Thursday, September 19, 2013

Information About The Process Of Thermoforming

By Lenna Stockwell


Most of us don't really think about the many industries involved in the production of all of the items we purchase and use. The thermoforming industry is one with which you might not be familiar, but it is a crucial industry for many different types of companies, from retail to agricultural to medical and much more. Here are some facts about thermoforming and why it is needed.

A basic explanation of the process of thermoforming would begin with a plastic sheet. This sheet will be heated up to a level where it can be shaped into a mold. Once it is in the mold, the excess plastic is trimmed off carefully and then the plastic is cooled. Sometimes thin-gauge plastic sheets are used and sometimes thick-gauge plastic will used, depending on the type of product or packaging that is being produced.

Thin-gauge sheets come in a range of thicknesses from about 0.25 mm to 1.55 mm, depending on how strong packaging needs to be. When the plastic is about 0.5 mm in thickness, it is used for a variety of plastic items, often those that are disposable, such as plastic cups or perhaps packaging for pencils, batteries, glue sticks or a myriad of other commonly purchased items. This includes a variety of types of packaging styles, such as clamshell packaging and blister packaging. Slightly thicker plastics are used for items that are a bit more permanent and this would be medium-gauge thermoforming. This process is used with plastic sheets 1.5 mm to 3 mm in thickness and is less common than either thin or thick thermoforming.

When it comes to heavy gauge plastics or thermoforming, you are talking less about packaging and more about creating permanent products. While these products are produced in a similar way, using heat and huge sheets of plastic, these aren't items you toss into your recycling bin. For example, the shell of your computer is created using this type of plastic as is the shell of your printer. At the doctor's office, many pieces of equipment are created using heavy gauge plastic. Sometimes vacuum forming is used to create products out of heavy gauge sheets of plastic.

As a general rule, most thermoforming businesses don't create both thick gauge and thin gauge products, they do one or the other. A few will do both, but this is much less common. Thermoforming companies, however, not only produce packaging or products, they also can design the package or item itself, which is a huge help to their clients.

These days, many people worry about the environmental impact of using too much plastic. While there are government packaging requirements as far as sustainability is concerned, some thermoforming companies are committed to going beyond these requirements. You can find thermoforming companies that use recyclable materials or post-consumer grade materials in the creation of the packaging or products.




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