Vacuum Forming / Thermoforming - A wide selection of materials and finishes
What is Thermoforming
Vacuum forming, which is often referred to as thermoforming, is a process whereby a sheet of plastic is heated to a forming temperature, stretched onto or into a single-surface mold, and held against the mold by applying vacuum between the mold surface and the sheet. The vacuum forming process can be used to make packaging tray and pallets, equipment panels, interior cab components (mass transit, heavy equipment), or almost any shape that a sheet of thermoplastic can be stretched or vacuum formed over and released from the mould. A variety of materials and gauges up to .500" can be formed.
Manufacturing Process of Vacuum Forming / Thermoforming
Step 1 (load and heat)
After the mould and machine has been set up, the vacuum forming process starts with the loading of a thermoplastic sheet into the clamp frame of a thermoforming machine.
Step 2 (vacuum forming)
Heat is applied at a set rate to the plastic sheet to bring it up to a specified forming temperature. When the sheet has become pliable, the mould is brought into the sheet, sealed around the perimeter, and vacuum is applied to the mould which forces the material to take the mould shape. This is the actual process referred to as "vacuum forming."
Step 3 (cooling and unloading)
The hot plastic sheet is then cooled on the mould until the temperature of the sheet is low enough to keep the shape of the thermoformed plastic part. Air is then introduced to the mould to release the part and the mould returns to its starting indexed position. The vacformed part is taken out of the clamps and in some cases put onto a cooling jig to stop any further distortion due to cooling and shrinkage.
Step 4 (post thermoforming operations)
Once the part has cooled sufficiently, then it can be trimmed. Trimming can be done manually with a router and router guides or fully automatically with CNC assisted machines or robots. Additional assembly, bonding, special packaging finish the process.
Why choose vacuum forming / thermoforming
Vacuum forming offers the most design flexibility, cost saving and the ability to produce complex and simple, large or small parts versus other plastic manufacturing processes such as injection molding. With proper design, parts that were previously produced using FRP can be vacuum formed at a much higher rate from one mould. Where the FRP process can produce three parts from one mould per shift, vacuum forming can produce the same quantity in less than an hour.
A great advantage vacuum forming to consider is the relatively inexpensive tooling costs especially in comparison to injection molding. A low initial investment provides an entry point for lower volume production with much faster to market timing. Diversity of products and overall production cost in vacuum forming are positive factors which make for many exciting and innovative products.
DESIGN FLEXIBILTY IN THERMOFORMING
- Allows for complex parts including negative drafts or undercuts using inserts or spring loaded mould features
- Solid works software provides finished 3-D part drawings and CAD drawings
- Capable of digitizing and reverse engineering
COST SAVINGS IN VACUUM FORMING
- Molds cost less then other molding methods
- Less per part price than fabrication or FRP
- Faster to market from design to tooling to first part to take advantage of immediate market opportunities
- Individual part manufacturing allows quality checks to ensure that each part matches customer specifications
PRODUCTION AND DESIGN FLEXIBILITY THERMOFORMING
- Provides the ability to have very fine surface detail such as texturing, colour matching, or class “A’ finishes extruded into the sheet prior to vacuum forming. A plethora textures and aesthetics can be applied, including: wood grains, granites, logos, bead blast, etc. Textures and finishes may also be imparted to the mould surface by shot blasting, peening or simply polishing the mould.
- Metal components can be employed to enhance or reinforce the structural integrity of vacuum formed parts
- Large or small production runs
- Pre-printed materials can be thermoformed with good results
Advantages & Benefits of Vacuum Forming
- Design flexibility to meet specifications
- Metal inserts and fittings as integral parts (during or after process)
- Excellent impact resistance materials available
- U.V. resistance
- Molded-in graphics, such as logos, and embossing
- Resistance to corrosion
- Ribs and cones can be vacuum formed for stiffening
- Variety of colors and finishes
- Lightweight
- Product longevity/durability
- Most material can be bonded, welded or taped for assembly
Industries Served
Site Furnishing - acrylic canopies to protective panels
Waste & Recycling – decorative panels for waste bins
Material Handling - custom trays, pallets, bin inserts, “soft touch” sheet material vacuum formed for delicate part protection
Marine – dashes, access panels, motor covers, FRP replacement parts
Home and Garden – garden ponds, garden accessories
Recreational – golf cart roofs, fenders, panels
Point of Purchase Displays – displays, signage, three dimensional cabinet panels
Pool, Spa, and Bathware – steps, spa components, protective liners
Heavy Equipment – TPO components to replace FRP, fire retardant panels for interior cabs, exterior panels, shrouds
Agriculture – access panels, equipment components, specialty pallets
Truck & Automotive – fenders, aerodynamic components, deflectors, custom material handling pallets and trays, pallet for automation and robotic loading
Medical - storage bins, trays, covers, cabinet components,
Original Equipment Manufacture – interior / exterior mass transit panels and components, material handling trays and pallets
Building & Construction – equipment panels, covers, protection
Vacuum forming materials
- ABS
- Fire retardant materials
- HIPS (styrenes)
- Acrylics (continuous cast, cell cast)
- Polyethylenes (HDPE, HMWPE, LDPE)
- Polypropylenes
- TPO
- Polycarbonate
- Many co-extruded material
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