Our different models of coolers may adopt different production techniques. All these three are included. If you want to know which manufacturing technique is adopted of a certain product model, please refer to the specifications table or detailed description on the specific product page. Rotational molding, injection molding and blow molding each have their own advantages and disadvantages. When customizing, you can consider your desired brand positioning and product performance requirements comprehensively to make a choice, or discuss with our engineers for recommendations.
- Rotational molding (rotomolding)
Rotational molding is the top industry-standard manufacturing technique for durability and ruggedness. Many high-end brands such as YETI use this technology for their hard coolers.
During the rotomolding process, a hollow mold is filled with plastic powder (usually low-density polyethylene) and then heated and rotated. The plastic melts at a certain temperature and evenly covers the inside of the mold (especially the corners) under the effect of centrifugal force. This process can directly produce the inner and outer double-layer walls of the cooler, which are formed as a single piece and seamlessly connected; while other technologies usually form the inner and outer walls separately and then assemble them together, thus there are weak points at the seams, making them more prone to damage and potentially affecting the insulation performance during collisions.
Main features: rugged construction, prolonged ice retention, low upfront mold costs; heavy in weight, high manufacturing costs
- Injection molding
Melted plastic at a high temperature is injected under high pressure into a metal mold that has been precisely machined. This enables the cooler to have greater design flexibility, such as complex shapes, internal partitioned walls, surface treatment methods (such as in-mold labeling or decoration), etc. Injection-molded coolers are usually lighter than rotomolded cooler boxes, but more durable than blow-molded ones, with manufacturing costs in between.
Advantages: Lightweight, high dimensional accuracy, excellent surface finish & thermal insulation performance; supports complex designs; moderate cost.
Disadvantages: High initial mold cost (increasing production can reduce the unit cost per product); slightly thin wall thickness
- Blow molding
Blow molding, as the name suggests, is the process of injecting molten plastic into a mold and forcing it to expand by air pressuring. Molten plastic is pushed into the mold and inflated. The high air pressure squeezes the plastic to change its shape until it matches the mold. This method results in thinner cooler walls but lighter in weight and lower manufacturing costs, mainly suitable for entry-level outdoor activities for the mass market.
Features: The most lightweight and portable, with the lowest production cost; Relatively thin wall thickness, and relatively short ice preservation time(usually 1-2 days).
