Plastic Trays
Plastic trays are very useful to manufacturers of a variety
of products, and are mostly used in assembly and packaging processes. Manufacturers also use them for storage. Industries such as automotive and food
service, both of which have small parts they need to keep organized, employ
plastic trays on a regular basis for a variety of functions. They can be used to catch oil or water drips,
as medical or dental instrument trays, packaging inserts, material handling
trays, and to keep smaller parts in the right orientation for automated
assembly. In automotive assembly, parts
are shipped from suppliers to the assembly line in plastic trays that protect
them during transport and keep them organized.
Plastic trays are usually shallow, may have cavities for
small parts, and come in a variety of sizes and colors. Most plastic manufacturers are able to
produce custom made trays to fit the need of their customer. They can be made for long-term use or they
can be made disposable. They are usually
made out of polyethylene, PVC, polystyrene, or PETG plastics through a process
called thermoforming (for more complex, thicker products) or vacuum forming
(for simpler, disposable products). Manufacturers begin with a flat sheet of thermoplastic, heat it until it
can bend easily, and stretch it over a mold using a vacuum. The excess is trimmed off and the tray is
left to harden. Thermoforming has a high
rate of production and prototyping, so many trays can be made exactly the same
in a short amount of time.