SealWerks’ custom vacuum forming and thermoforming services allow you to create precision three-dimensional parts from high-quality thermoplastic materials. Ideal for a wide range of applications, our thermoforming solutions help you maintain low tooling costs while ensuring consistency where it counts. Because each product is shaped seamlessly from a single thermoplastic sheet, you never have seams to compromise performance. The result is a strong, reliable, and consistent finished product every time.
The objective of both thermoforming and vacuum forming processes is to permanently reshape a temporarily softened plastic film sheet by forming it over or into a mold. Thermoforming employs heat to soften the plastic film sheet, which is then pulled directly over a convex mold or pressed into a cavity mold, establishing a precise shape upon cooling. Vacuum forming, often used in conjunction with thermoforming, applies negative air pressure (vacuum) through tiny air channels within a porous mold, allowing the softened film to accurately conform to intricate or complex mold shapes.
1. Plastic Film Preparation: The plastic film sheet is positioned in the equipment, ready to be reshaped.
2. Heating the Plastic Film: Heat is applied to temporarily soften the plastic, making it pliable for molding.
3. Mold Placement & Negative Pressure Application: Pull negative pressure (vacuum) through tiny air tunnels within the porous mold. These air capillaries are strategically located at critical mold areas such as corners or negative draft angles, effectively evacuating air between the heated plastic film and mold surface.
4. Precise Conformity to Mold Shape: The vacuum pulling through the mold ensures the softened film accurately conforms to the complex and irregular shapes of the mold.
5. Cooling and Maintaining Vacuum: The heat source is turned off while maintaining vacuum pressure, allowing the newly formed plastic film to cool and solidify into its permanent molded shape.
1. Plastic Film Preparation: A plastic film or sheet is selected and positioned into the thermoforming equipment.
2. Heat Application: Heat is applied to temporarily soften the plastic film, preparing it for reshaping.
3. Forming Over Mold: While softened, the plastic film is stretched over a convex mold or pressed into a cavity mold, conforming it to the mold’s specific shape.
4. Cooling and Solidification: The formed plastic is allowed to cool down to room temperature, permanently retaining its newly formed shape.
Vacuum forming utilizes negative pressure/vacuum which is pulled through the porous mold. Negative air pressure/vacuum is channeled through capillary-like tunnels that are placed at critical areas such as corners or negative draft angles of the mold where the film meets the mold. Most of the time thermo + vacuum forming are used together. After the softened film is acceptably formed around/into the mold, the heat is turned off but the vacuum continues to function until the freshly formed film has cooled to room temperature in its newly molded configuration.
The air capillaries within the mold begin at a central hollow point within the mold that is situated over a vacuum port on the forming equipment. The negative pressure/vacuum being pulled through the mold evacuates air between the surface of the mold and the heated film pulling the film over/into irregular shaped surfaces and configurations on the field.
The dimensional limitations of thermo-vacuum forming are for the most part dictated by the type and thickness of the material being formed. Notwithstanding these limitations thermo-vacuum forming can in many instances supplant a more expensive molding process.
Details to watch with thermo-vacuum forming include:
Most thermo-vacuum-formed parts have at least one open side. Many of these products are converted to complete enclosures by welding mirror images of the TVF parts together or by heat sealing a panel or back onto the part. Salient features and tube segments can be attached as required to render the unit functional relative to the ingress and egress of air and liquid for containment applications.
Thermoforming/vaccum forming:
For consistent quality and clean production rely on our ISO certified Manufacturing process.
Vacuum forming and thermoforming products are widely used across multiple industries due to their versatility, precision, and suitability for both flexible and rigid applications. Since these processes depend solely on heat and air evacuation, without adhesives or solvents, they are particularly beneficial in industries with strict hygiene requirements, such as food service packaging and medical device manufacturing.
Common vacuum forming applications include cushioning materials, inflatable components, and form-fitting protective covers. Thermoforming applications serve diverse industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer products, and medical sectors, where thermoforming products are utilized for packaging trays, structural housings, and protective casings.
Medical and Healthcare: The process is essential for manufacturing single-use medical trays, blister packs for pharmaceuticals, and other sterile packaging components, while also providing housings for diagnostic equipment and various medical instruments.
Food Packaging Industry: Thermoforming is used to create a variety of food packaging solutions such as trays, clamshells, and containers that hold fresh meats, produce, and ready-to-eat meals.
Consumer Goods Packaging: packaging for consumer goods such as blister packs, retail displays, and point-of-purchase packaging.
Automotive and Transportation: In this sector, thermoforming produces interior components including dashboards, door panels, and trim elements, alongside protective packaging tailored to automotive manufacturing, such as custom-fit covers and parts bins.
Consumer Products and Appliances: Thermoforming is applied in creating a range of household items (such as storage bins, refrigerator components, and casings for electronics) as well as toys and recreational products that benefit from durable, lightweight designs.
Industrial and Electronic Enclosures: This technology produces protective housings, covers, and control panels for electronic and industrial apparatus, and it is also used to fabricate customized components for vending machines and industrial control systems.
Aerospace and Defense: Thermoforming offers lightweight solutions for interior components in aircraft, including panels and storage compartments, and is also valuable for rapid prototyping of components prior to final production.
Construction and Building Products: In this industry, thermoforming produces panels, ceiling tiles, and decorative elements, and it is used to design custom fixtures and architectural models that enhance both functionality and design aesthetics in buildings.
Agricultural Applications: The process is employed to manufacture containers, trays, and growing modules (such as seedling trays), taking advantage of thermoforming’s ability to form durable, customizable shapes suited to various agricultural needs.
For consistent quality and clean production rely on our ISO certified Manufacturing process.
(Incorporating soft flexible items):
Vacuum forming and thermoforming products are widely used across multiple industries due to their versatility, precision, and suitability for both flexible and rigid applications. Since these processes depend solely on heat and air evacuation, without adhesives or solvents, they are particularly beneficial in industries with strict hygiene requirements, such as food service packaging and medical device manufacturing.
Common vacuum forming applications include cushioning materials, inflatable components, and form-fitting protective covers. Thermoforming applications serve diverse industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer products, and medical sectors, where thermoforming products are utilized for packaging trays, structural housings, and protective casings. Thermoformed products include both rigid and soft-flexible applications. Our capabilities include producing flexible keyboard covers with individually formed key cells that conform perfectly while maintaining pliability, as well as custom automotive pedal covers that enhance grip and driving comfort.
Medical and Healthcare: The process is essential for manufacturing single-use medical trays, blister packs for pharmaceuticals, and other sterile packaging components, while also providing housings for diagnostic equipment and various medical instruments.
Food Packaging Industry: Thermoforming is used to create a variety of food packaging solutions such as trays, clamshells, and containers that hold fresh meats, produce, and ready-to-eat meals.
Consumer Goods Packaging: packaging for consumer goods such as blister packs, retail displays, and point-of-purchase packaging.
Automotive and Transportation: In this sector, thermoforming produces interior components including dashboards, door panels, and trim elements, alongside protective packaging tailored to automotive manufacturing, such as custom-fit covers and parts bins. Our soft-flexible automotive pedal covers are a prime example of thermoforming’s versatility in this industry.
Consumer Products and Appliances: Thermoforming is applied in creating a range of household items (such as storage bins, refrigerator components, and casings for electronics) as well as toys and recreational products that benefit from durable, lightweight designs. Our precision-formed keyboard covers with individual key cells showcase the fine detail achievable in flexible thermoformed products.
Industrial and Electronic Enclosures: This technology produces protective housings, covers, and control panels for electronic and industrial apparatus, and it is also used to fabricate customized components for vending machines and industrial control systems.
Aerospace and Defense: Thermoforming offers lightweight solutions for interior components in aircraft, including panels and storage compartments, and is also valuable for rapid prototyping of components prior to final production.
Construction and Building Products: In this industry, thermoforming produces panels, ceiling tiles, and decorative elements, and it is used to design custom fixtures and architectural models that enhance both functionality and design aesthetics in buildings.
Agricultural Applications: The process is employed to manufacture containers, trays, and growing modules (such as seedling trays), taking advantage of thermoforming’s ability to form durable, customizable shapes suited to various agricultural needs.