Material Thinking:
lectrical Wire
Heat Treating Outermost Wire Casing
This experiment investigated how the plastic casing of electrical wires responds to heat and whether it could be sculpted into new forms. The results showed that the casing melts easily, with the heat gun and heat press being the most effective tools for reshaping it. The oven was less practical due to its slower, less controlled melting process.
Using equipment from the plastics station, I tested how the casings responded to different heat sources. The heat gun softened the plastic efficiently, allowing me to manipulate it before pressing it together with the heat press to form a flexible puck. The oven, while capable of melting the plastic, lacked the precision and speed of the other tools.
The ability to melt and reshape plastic casings presents exciting possibilities for creating custom materials. Future experiments will explore whether molding is possible and whether wires encased in plastic can also be fused together through heat treatment.