You might not be aware, but thermoforming is one of the country's biggest industries. This industry is responsible for creating most of the plastic items we use as well as the plastic packaging that protects many of the items that we buy.
Thermoforming works by heating up a sheet of plastic until it is pliable, and then it is formed into a mold. The plastic is then cooled and any excess plastic is cut off and removed. Thermoforming companies create custom molds for their clients, and there are several different types of molds.
Often, you will find that aluminum is the type of material used for thermoforming. It is reliable, especially because it can maintain a consistent temperature, which means the plastic will form evenly. Also, aluminum moves the process along quickly, and this type of mold also is quite durable and can last for a long time. Despite the advantages, the cost of aluminum molds is very high and this is definitely a consideration.
A cheaper option is a composite resin mold, which is nearly as durable and definitely less expensive. The temperature cannot be controlled as well, but it's fairly consistent and nearly as fast as aluminum in many cases. Because it is cheaper and the quality is still high, it can be an option to consider. It is not recommended for high volume production.
Aluminum is an expensive material and even composite can be costly, so the before you make either one of these molds, most companies will begin with a wood mold. This is not expensive to produce, and then if any changes need to be made, it's easy to make changes when you use a wooden mold. After the wood mold has been created, you can use this wood pattern to make your composite mold or your aluminum mold.
The creation of these molds is a big step in the process of thermoform, and virtually every industry on earth needs thermoformed plastic. In grocery stores, you buy bags of cookies, and the little trays that hold those cookies are made with thermoforming. Your plastic package of strawberries was made this way, as well. When you buy a toy and it's wrapped in one of those tricky-to-open blister packages, this was made with thermoforming. In fact, almost every type of plastic retail packaging is made with thermoforming.
Thermoforming works by heating up a sheet of plastic until it is pliable, and then it is formed into a mold. The plastic is then cooled and any excess plastic is cut off and removed. Thermoforming companies create custom molds for their clients, and there are several different types of molds.
Often, you will find that aluminum is the type of material used for thermoforming. It is reliable, especially because it can maintain a consistent temperature, which means the plastic will form evenly. Also, aluminum moves the process along quickly, and this type of mold also is quite durable and can last for a long time. Despite the advantages, the cost of aluminum molds is very high and this is definitely a consideration.
A cheaper option is a composite resin mold, which is nearly as durable and definitely less expensive. The temperature cannot be controlled as well, but it's fairly consistent and nearly as fast as aluminum in many cases. Because it is cheaper and the quality is still high, it can be an option to consider. It is not recommended for high volume production.
Aluminum is an expensive material and even composite can be costly, so the before you make either one of these molds, most companies will begin with a wood mold. This is not expensive to produce, and then if any changes need to be made, it's easy to make changes when you use a wooden mold. After the wood mold has been created, you can use this wood pattern to make your composite mold or your aluminum mold.
The creation of these molds is a big step in the process of thermoform, and virtually every industry on earth needs thermoformed plastic. In grocery stores, you buy bags of cookies, and the little trays that hold those cookies are made with thermoforming. Your plastic package of strawberries was made this way, as well. When you buy a toy and it's wrapped in one of those tricky-to-open blister packages, this was made with thermoforming. In fact, almost every type of plastic retail packaging is made with thermoforming.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell enjoys writing about how stuff is made. To get further information about thermoform packaging solutions or to discover more about thermoform molding, please visit the Indepak.com website now.
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