Often confused with injection molding and rotational molding thermoforming processes are.
Vacuum forming plastic thickness.
Each plastic material has a variety of different properties and they form at different temperatures.
Because the plastic is fairly low density it is easy to work with small hand tools.
The thermoforming process requires a critical forming temperature window and all of our forming machinery utilizes precision electronic controls for maintaining part to part consistency.
These features are typically needed to allow for part strength retention of material thickness and or esthetics.
The acrylic petg and polycarbonate sheets are normally clear can be special ordered in colors however the polycarbonate may have to be heat dried prior to the vacuum forming temperature phase depending on thickness.
Because all vacuum forming starts from a flat sheet the wall thickness of the formed part will have a variable wall thickness as the material is.
Thermoforming vacuum forming and pressure forming are considered thermoforming processes.
This is accomplished by putting a piece of plastic into some type of clamping mechanism heating the sheet up to a forming temperature.
Vacuum forming material selection guide.
This plastic is very friendly to and its use is well known by the modeling community.
One of the most difficult features in thermoforming is the three sided sharp corner in a female mold.
The thicker the plastic the stronger but the less detail.
Vacuum forming thin plastics works best they will adhere and take in better detail but 90 abs plastic is what everyone uses for stormtrooper armor and other props when they vacuum form i think westerfields armor uses 65 thick not sure though.
So if 15 mil material is required for a specific project or application the fill thickness will be specified as 15 mils nominal after forming many manufacturers simply utilize heat and vacuum to form the sheets as this is the least costly technique and the most rudimentary to operate and maintain.
Vacuum forming plastic choices styrene high impact poly styrene hips generally the best version of thermoforming plastic for modelers.
Description of vacuum forming simply stated vacuum forming is the process of taking a flat sheet of plastic and changing it into a contoured shape.
Thermoforming is the forming of heated plastic on a mold to create a desired shape.
This vacuum forming material selection guide is part of our free help with vacuum forming it lists most common vacuum forming materials their basic properties in standard grade some advice on costs typical uses for formings made from each material type.
Engineers often do not really understand plastic forming processes.
All thermoforming techniques are stretching processes.
