The Industrial Plastics knowledge hub. Engineer-grade explainers on plastic fabrication, material selection, welding standards, and sector-specific applications. Each article is written by our fabrication team or sourced directly from project work in our Hemmant workshop. For datasheets, certificates and product specifications, see our Technical Documents library.
Custom tank fabrication & storage
How fabricated plastic tanks compare with stainless and roto-moulded alternatives, sector-specific tank duties, and what to ask when specifying a custom tank.
- Custom Plastic Tank Fabrications vs Roto-moulded Tanks — When fabrication beats off-the-shelf — geometry, fittings, wall thickness, chemical scope.
- Chemical storage tanks: what are your options? — A material- and standards-led selection guide for chemical-storage duties.
- Plastic Tanks: Fabricated vs Roto-moulded — A side-by-side comparison of the two construction methods and where each wins.
- Solid Alternatives to Stainless Steel Tanks — Where polymer tanks deliver longer service life than stainless at a fraction of the cost.
- Rotomoulded Tanks vs Fabricated Tanks — Choosing between mass-produced roto and engineered fabrication.
- Insulated Glycol Tanks for HVAC Systems — Twin-wall HDPE construction for thermal duty in HVAC return loops.
- Custom Insulated Water Tank — Holding stored water at temperature for process and food-grade duties.
- Insulated Hot Water Tank for a Bakery — Project spotlight: bunded twin-wall HDPE for overnight dough preparation.
- Liquid Urea Storage Tank — DEF / AdBlue (ISO 22241) tank specifications and contamination control.
- Wastewater Treatment Tanks for Effluent — HDPE and polypropylene for variable-pH effluent service.
- Polypropylene Liners for Finishing Tanks — Plating, anodising and electroplating tank retrofits.
- Custom Acrylic Vacuum Vessels — Transparent vacuum chambers for aerospace and laboratory use.
- Water Testing Columns for University — Cast acrylic columns for hydraulics labs and treatment-plant pilot rigs.
- Marine Capabilities — Fresh water boat tank — Hull-fit fabricated HDPE for fresh, grey and black water service.
Pipework, welding & joining
How thermoplastic pipework is welded to engineer-grade standards (DVS 2207), where butt fusion vs electrofusion is appropriate, and what governs joint quality.
- Butt Welding: The Complete Guide for Industrial Fabrications — Joining thermoplastic to DVS 2207, end to end.
- Hopper, Chute or Launder: One Purpose, Three Solutions — Choosing the right component for solids handling, slurry and gravity flow.
- HDPE Tubing for All Your Needs — PE100/PE80 tubing specifications and pressure ratings under AS/NZS 4129.
Engineering plastics & material selection
Choosing the right polymer for the duty — chemical resistance, mechanical performance, service temperature, and cost. Our material pages explain each in depth; the articles below address selection trade-offs and substitutions.
- Engineering Plastics vs Commodity Plastics — When the cost premium of engineering grades pays back through service life.
- Engineered Plastics for All Your Needs — How to specify against the four governing variables.
- Polymer Plastics Explained — A primer on polymer chemistry for engineers specifying fabrication.
- The Benefits of PVCu in Industrial Applications — Why PVCu is preferred for chemical and corrosion service.
- High-Density Polyethylene Plastic Benefits — HDPE mechanical, thermal and chemical performance specifications.
- HDPE Fabrications: Quality Always Matters — What separates engineer-grade fabrication from generic plastic welding.
- Black HDPE — Carbon black UV-stabilisation for outdoor and buried HDPE service.
- Perspex® Acrylic Sheet vs Polycarbonate Sheet — Optical clarity, impact strength, and how to choose between the two.
- Acrylic Sheet vs Glass: 6 Reasons to Choose — When acrylic is the engineer-grade substitute for glass.
- Plastic Alternatives to Glass — Substitution criteria — weight, impact, fabrication speed, cost.
- Glass-Like Plastic Solutions — Choosing acrylic vs polycarbonate for industrial duties.
- Polycarbonate Machine Guards — Engineer-grade machine safeguarding to AS 4024.
Civil, geomembrane & landscaping
HDPE-based products for civil and landscape construction — geomembrane liners, fish-friendly culvert baffles, planter box liners, and erosion control.
- Geomembrane Explained — A primer on HDPE geomembrane for mining, civil and aquaculture applications.
- HDPE Liner Lite — Drop-in HDPE liners for existing concrete and steel containment structures.
- Plastic Liner Applications — Common applications for fabricated HDPE liners.
- Erosion Control — Where geosynthetics complement traditional erosion control techniques.
- Fish Baffles for Culverts and Pipes — Fish-friendly culvert design with HDPE baffles, replacing galvanised steel.
- HDPE Fish Baffles — Why HDPE outperforms galvanised steel — no zinc leaching, 50-year design life.
- Fish Baffles Specifier Guide — 45-page engineer-grade reference: ADR §5.2.1 dimensions, drop-in tender clauses, Specifier’s Quick Checklist. Current to September 2025 ADR.
- Fishway Types Explained — A working taxonomy of in-culvert and standalone fishway designs used in Australian projects, and which type fits which problem.
- Plastic Planter Box Liners — UV-stabilised HDPE for rooftop and podium garden installations.
Custom industrial fabrication & project work
When the off-the-shelf product is wrong — bespoke fabrication for industrial parts, replacement components, and one-off project pieces.
- The Benefits of Custom Plastic Fabrication — Why fabrication beats stocked alternatives for engineer-specified duties.
- Plastic Aftermarket Appliance Parts — Reverse-engineered parts for refrigeration, food processing and lab equipment.
- BrisFest Art Boat: The Spheres Art Installation — Project spotlight: art-grade fabrication for festival installation.
Looking for something specific?
For product datasheets, weld certifications, ISO 9001 documentation and brochures, see our Technical Documents library. For sector-specific case studies and reference projects, see our Reference Projects page. Or if you have a custom job in mind, talk to a fabricator directly.
