Improving the Performance of Reprocessed ABS Products from the Manufacturing Perspective via the Taguchi Method

Abstract

Additives are costly and can have negative environmental effects. Thus, searching for other alternatives to improve recycling plastics without using additives is necessary. This study aims to improve the hoop tensile strength, elongation at break, and shrinkage of the ring stopper made from an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blend comprising 40% recyclates through the optimization of processing parameters using the Taguchi method. By adopting the 9 Taguchi orthogonal array, four controllable factors each at three levels are tested to determine the optimal combination of factors and levels in the injection moulding process. Considering the multiple quality characteristics involved in this study, we investigate the effects of processing parameters on hoop tensile strength, elongation at break, and shrinkage of the ring stopper both separately and simultaneously because changing a parameter can result in the improvement or deterioration of each quality response and of the overall product performance. The results revealed that the performance of an injection-moulded ring stopper under the optimal process conditions is equivalent or slightly better than that of the part produced from virgin resin. The performance of recycled plastics can be effectively enhanced to levels comparable with virgin resins using the Taguchi optimization approach.

Recycled Plastic Beads Sorting Machine for Polypropylene and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Type with Difference of Density

“…Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is an opaque thermoplastic and amorphous polymer becoming liquid at a certain temperature 105 o C. They can be heated to their melting point, cooled, and re-heated again without degradation. In addition, they can be easily injection molded and then subsequently recycled [6]. With 1.04 g/cc density, it is higher than water density [7].…”

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A Review on the Identification Methods for Polymeric Materials

“…Since the degradation during the items operation and the thermal processing of ABS leads to the consumption of stabilizers, it is necessary to stabilize the recovered ABS with new antioxidants through its thermo-reprocess, the most indicated being butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), Irganox 168, and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol [40]. Until now, one of the most used methods to recycle ABS at the industrial scale is blending with virgin ABS at a maximum 50% [32,41,42].…”