room-temperature mill, and polyethylene grinding no longer required low-temperature conditions, which accelerated the development of the industry.
Rapid development stage
In the 1960s: Special materials for polyethylene roto-molding appeared, and the market was mainly used to produce toys. The roto-molding process has developed rapidly, which is closely related to the improvement of resin properties and roto-molding equipment. Many special plastics for roto-molding have been developed, such as PEP-320 and Raychenlflanlolin771 developed by Union Carbide.
1964: Mcneil-Akron developed the first modern multi-arm roto-molding machine, and its basic principle has been used to this day.
1968: Formed Plastics produced lampshades using polycarbonate (PC) roto-molding. Philips Chemical invented cross-linked polyethylene, which greatly improved the environmental stress resistance (ESCR) and impact resistance of the product.
Maturity and widespread application stage
1970s: Roto-molding process has been able to produce large containers of 1500-4000 liters. DuPont introduced linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and linear medium-density polyethylene (MDPE, or LMDPE) into roto-molding applications. Since the late 1970s, roto-molding associations have emerged around the world, and since then the associations and the industry have developed rapidly together.
1978: Allied Signal introduced nylon 6 (PA6) into roto-molding applications, and the toughness and chemical resistance of the material were recognized by the industry. In the same year, Elf-Atochem (the predecessor of Total Petrochemicals) introduced nylon 11 and nylon 12 into roto-molding applications.
1980s: Companies, associations and universities began to conduct in-depth research on roto-molding processes. In 1990, Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland, under the leadership of Professor Roy Crowford, established a roto-molding research center and developed the first process control system for roto-molding: Rotolog.
Modern Development
21st century: Roto-molding has developed rapidly around the world. Unlike other plastic processing methods, developed countries such as Europe, America and Australia still maintain a leading position in this industry. Roto-molding foam molding, roto-molding cross-linking molding, and roto-molding multi-layer composite molding technologies have also been developed.