Process Comparison

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Property Name   Blow Molding  Rotational Molding
ShapesThin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: ComplexThin-walled: Cylindrical, Thin-walled: Cubic, Thin-walled: Complex 
Part sizeEnvelope: Up to 105 ft³Envelope: Upto 670 ft³ 
MaterialsThermoplasticsThermoplastics 
Surface finish - Ra (μin)250 - 5006 - 60 
Tolerance (in.)± 0.04
(± 0.01)
± 0.04
(± 0.016)
 
Max wall thickness0.015 - 0.125
(0.01 - 0.24)
0.1 - 0.25
(0.02 - 0.50)
 
Quantity100000 - 1000000
(1000 - 1000000)
100 - 1000
(1 - 8000)
 
Lead timeDaysDays 
AdvantagesCan form complex shapes with uniform wall thickness, High production rate, Low labor cost, Little scrap generatedCan produce large parts with uniform wall thickness, Low tooling and equipment cost, Little scrap generated 
DisadvantagesLimited to hollow, thin walled parts with low degree of asymmetry, Poor control of wall thickness, Poor surface finish, Few material options, High tooling and equipment costLimited to hollow, thin walled parts, Cannot form fine details, Low production rate 
ApplicationsBottles, containers, ductingStorage containers (tanks, vessels, bins), housings 
Typical values shown first (Feasible values in parentheses)

Disclaimer: All process specifications reflect the approximate range of a process's capabilities and should be viewed only as a guide. Actual capabilities are dependent upon the manufacturer, equipment, material, and part requirements.