Vacuum Forming
Vacuum forming is a manufacturing process where a thin sheet of plastic is heated and pulled by a vacuum to conform to the shape of a buck. This process is used to easily and quickly create hollow shells and thin parts. To use vacuum forming, a buck, which is a positive or negative mould of the desired product must be designed and manufactured first.
Vacuum forming allows these industries to produce lightweight, durable parts in a more cost-effective manner than other plastic moulding techniques, especially for short to medium runs. The process is especially beneficial when prototype development or customization is essential.
Applications
Benefits of Vacuum Forming
Vacuum forming is typically more affordable than other manufacturing methods, especially for smaller production runs, due to the lower cost for tooling and prototyping.
Vacuum forming has a faster turnaround time than other traditional manufacturing methods because tooling can be made faster.
Vacuum forming gives designers and manufacturers the flexibility to test out new designs and build prototypes without massive overhead or lag times.
Maximum part size: 48″ (1200mm) x 36″ (660mm) x 12.0″ (300mm)
This is the maximum part size our vacuum former can accommodate.
Sheet thickness: 1/32” to 1/4” (0.8mm to 6.35mm)
These are the maximum and minimum thicknesses of plastic that can be vacuum formed.
Draft Angles
To facilitate and make demolding possible, draft angles must be included in the design of the buck. Convex sections should have a minimum draft angle of 1-3 degrees, and concave sections should have a minimum of 3-5 degrees. Any undercuts should be avoided if possible, however, a matching angle on the opposite side may allow the part to be demolded with an undercut.Â
Thin Spots
Certain designs may excessively stretch the plastic and cause thin sections to develop, tears or holes may even appear if the plastic can no longer deform properly. To avoid this, shallower or fewer complex features may be necessary. Also, thicker plastic will allow it to stretch more which may be a solution.Â
Material Thickness
When designing the buck used in vacuum forming, it is important to consider the thickness of the plastic that will be used. The final part will be the thickness of the stretched sheet on top of the size of the buck.Â
Rounding
Whilst the face of the plastic sheet in contact with the buck will have sharp detail and conform to it very closely, the exposed face will slightly round and smoothly stretch over the buck. If tight dimensions are necessary on one side, it is important to consider whether to make a positive or negative buck.Â
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