21 Amazing Real-World Uses of Plastic

While plastic endures its fair share of taboos, with a little creativity and access to the latest technologies the material can be used to create a full spectrum of exciting and useful products. Read on to discover some of the latest plastic creations brought to life by BCJ Plastics, from police holding cells and safety cabinets to sun lounges and outdoor art installations.

Do you require plastic products for your business or home? Get a quote online or call us on (08) 9353 3477.

1. WA Police Holding Cell

Created as part of an exhibit for a recent Perth Royal Show, BCJ Plastics built a replica of a WA Police Holding Cell. The cell was manufactured as a prebuilt kit and offered ticketholders a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the first point of call for criminals.

2. Sun Lounges

Working for a new boutique apartment complex located in the heart of Perth, BCJ Plastics created a series of sleek, freestanding sun lounges constructed with thermo moulding technology. The durable acrylic plastic features a bright-white aesthetic and was chosen for its ability to withstand the harsh Australian sun.

3. Sculptures by the Sea Acrylic Cover

Every year the sands of Cottesloe Beach come alive with dozens of larger-than-life sculptures during Sculpture by the Sea. For a recent series, BCJ Plastics worked with Sydney-based artist, Kasane Low, to create a transparent acrylic dome designed to protect and enhance her ‘Sea of Fortune’ installation.

4. Perth Football Club Players Shelter

Using a powder-coated steel frame and acrylic awning, BCJ Plastics designed a shelter to protect Perth Football Club players from the elements while off the field.

5. O’Hanlon Electric Motorsports – Voltron Evo

Custom-built for the 2014 eFX Championship, the ‘Voltron Evo’ was designed by O’Hanlon Electric Motorsports and brought to life by BCJ Plastics. Using CNC routing and precision machining, the team enclosed the powerful 700-volt, 9 kWh lithium ion battery within a clear polycarbonate case with flame and crash resistant credentials.

6. Lego Blocks

In one of our most playful projects to date, BCJ Plastics created a series of giant LEGO® blocks to install in a Golden Bay playground. The blocks were constructed using 20mm-thick HDPE and stacked to create a larger-than-life LEGO® wonderland.

7. PVC Fume Cabinets

When BCJ Plastics was commissioned by Perth-based engineering and construction company, Leicon Notley, we knew safety would be a top priority. Featuring 12mm grey PVC and polycarbonate doors, stainless steel hinges and inbuilt locks, these PVC fume cabinets offer robust protection for chemicals and gas.

8. Sneeze Guards & Barrier Screens

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been seeing a significant increase in uses of plastic for health and preventative measures. Acrylic sneeze guards and barrier screens are now being employed by hospitals, restaurants, cafes, performance halls, supermarkets and numerous other businesses to better protect their customers and staff from infection.

These barriers provide the best protection against germs passing from person to person or person to food via droplets spread through sneezing, speaking, breathing and coughing. Acrylic is also an ideal material for these guards, providing better affordability, scratch resistance and durability than glass.

Want to install a sneeze guard or barrier screen in your business? Get a quote or contact us on 08 9353 3477. We can also visit your place of business and take measurements to ensure your custom-made screen fits perfectly.

9. Portrait Poster Holder

Our bespoke portrait poster holders are favoured by businesses wanting to ramp up their marketing game. Made from tough and durable acrylic, they are perfect for indoor or outdoor use. We can also cut the acrylic into the exact size and shape you need using our CNC machine, which saves on time and money.

One of our recent projects was for The West Australian, the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth. It provided an affordable and easy way for the paper to display noteworthy stories around the city of Perth. The fold-over design was possible by using our strip heater to bend the acrylic.

10. Gold Detector Cover

These plastic covers are a great way to protect your gold detector when it’s not in use. It’s a bespoke plastic creation that was only possible by prototyping and vacuum forming. Prototyping allowed us to reduce time and customer costs while also meeting the customer’s exact specifications and requirements.

After we had the exact size and style confirmed, we created the gold detector cover by vacuum forming the plastic. We have more than 40 years’ experience in vacuum forming, so it’s a very simple and straightforward process. We can mould anything from small electrical covers to spare tyre covers for 4WDs.

11. Blue Tree Decoration

One of our favourite plastic creations, the Blue Tree has become a permanent fixture in the BCJ Plastic Products office. Plastic decorations are highly sought-after by individuals and businesses alike. Some of their uses include stage props for theatres, table decorations at big events and for sprucing up guest areas in hotels and restaurants. But there’s really no limit as to when and where you can utilise these plastic decorations.

The Blue Tree is a great example of the level of customisation available at BCJ Plastic Products. Using our CNC machine, we were able to easily cut a specific shape out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), reducing waste, error, time and money with this highly accurate technology. The CNC machine is capable of cutting various materials, including rubber, aluminium, wood, leather and felt, offering even great customisation. If it isn’t done using a CNC machine, it’s probably not worth the time or money.

12. Baby Bassinet

We developed a number of baby bassinets for hospitals and individuals using polycarbonate sheeting. The sheets were dried overnight, then vacuum formed over a mould to create the final shape. This process allows for a seamless design that prevents bacteria from living in the warm crevices of the bassinet.

Why did we choose polycarbonate for our material? Polycarbonate has a reputation in the plastics industry for being one of the most versatile materials on the market. It offers excellent optical clarity, is incredibly tough and absorbs minimal moisture. It’s also flame retardant and highly resistant to chemicals, impact and elevated temperatures.

13. Lectern

We decided to use acrylic for our lectern project for a number of reasons. Firstly, clear acrylic sheets are a cheaper, lighter and safer alternative to glass, yet provide an almost identical aesthetic. Acrylic is also very easy to clean with just a cloth and warm, soapy water.

Our lecterns were made from 20-millimetre clear acrylic sheets, which also boast low moisture absorption and a high resistance to chemicals and UV rays. This makes our lecterns ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. These plastic creations are easily fabricated in our warehouse to suit your exact requirements.

14. Bobcat Windscreen

There’s a growing need for plastic products in Australia’s mining industry. In fact, industrial plastics are essential for ensuring the safety of workers and the durability of machinery.

We recently created a new plastic windscreen for this bobcat. As one of Perth’s windscreen specialists, we were able to custom fabricate acrylic to create the final design. The tough acrylic plastic is ideal for bobcat windscreens. It provides better scratch resistance, UV resistance, durability and impact resistance than glass. Acrylic windows also offer optimal clarity and cost a lot less to replace.

15. Bio-Safe COVID-19 Testing Module

The COVID-19 epidemic continues to impact lives across Australia and all around the world. We recently partnered with Guardian Bio-Safe Module to create this COVID testing booth to protect health care professionals and their patients.

We’re proud to say this testing booth was designed and crafted entirely in Western Australia using high-quality plastic. It offers hospitals in WA and around Australia a cheap and safe way to test their patients for COVID-19. The booth has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. It also allows doctors to use their stethoscope without contact and provides COVID-safe communication via the intercom.

16. Filleting Table

Who doesn’t like getting out onto the water for a bit of fishing? Just so long as there’s a convenient spot for you to clean and fillet your fish after a big haul.

Some quick and expert plastic fabrication in Perth produced this easy-to-use filleting board for some local anglers. It’s the perfect addition to your fishing arsenal. The 10mm-thick plastic is highly resistant to UV rays, so it can withstand long days out in the sun. It’s also incredibly easy to clean.

17. Display Case

We were tickled pink when asked to create a protective display case for part of the H.M.A.S Perth. This legendary ship was sunk during the Battle of Sunda Strait in March, 1942. It has long held a place in many proud Western Australians’ hearts.

This particular display case was created using one of our dome designs. We opted for clear acrylic plastic, because it offers excellent visibility, scratch resistance and impact resistance. You couldn’t ask for a safer display cabinet for the H.M.A.S Perth’s porthole.

18. COVID Face Shields

There’s a growing need for stronger protection against COVID. This is why we’ve started rolling out COVID face shields designed to protect the wearer’s face from microdroplets expelled during coughing or sneezing.

Face shields are more effective than masks because they protect our eyes as well as our mouth and nose. Yes, those pesky little microdroplets can infiltrate our bodies through mucous membranes found in these three areas.

Our COVID face shields are made from 0.5mm P.E.T.G plastic. We’ve opted for this plastic material because it has excellent clarity, high impact resistance and good transparency.

19. Uber/Taxi Isolation Screen

Uber and taxi drivers are often at-risk of contracting COVID-19, due to the nature of their work. Fortunately, there’s a way we can make their lives safer. These Uber isolation screens provide the perfect barrier between drivers and their passengers.

Made from clear acrylic, the barrier screens protect Uber and taxi drivers from those microdroplets mentioned earlier. They also maintain clear vision for both passengers and drivers. The longevity of acrylic means that these barriers will last a lot longer than the COVID-19 pandemic.

20. Roof Dome

Living in sunny Western Australia means making the most of the sunshine. And what better way to invite the sun into your home than with a roof dome. This WA couple’s roof dome needed replacing, so we designed and installed a more modern dome.

We used cast acrylic for the dome. Why? Simply because cast acrylic has superior surface finish and optical properties. It’s also more scratch resistant than other variations of acrylic. When you compare cast acrylic to glass, acrylic also has 17 times more impact resistance. Pretty astounding.

21. Battery Storage Units

Despite the recent troubles with COVID-19, it’s important to not forget about environmental sustainability. Electric motorbikes are being favoured more and more as riders look for more sustainable options.

However, new technology sometimes requires a little assistance from old tech. The above photo shows the battery storage units we recently created for some electric motorbikes. These cases better protect the batteries, ensuring a longer life for the all-important batteries.

It goes without saying that impact resistant plastic works best for these jobs. The plastic also needs to have built-in flame retardancy, excellent rigidity at high temperatures and high electrical properties. This is why polycarbonate typically makes the most sense for these battery storage units.

 

Inspiring Uses of Plastic from BCJ Plastic Products

Have you been inspired by these unique plastic creations? We can create bespoke plastic products for your home and business, using our experience and state-of-the-art technology to deliver your desired product fast for a competitive rate. Get a quote online or contact us on 08 9353 3477 to chat more about your plastic needs.

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