141:
station for more precise trim registration has been improved due to the common use of electric servo motors for chain indexing versus air cylinders, gear racks, and clutches on older machines. Electric servo motors are also used on some modern and more sophisticated forming machines for actuation of the machine platens where form and trim tooling are mounted, rather than air cylinders which have traditionally been the industry standard, giving more precise control over closing and opening speeds and timing of the tooling. Quartz and radiant-panel oven heaters generally provide more precise and thorough sheet heating over older cal-rod type heaters, and better allow for zoning of ovens into areas of adjustable heat.
149:
the trim tooling and stacker parts that pertain to the job. Thick or heavy-gauge thermoforming also requires tooling specific to each part, but because the part size can be very large, the molds can be cast aluminum or some other composite material as well as machined aluminum as in thin gauge. Typically, thick-gauge parts must be trimmed on CNC routers or hand trimmed using saws or hand routers. Even the most sophisticated thermoforming machine is limited to the quality of the tooling. Some large thermoforming manufacturers choose to have design and tool making facilities in house while others will rely on outside tool-making shops to build the tooling.
127:
The heated sheet then indexes into a form station where a mating mold and pressure-box close on the sheet, with vacuum then applied to remove trapped air and to pull the material into or onto the mold along with pressurized air to form the plastic to the detailed shape of the mold. (Plug-assists are typically used in addition to vacuum in the case of taller, deeper-draw formed parts in order to provide the needed material distribution and thicknesses in the finished parts.) After a short form cycle, a burst of reverse air pressure is actuated from the vacuum side of the mold as the form tooling opens, commonly referred to as air-eject, to break the
171:
electronic equipment. Unlike most thin-gauge thermoformed parts, heavy-gauge parts are often hand-worked after forming for trimming to final shape or for additional drilling, cutting, or finishing, depending on the product. Heavy-gauge products typically are of a "permanent" end use nature, while thin-gauge parts are more often designed to be disposable or recyclable and are primarily used to package or contain a food item or product. Heavy-gauge thermoforming is typically used for production quantities of 250 to 3000 annually, with lower tooling costs and faster product development than competing plastic technologies like
119:
500:
31:
506:
158:
semi-rigid disposable packaging. Sheet thicknesses greater than 3 mm (0.120 inches) are usually delivered to the forming machine by hand or an auto-feed method already cut to final dimensions. Heavy, or thick-gauge, cut sheet thermoforming applications are primarily used as permanent structural components. There is a small but growing medium-gauge market that forms sheet 1.5 mm to 3 mm in thickness.
148:
An integral part of the thermoforming process is the tooling, which is specific to each part that is to be produced. Thin-gauge thermoforming as described above is almost always performed on in-line machines and typically requires molds, plug assists, pressure boxes and all mounting plates as well as
250:
heavy gauge. In 2003 there were about 150 thin-gauge thermoformers in North
America. Sixty percent formed proprietary products. Thirty percent were custom formers and 10 percent were OEMs with in-house forming capability. There were nearly a dozen thin-gauge formers having annual sales of at least $
185:
of thin layers of previously impregnated fibers to form fully consolidated sheets. The main difference from custom-made composite plates lies in the standardized orientation of the reinforcing fibers, the standardized weight content of the polymer and standardized sheet thicknesses. This allows easy
144:
A new technology, ToolVu, has been developed to provide real-time feedback on thermoformer machines. This stand-alone system connects directly to the thermoformer and utilizes multiple sensors to record production-run data in real time including air pressure, temperature, tool strain gauge and other
140:
Microprocessor and computer controls on more modern machinery allow for greatly increased process control and repeatability of same-job setups from one production run with the ability to save oven heater and process timing settings between jobs. The ability to place formed sheets into an inline trim
131:
and assist the formed parts off of, or out of, the mold. A stripper plate may also be utilized on the mold as it opens for ejection of more detailed parts or those with negative-draft, undercut areas. The sheet containing the formed parts then indexes into a trim station on the same machine, where a
161:
Heavy-gauge forming utilizes the same basic process as continuous thin-gauge sheet forming, typically draping the heated plastic sheet over a mold. Many heavy-gauge forming applications use vacuum only in the form process, although some use two halves of mating form tooling and include air pressure
74:
parts. In complex and high-volume applications, very large production machines are utilized to heat and form the plastic sheet and trim the formed parts from the sheet in a continuous high-speed process and can produce many thousands of finished parts per hour depending on the machine and mold size
62:
sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. The sheet, or "film" when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types, is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature that permits it to be stretched into or
251:
100 million. The largest had annual sales in excess of $ 1,000 million. There were about 250 heavy-gauge formers in North
America. Nearly all were custom formers. Only two or three heavy-gauge formers had annual sales of more than $ 100 million. The largest had annual sales of about $ 140 million.
126:
In the most common method of high-volume, continuous thermoforming of thin-gauge products, plastic sheet is fed from a roll or from an extruder into a set of indexing chains that incorporate pins, or spikes, that pierce the sheet and transport it through an oven for heating to forming temperature.
170:
spurred the advance of heavy-gauge forming technology during World War II. Heavy-gauge parts are used as cosmetic surfaces on permanent structures such as kiosks, automobiles, trucks, medical equipment, material handling equipment, refrigerators, spas, and shower enclosures, and electrical and
157:
There are two general thermoforming process categories. Sheet thickness less than 1.5 mm (0.060 inches) is usually delivered to the thermoforming machine from rolls or from a sheet extruder. Thin-gauge roll-fed or inline extruded thermoforming applications are dominated by rigid or
109:
Most thermoforming companies recycle their scrap and waste plastic, either by compressing in a baling machine or by feeding into a granulator (grinder) and producing ground flake, for sale to reprocessing companies or re-use in their own facility. Frequently, scrap and waste plastic from the
132:
die cuts the parts from the remaining sheet web or indexes into a separate trim press where the formed parts are trimmed. The sheet web remaining after the formed parts are trimmed is typically wound onto a take-up reel or fed into an inline granulator for recycling.
145:
specifications. The system sends out multiple warnings and alerts whenever pre-set production parameters are compromised during a run. This reduces machine down time, lowers startup time and decreases startup scrap.
70:
In its simplest form, a small tabletop or lab size machine can be used to heat small cut sections of plastic sheet and stretch it over a mold using vacuum. This method is often used for sample and
1107:
106:
industries. Thick-gauge thermoforming includes parts as diverse as vehicle door and dash panels, refrigerator liners, utility vehicle beds and plastic pallets.
831:
122:
A person holds a mold in an open vacuum bed. A sheet of hot plastic will be placed on top and the bed sealed, pulling the plastic down over the mold.
167:
186:
design and post-processing using identical or similar tools as commonly used when working with metallic light-weight materials like
824:
707:
1166:
1117:
1086:
817:
324:
809:
349:
1102:
1081:
978:
732:
1156:
1076:
17:
1149:
1071:
887:
484:
1292:
414:
389:
1189:
923:
722:
547:
364:
354:
1238:
993:
983:
845:
532:
479:
369:
1214:
583:
474:
459:
439:
90:
and other forms of processing plastics. Thin-gauge thermoforming is primarily the manufacture of
998:
876:
631:
359:
317:
1178:
882:
527:
898:
893:
866:
784:
256:
8:
1028:
789:
712:
626:
578:
252:
255:, is known as the Plastic Thermoforming capital of the world fueled by the proximity of
1297:
1043:
961:
702:
676:
646:
606:
588:
537:
489:
469:
282:
87:
1173:
1139:
1059:
871:
693:
611:
310:
287:
260:
172:
79:
1064:
759:
661:
636:
568:
434:
429:
374:
99:
839:
928:
914:
779:
666:
656:
424:
207:
957:
769:
671:
542:
110:
thermoforming process is converted back into extruded sheet for forming again.
91:
64:
1286:
1144:
951:
737:
727:
717:
522:
444:
394:
297:
277:
95:
94:, containers, lids, trays, blisters, clamshells, and other products for the
1262:
764:
754:
616:
563:
464:
409:
384:
272:
118:
83:
1010:
499:
230:
The more than US$ 10 billion North
American market has traditionally been
30:
947:
919:
854:
774:
573:
454:
449:
1023:
651:
641:
178:
163:
63:
onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape. Its simplified version is
1112:
1018:
988:
858:
419:
404:
379:
292:
218:
187:
71:
1033:
191:
152:
505:
1161:
1038:
939:
841:
333:
59:
128:
103:
195:
399:
302:
27:
Manufacturing process for molding plastic with heat
45:The sheet is formed to a specific shape in a mold.
1284:
153:Thin-gauge and heavy-gauge (thick) thermoforming
825:
318:
832:
818:
325:
311:
117:
75:and the size of the parts being formed.
29:
14:
1285:
415:Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, PETE)
1212:
813:
355:Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX, XLPE)
350:Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
306:
1167:List of environmental health hazards
1087:List of environmental health hazards
58:is a manufacturing process where a
24:
972:Miscellaneous additives incl. PHCs
201:
25:
1309:
504:
498:
390:Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)
365:Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
370:Poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA)
135:
1255:
1231:
1206:
733:Category:Plastics applications
480:Styrene maleic anhydride (SMA)
475:Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)
460:Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
13:
1:
1215:"4 Types of Plastic Moulding"
1199:
440:Poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO)
1157:Persistent organic pollutant
1118:Toxic Substances Control Act
1077:Persistent organic pollutant
360:Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
332:
113:
42:The plastic sheet is heated.
7:
1150:Great Pacific garbage patch
1072:Great Pacific garbage patch
485:Styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN)
400:Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
266:
225:
181:is obtained by thick gauge
78:Thermoforming differs from
10:
1314:
1219:www.injectionmoldchina.com
1113:Japan Toxic Substances Law
908:Miscellaneous plasticizers
1187:
1132:
1108:European REACH regulation
1103:California Proposition 65
1095:
1052:
1009:
971:
938:
907:
853:
846:polyhalogenated compounds
802:
747:
723:High-performance plastics
692:
685:
597:
556:
548:High-performance plastics
513:
496:
340:
1263:"Guide to Thermoforming"
533:Fibre-reinforced plastic
470:Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
1243:www.uvutechnologies.com
584:Biodegradable additives
162:to help form. Aircraft
48:The shapes are trimmed.
999:Perfluorooctanoic acid
435:Polyphenyl ether (PPE)
430:Polyoxymethylene (POM)
375:Polyacrylic acid (PAA)
208:Plaster of Paris mould
123:
52:
1179:Biodegradable plastic
528:Thermosetting polymer
425:Polylactic acid (PLA)
121:
33:
1213:admin (2022-02-22).
1190:Identification codes
790:Foam food containers
713:Engineering plastics
257:Dow Chemical Company
1029:Endocrine disruptor
627:Compression molding
579:Polymer stabilizers
253:Beaverton, Michigan
1044:Polymer fume fever
703:Commodity plastics
677:Rotational molding
647:Fiberglass molding
607:Injection moulding
589:Filler (materials)
538:Corrugated plastic
490:Tritan copolyester
445:Polypropylene (PP)
395:Polycarbonate (PC)
283:Microthermoforming
179:Olimunllum CF/PEEK
124:
88:rotational molding
53:
1293:Molding processes
1196:
1195:
1174:Plastic recycling
1140:Plastic pollution
1126:
1125:
1060:Plastic pollution
840:Health issues of
798:
797:
694:Plastics industry
612:Plastic extrusion
465:Polyurethane (PU)
455:Polysulfone (PES)
410:Polyethylene (PE)
385:Polybutylene (PB)
288:Molding (process)
261:Midland, Michigan
173:injection molding
80:injection molding
34:Animation of the
16:(Redirected from
1305:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1273:
1259:
1253:
1252:
1250:
1249:
1235:
1229:
1228:
1226:
1225:
1210:
1065:Rubber pollution
915:Organophosphates
834:
827:
820:
811:
810:
690:
689:
662:Filament winding
637:Transfer molding
564:Polymer additive
508:
502:
450:Polystyrene (PS)
327:
320:
313:
304:
303:
249:
248:
244:
239:
238:
234:
166:and machine gun
21:
1313:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1283:
1282:
1281:
1280:
1271:
1269:
1261:
1260:
1256:
1247:
1245:
1237:
1236:
1232:
1223:
1221:
1211:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1183:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1091:
1048:
1005:
967:
934:
903:
849:
838:
804:
794:
743:
681:
667:Solvent bonding
657:Plastic welding
599:
593:
552:
515:
509:
503:
494:
405:Polyester (PEs)
342:
336:
331:
269:
246:
242:
241:
240:thin gauge and
236:
232:
231:
228:
204:
202:Types of moulds
155:
138:
116:
92:disposable cups
51:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1311:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1279:
1278:
1254:
1230:
1204:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1170:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1136:
1134:
1130:
1129:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1056:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1015:
1013:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1003:
1002:
1001:
991:
986:
981:
975:
973:
969:
968:
966:
965:
958:Vinyl chloride
955:
952:Polycarbonates
944:
942:
936:
935:
933:
932:
926:
917:
911:
909:
905:
904:
902:
901:
896:
891:
885:
880:
874:
869:
863:
861:
851:
850:
837:
836:
829:
822:
814:
808:
806:
800:
799:
796:
795:
793:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
765:Packaging film
762:
757:
751:
749:
748:Specific goods
745:
744:
742:
741:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
699:
697:
687:
683:
682:
680:
679:
674:
672:Vacuum forming
669:
664:
659:
654:
649:
644:
639:
634:
629:
624:
619:
614:
609:
603:
601:
595:
594:
592:
591:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
560:
558:
554:
553:
551:
550:
545:
543:Polymeric foam
540:
535:
530:
525:
519:
517:
511:
510:
497:
495:
493:
492:
487:
482:
477:
472:
467:
462:
457:
452:
447:
442:
437:
432:
427:
422:
420:Polyimide (PI)
417:
412:
407:
402:
397:
392:
387:
382:
380:Polyamide (PA)
377:
372:
367:
362:
357:
352:
346:
344:
338:
337:
330:
329:
322:
315:
307:
301:
300:
295:
290:
285:
280:
275:
268:
265:
227:
224:
223:
222:
216:
213:
210:
203:
200:
168:turret windows
154:
151:
137:
134:
115:
112:
102:, and general
65:vacuum forming
50:
49:
46:
43:
39:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1310:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1268:
1264:
1258:
1244:
1240:
1234:
1220:
1216:
1209:
1205:
1191:
1186:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1151:
1148:
1147:
1146:
1145:Garbage patch
1143:
1142:
1141:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1131:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1100:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1066:
1063:
1062:
1061:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1051:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1011:Health issues
1008:
1000:
997:
996:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
976:
974:
970:
963:
959:
956:
953:
949:
946:
945:
943:
941:
937:
930:
927:
925:
921:
918:
916:
913:
912:
910:
906:
900:
897:
895:
892:
889:
886:
884:
881:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
864:
862:
860:
856:
852:
847:
843:
835:
830:
828:
823:
821:
816:
815:
812:
807:
801:
791:
788:
786:
785:Shopping bags
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
752:
750:
746:
740:(Agriculture)
739:
738:Plasticulture
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
718:Geosynthetics
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
700:
698:
695:
691:
688:
684:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
645:
643:
640:
638:
635:
633:
630:
628:
625:
623:
622:Thermoforming
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
604:
602:
596:
590:
587:
585:
582:
580:
577:
575:
572:
570:
567:
565:
562:
561:
559:
555:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
524:
523:Thermoplastic
521:
520:
518:
512:
507:
501:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
471:
468:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
453:
451:
448:
446:
443:
441:
438:
436:
433:
431:
428:
426:
423:
421:
418:
416:
413:
411:
408:
406:
403:
401:
398:
396:
393:
391:
388:
386:
383:
381:
378:
376:
373:
371:
368:
366:
363:
361:
358:
356:
353:
351:
348:
347:
345:
339:
335:
328:
323:
321:
316:
314:
309:
308:
305:
299:
298:Thermoplastic
296:
294:
291:
289:
286:
284:
281:
279:
278:Blow moulding
276:
274:
271:
270:
264:
262:
258:
254:
220:
217:
215:Plastic mould
214:
211:
209:
206:
205:
199:
197:
193:
189:
184:
183:thermoforming
180:
176:
174:
169:
165:
159:
150:
146:
142:
133:
130:
120:
111:
107:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
76:
73:
68:
66:
61:
57:
56:Thermoforming
47:
44:
41:
40:
37:
36:thermoforming
32:
19:
1270:. Retrieved
1266:
1257:
1246:. Retrieved
1242:
1233:
1222:. Retrieved
1218:
1208:
855:Plasticizers
803:Environment
755:Blister pack
708:Construction
621:
617:Blow molding
273:Blister pack
229:
212:Wooden mould
182:
177:
160:
156:
147:
143:
139:
136:Developments
125:
108:
84:blow molding
77:
69:
55:
54:
35:
18:Thermoformed
1096:Regulations
948:Bisphenol A
632:Calendering
574:Plasticizer
514:Mechanical
164:windscreens
1287:Categories
1272:2022-07-17
1248:2022-07-17
1224:2022-07-17
1200:References
1024:Carcinogen
989:Organotins
859:Phthalates
805:and health
652:Pultrusion
642:Laminating
600:processing
1298:Packaging
1053:Pollution
1019:Teratogen
950:(BPA, in
598:Plastics
569:Colorants
557:Additives
341:Chemical
293:Packaging
219:Aluminium
188:aluminium
114:Procedure
72:prototype
38:process.
1267:Formlabs
1239:"ToolVu"
1034:Diabetes
940:Monomers
920:Adipates
842:plastics
696:segments
686:Products
334:Plastics
267:See also
226:Industry
192:titanium
1162:Dioxins
1082:Dioxins
1039:Obesity
780:Cutlery
770:Bottles
245:⁄
235:⁄
100:medical
60:plastic
879:(BBzP)
848:(PHCs)
760:Chairs
728:Nurdle
129:vacuum
104:retail
1133:Waste
979:PBDEs
890:(DOP)
516:types
343:types
221:mould
196:steel
994:PFCs
984:PCBs
960:(in
924:DEHA
899:DINP
894:DIDP
888:DEHP
883:DIHP
867:DIBP
844:and
775:Bags
194:and
96:food
962:PVC
929:DOA
877:BBP
872:DBP
259:of
1289::
1265:.
1241:.
1217:.
857::
263:.
198:.
190:,
175:.
98:,
86:,
82:,
67:.
1275:.
1251:.
1227:.
964:)
954:)
931:)
922:(
833:e
826:t
819:v
326:e
319:t
312:v
247:4
243:1
237:4
233:3
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)