Thermoforming

Thermoforming is a means of shaping a thermoplastic sheet to conform to the contour of a mold through the use of heat and pressure, either positive or vacuum. Plastic is heated to a predetermined temperature at which the plastic softens but is below its melt temperature. It is stretched to cover the contours of a mold with the use of a vacuum and cooled to a temperature at which the thermoplastic becomes rigid, thus retaining the shape of the mold. The formed part is then trimmed to eliminate edges, decorated and/or fabricated into an end-use article.

Manufacturing a quality thermoformed part begins with tooling design. At Plastics Unlimited, our designers work closely with the customer during the design stage, to ensure the finished part is exactly what you want. A wood prototype is made initially, from which several pre-production parts can be made. This allows the customer to check the part and make any changes that may not have been detected during the drawing stage. Design changes can then be made before the production aluminum mold is made.

Inexpensive tooling can be made to produce prototypes to verify product design before production tooling is constructed.

The aluminum mold is fitted with water lines, which control the temperature of the mold creating more consistent part size.

Formed parts are trimmed on 5 axis CNC routers or a 6 axis Robot. Vacuum cups assisted fixtures hold the part securely, assuring minimal variation in hold locations and dimensions.

Our capabilities are:

• Vacuum and Pressure Forming
• In-House Pattern and Mold Design
• Types of Molds – Renboard, Ceramic, Wood, and Aluminum
• Inexpensive Tooling
• Quick Turnaround on Tooling
• Quick and Inexpensive Prototyping
• Small to Large Production Runs
• Material Gauge - .060’’ to .400’’
• Forming of ABS, PVC, HIPS, PETG, Polycarbonate, Acrylic, and HDPE
• Custom Colors Available
• Custom or OEM Components
• Custom Assembly
• 5 Axis CNC Part Trimming
• Thermoforming Machine Sheet Sizes:
  
  • Single station 5’ x 8’
  • Double Ender 8’ x 10’
  • Three Station Rotary 5’ x 8’
  • Three Station Rotary 4’ x 6’