IQS Newsroom Articles on Thermoforming
Thermoforming
Thermoforming is a simple 2 step process of heating and then forming extruded plastic sheets into products for the food, cosmetic, medical, electronics, entertainment, household product, toy, athletic equipment, appliance, automotive, office supply and clothing industries. Packaging, however, is the most significant industry where thermoforming is used. Products like
blister packs, inserts, trays and
clamshells are produced to house and protect other consumer products. It is used in low-cost applications for simple stamping of plastic sheets, which may be undecorated, printed or hot-stamped. One product may be produced per sheet, or one sheet can produce many smaller products at a time. Thermoforming also produces larger products like bathtubs or internal door liners for refrigerators.
The thermoforming process takes seconds and only involves a couple steps. First, plastic sheets made from acrylic, low density polyethylene, crystalline polyester or semi-gloss polymers, is clamped down and heated on 1 or both sides by a radiant electric heater which is about 5 inches away from the plastic. The length of the heating process varies according to the differing properties of the polymers used. Next, the heated and moldable plastic sheet is molded through
vacuum forming,
pressure forming, drape forming,
twin-sheet forming or simple sheet bonding. During these processes, the plastic is stretched over a protruded or cavity mold made from aluminum. The plastic parts are then left to cool, removed from clamping and trimmed via saw cutting, drilling, hand routing or using CNC machinery. The plastic part or product is then reprocessed into a final product and shipped.