Thermoforming is the process of heating thermoplastic material and shaping it into a mold. It is a process that is commonly used in the manufacturing industry whereby a plastic film is heated and molded into a specific shape. Once cooled, the molded plastic is trimmed to and made into specific product.
The process of thermoforming can be used in both small and large scale applications. There are small machines that are used to cut sections of sheet plastic and then trimmed into parts. On a larger scale, huge production machines are used to heat and form plastic sheets and trim the parts in a continuous process. These machines are capable of creating large parts and have the capacity of creating thousands of parts a day.
Both thin and thick plastic sheets can be used in thermoforming. Thick plastic is used to create large sturdy components like surfaces in automobiles, furniture and even appliances. Think plastic sheets are used to make smaller products such as plastic water bottles and cups, along with other disposable or recyclable items.
The most commonly used thermoforming method is vacuum forming. In this process, a sheet of plastic is heated to its sag point. It is then lowered into a recessed mold. A vacuum will then remove the air which will cause the sheet to plaster against the walls of the mold. The plastic is then cooled and trimmed.
Thermoforming is here to stay. Since it first started being used on a large scale commercially in the 1950’s, commercial thermoforming has become an increasingly important part of the plastic manufacturing industry. Thermoforming uses less expensive tools than injection molding or blow molding. It allows for quick and inexpensive prototyping along with short production lead times. Designs can be easily customized and both small and large components are easy to create.
To learn more about the thermoforming process and its applications, visit http://www.peninsulaplastics.com/
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