Plastisol products and coatings would not have been possible without the development of Polyvinyl Chloride in Germany about 1910.
In the 1920’s researchers were looking for a substitute for relatively scarce natural rubber then used in tire manufacturing. The result was plasticized polyvinyl chloride, or what we refer to today as PVC.
In the 1930’s other automotive uses for PVC were developed including shock absorber seals.
Plastisol is a solution of PVC resin in a liquid plasticizer, (a plasticizer is an additive to plastic resins that make them more flexible, workable, or improve their ability to stretch, or to be molded and thermally cured to hold a desired shape.)
During World War II Plastisol replaced unavailable natural rubber as a wire insulation material. It provided molded covers for shock absorbers on military aircraft and a protective and comfortable material for covering hand tool grips such as pliers and cutters. There are many other applications.
When Industry returned to civilian production at the end of the war it was of course natural that Plastisol continued to be used and was adapted to civilian products. It’s use has grown dramatically in the intervening 60 plus years since.
Dip Molded and Dip Coated Plastisol products have grown in use, and have remained so popular because they provide a cost effective and durable solution for many commercial, industrial and consumer products.
Dip Molded and plastic parts are a great alternative to injection molded parts produced for many applications with much less of the initial set-up costs.