Thermoforming has been around for a very long time, and has transformed the world that we live in. It is a process that has helped to make items from the simplest of food packaging trays, to car interior parts, sets and costumes in Hollywood blockbuster movies, life saving medical equipment, and even components for space exploration. The possibilities of this production method are endless, with applications seen in almost every industry you can think of. Despite seeing and using thermoformed plastics every day, not everyone has even heard about thermoforming before, let alone had the chance to use it to design and manufacture something fresh out of their own imagination.
‘Thermoforming’ is used to describe any process in which heat is used to shape and mould plastic, although in this guide we will be talking specifically about ‘vacuum forming’, which can certainly be considered part of the thermoforming family, only with some very important extras.
‘Thermoforming’ is used to describe any process in which heat is used to shape and mould plastic, although in this guide we will be talking specifically about ‘vacuum forming’, which can certainly be considered part of the thermoforming family, only with some very important extras.
In this guide we will be exploring the potential of the Formech vacuum forming machine that you have available, covering all aspects of how to use it, what to use it for, how to produce your moulds to form over, and all the tricks of the trade that go along with it. This document will be your one stop guide which you can refer back to at any point during a project that involves vacuum forming, to find all the answers, hints and tips you might be looking for. Once you’ve got to grips with the contents of this guide, there will be just one question left unanswered; what are you going to make?
Source: http://formech.com/wp-content/uploads/Vacuum_Forming_Guide.pdf
