Vacuum Forming:

Vacuum forming is one of the most popular and effective methods of processing plastic and can be used to form a huge variety of items. Vacuum forming is used to make many of the products and packaging we are surrounded by every day.

Vacuum forming is an ideal method of plastic fabrication for a vast range of products including shipping pallets, packaging and display cases. More sophisticated vacuum forming machines and moulds are used for continuous automated production of high volume items like yoghurt pots, disposable cups and sandwich packs.

The vacuum forming process involves heating a plastic sheet until soft and then draping it over a mould. A vacuum is applied, sucking the sheet into the mould. Once cooled, the sheet is then ejected from the mould. An advanced form of the process uses sophisticated pneumatic, hydraulic and heat controls thus enabling higher production speeds and more detailed vacuum forming applications.

Vacuum forming offers several processing advantages over other plastic forming processes. The low forming pressures that are used in vacuum forming offer relatively low tooling costs.

Since the forming process uses low pressures, the moulds can be made of inexpensive materials and mould fabrication time can be reasonably short. Prototype and low quantity requirements of large parts, as well as medium size runs therefore become economical through vacuum forming.

The moulds used in the vacuum forming process can be made of aluminium, wood or epoxy, depending on the plastic finish and production run required from the vacuum forming mould.

Unlike other thermoplastic forming processes, where powder or resin is the starting point, vacuum forming uses extruded plastic sheet. With vacuum forming a secondary process may be required to trim the formed sheet to arrive at the finished part. The trimmed waste can then be re-ground and recycled.

We have vacuum forming machinery capable of processing plastic sheets up to 2500mm x 1850mm in size so no project is too large for our capabilities. For further information on the benefits of vacuum forming or to discuss your specific requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us.