Production of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) cups

 

The production of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) cups are described below.

Polystyrene pellets that are exported along with recycled, crushed PS fragments are fed into a Sheet Extrusion Machine. Here the pellets are heated through a barrel and are formed into sheets. By using different coloured pellets, the sheet and hence the colour of the cups can be customised. This sheet is collected into a reel and fed into the next machine, the Moulding Machine.

The sheet is fed into a moulding machine and here, the HIPS cups are vacuum moulded into it's desired shape. The cups upon being moulded are removed from the machine and collected altogether for printing, the final process in the HIPS cup production.

The “blank” cups are fed into a HIP cup printer which utilises UV light for its printing. The printer can accommodate 6 colours each are pressed onto a blanket that is connected to a drum. The drum passes through each HIPS cup which deposits a uniform amount of ink on each HIPS cup. The HIPS cups are then treated with UV light where the ink is dried,

The HIPS cups are then collected and are now ready for delivery.

The advantages of HIPS as a material are that with low cost, the material has a very good impact resistance, machinability and dimensional stability. In addition to that, it has very good aesthetic properties as well as is very easy to paint or glue on to.