Masters of Interior Resurfacing | Greater Toronto Area
Manufacturing determines their suitability for various applications, their durability, and their cost. There are currently two primary forms of mass production of vinyl films and they are casting and calendaring.
In General.
Polyvinyl Chloride or Vinyl compound is chiefly made from two basic substances - Salt and Crude Oil. The salt is used to obtain chlorine through a process called electrolytic dissociation of salt. The crude oil, petroleum, or natural gas, is used to obtain Ethylene.
In a process called 'cracking', the petroleum is passed through high heat and pressure, as a result of which the petroleum is broken down into ethylene, butadiene, propylene, and other by-products. Through further process, the other by-products are separated and only ethylene remains, which is then used to manufacture Vinyl.
The Types.
Manufacturing determines their suitability for various applications, their durability, and their cost. There are currently two primary forms of mass production of vinyl films and they are casting and calendaring.
(1) Calendered Film: Calendaring or forced extrusion.The materials are then mixed, kneaded and expelled by an extruder like sheets. Finally, gargantuan, heated steel rollers press the vinyl into thin sheets in a process called calendering. The film gets pulled and rolled by a series of these rollers as opposed to the casting process which uses ovens and this is one of the key differences between the two films resulting in vastly different performance and durability.
(2) Cast Film: Cast vinyl film is made through a process referred to as casting. In other words, the material that will eventually become a sheet or roll of cast vinyl starts out as a mixture that resembles a thick, viscous plastic paint. Plasticizers, PVC and pigments (dyes) are mixed together until a homogenous mix known as organosol is formed. The mix is the cast or measured out onto a moving matrix called the casting sheet where it is subsequently processed through a number of different ovens where the solvents that liquefied the mix are evaporated. The solid film that remains is then rolled onto large cores (kind of like the cardboard cores you see on larger 50 yard rolls of film) where the adhesive coating is applied to one side.
In Summary.
There are essentially unlimited tweaks and changes the manufacturers make to the process to constantly innovate the final product. Most innovations are patented by the manufacturers. This gives them a competitive edge over the competition. This is why there is no perfect single vinyl, as the best final product would need a mixture of different patents from different manufacturers coming together to make it.