Thermoforming & Vacuum Forming

Thermoforming / vacuum forming creates custom three dimensional parts from thermoplastic materials. Ideal for a wide range of applications. This process keeps tooling costs low while maintaining consistency where it counts. Because the product is shaped from a single sheet of thermoplastic material, there are no seams to worry about. You get a strong, consistent product every time.

What products & industries utilize thermoforming & vacuum forming?

Thermoforming / vacuum forming is driven by heat and air evacuation, not adhesive or solvents, so it can be used for food service components or medical devices. It creates a precise shape from a flat piece of material making it ideal for form fitting , flexible or rigid items. Many vacuum formed items are extremely flexible and are used for cushioning and inflation functions.

Thermoforming / vacuum forming can be used to create:

Inflatable cushions and patient positioning devices
Liquid or air containment cells
Trays and bins
Equipment covers and cases
Medical imaging equipment accessories

For consistent quality and clean production rely on our ISO certified Manufacturing process

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Benefits of thermoforming & vacuum forming

Choose thermoforming / vacuum forming when you need

Large part capacity
Minimal seam exposure
Moderate tooling costs
Deeply detailed shapes
Flexible products

The objective of both processes is to form a temporarily softened plastic film sheet over or into a mold and permanently reshape it.
The process of thermoforming employs heat to temporarily soften the film just before it is pulled over a convex mold or into a cavity mold.

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:

Webbing (excess material) gathering in corner areas on the open side of the newly formed product.
Be sure to allot enough cooling time before removing the formed item from the mold to eliminate deformation caused by removal.
Check for acceptable material thicknesses at the extended areas of the mold .
If mold release agents are being used, make certain residues are removed.
Inspect for uniform clarity when forming clear materials.

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 on to the part. Salient features and tube segments can be attached as required to render the unit functional relative to ingress and egress of air liquid for containment applications.

Thermoforming & Vacuum Forming

What products & industries utilize thermoforming & vacuum forming?

Benefits of thermoforming & vacuum forming

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