The Thermoforming film Process on machine
In the thermoforming process, a rolled plastic sheet is fed into an oven to heat the plastic to a moldable temperature. Once heated, the plastic sheet is placed over a mold. Depending on the specific equipment used, several methods may be used to apply pressure to the heated sheet to the finer details of the mold:
Vacuum. Creating a vacuum between the heated sheet and the mold cavity pulls the pliable sheet into the mold, forcing it to form to the mold’s various details.
Pressurized. This method adds additional force to the vacuum technique by applying additional pressure against the sheet to push it into the mold. This additional pressure is created using compressed air.
Mechanical. Mechanical thermoforming uses a mated box to push the plastic sheet down into the mold.
Vacuum thermoforming is the most common method for films, as thinner material doesn’t require excess pressure to form tightly to the mold. Once the plastic sheet is heated and formed to the mold, it is allowed to cool and undergo cutting and other secondary processes to form the final product.
