Effect of Cycle Time on Mechanical Properties of LLDPE during Rotational Moulding Process

摘要

Rotational moulding is the fastest growing sector of the plastic processing industry having growth rate of about 10-20% per annum. Improving the mechanical properties without sacrificing the processibility is the biggest challenge in this process. In this paper an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of cycle time on tensile, impact and flexural property of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) product using rotational moulding technology. Rotational moulded samples were tested and it was found that there exist regions where the part is "undercooked" and mechanical properties are found to be inferior. It was also found that when parts are "overcooked" the mechanical properties are severely affected. Statistical studies were conducted to find the significance of cycle time over the mechanical properties. It was found that optimal cycle time can be obtained to set superior mechanical properties using experimental and statistical studies like analysis of variance (ANOVA).