Heavy / thick gauge large custom vacuum forming services
MDE Plastics Company is specialized in plastic heavy gauge large custom vacuum forming processing, with material ranging from ABS, ABS/PMMA, HIPS and other rigid thermoplastic plastic.
Besides, we also have great expertise secondary processing, such trimming, bending, gluing, drilling. We offer a comprehensive solution. Our projects include display for food, cosmetic product, electronic product, and so on. We serve clients from US, UK, Europe and Asia with custom thermoforming.
China MDE Plastics factory offer low cost high quality wholesale plastic vacuum forming service. As a trusted supplier and manufacturer, MDE facilitates our clients with such service from design assessment, material recommendations, cost analysis, sampling and bulk production.
Thermoformed and vacuum formed large heavy gauge plastic parts
What types of plastics parts can be molded with heavy gauge thermoforming technology. Here is a general range of vacuum formed parts and products: large and thick plastic housing shell for machines / equipment, other vacuum formed products such as: shop sign board, display stand, capsule hotel, wheel arch fender flares, car roof box, pet litter tray, logistic shipping tray, thermoformed dunnage, vacuum forming box, vacuum formed trays and etc.
Heavy gauge thermoforming machine and other machines
Our facility is installed with such machines as plastic extruding machines, heavy gauge thermoforming machines, five-axis CNC processing center, three-axis carving machine, thermal bent machine, punch machine.
Heavy gauge thermoforming size range
Thermoformed Product size maximum: 3860X1900X1200x10 mm (Length*Width*Height*Thickness)
Heavy Gauge Thermoforming Working Process with Us
1. Ideas or Concepts Assessment and Improvement for plastic products and parts
Together with our client, we help to improve and fulfill each idea or concept through with our expertise in plastic vacuum forming experience. We will check if clients’ idea can be fulfilled with thick gauge thermoforming technologies.
2. Accurate and Detailed 3D Drawing for Custom Vacuum Formed part projects
We can transfer client’s ideas into accurate 3D drawings, which is best suitable both to client’s requirement and thermoforming technology. Or we can make mold based on client’s drawings.
3. High Quality Vacuum formed Mold Production
With years of molds making experience, we specialize in various kinds of thermoforming molds design and making.
4. Fast and Excellent Thermoformed Plastic Parts Product Solution
With our valuable experience both in material and thermoforming & post-processing technology, we produce high quality products within short time. We excel in quality control, fast delivery and excellent followup.
Custom Plastic Heavy Gauge Vacuum Forming
Thick Gauge Large Vacuum Forming Applications
Thick gauge vacuum forming is widely used in such industries, as automobile, vehicle, agriculture, machinery, medical devices, luggage, food sectors, appliances, sanitary products, furniture, hotel, and so on. Heavy gauge vacuum forming also can be used to manufacture TPO 3D car floor mat, shuttle bus roof liner, truck dashboard, car door liners, decorative engine cover, pick up truck bedliner, turnover pallet, dunnage trays, golf cart roofing, Spa hot tube, shower tray, refrigerator liner, wine cooler liner, drawer liner, ballistic police shield, and so on. As a China reputed large gauge plastic vacuum forming service manufacturer, MDE Plastic has great experience in vacuum forming both large plastic parts and small products.
What is heavy / thick gauge large vacuum forming?
Heavy gauge or large scale vacuum forming, refers to thermoforming of thick thermoplastic sheets with thickness of 1.5mm and above. Thermoformable thick plastic sheets are heated and formed with low speed semi-automatic or manual-operated thermoforming machine.
Difference between heavy gauge and thin gauge vacuforming
In comparison to heavy gauge vacuum forming, thin gauge vacuum forming usually process plastic sheet less than 1.5mm. It is processed by fast automatic machine. Plastic sheets are always prepared in rolls. While thick plastic material is usually prepared in sheets.
Thin gauge vacuum forming is used for manufacturing blister package, food containers, disposable cups, etc. While with heavy gauge thermoforming, people usually produce machine covers, thick trays, heavy-duty car mats and so on.
Difference between heavy gauge vacuum forming and injection molding
Injection plastic molding is most commonly used in manufacturing various types of plastic products from covers, shells, trays and so on. Most thermoformed plastic products can be produced by injection molding. However, for very large-scale enclosure, heavy gauge vacuum forming has it advantages in low tooling cost and fast lead time.
Injection moulding make plastic parts by melting plastic pallets, while large thermoforming by using plastic sheets. Injected plastic parts often require minimum secondary processing. In contrast, vacuum formed products needs a lot of trimming edges, drilling holes or assembly.
Pressure forming and vacuum forming
Instead of forming by vacuum the air between sheets and mold, pressure forming use two tooling mold parts to press the sheet into required forms. Pressure forming ensure the dimensions and structure of both surface of the sheets. It is also more suitable for design with deep draw.
Process of heavy gauge vacuum forming
- Design: Designs need to be suitable for vacforming. It should be an open-end design, not and closed structure. Only this design can the tooling mold be released from the vacuum formed plastic parts. Height and length ratio should be not too much. Thick plastic sheet can not be stretched at any will. Deep draw design should always be careful and tested.
- Tooling: Wood mold is only used for sampling, which is not strong enough for mass production. Large scale vacuum forming has great drawing strength, which will cause wood mould easy to crack, or deform. Fiberglass tooling mold is used for some small-run production. It is lower than aluminum tooling mold in cost. While, in most cases, aluminum mold ensure accuracy in dimension and much longer lifespan, which is excellent for mass production.
- Vacuum forming: Tiny holes are drilled on the mold, especially along the edges or structured parts of the design, allowing air between the thick plastic sheet to be drawn through. Different plastic sheet material types have different temperature softening points. It is critical to control the temperature and heating time. Vacuum speed should also be carefully controlled, to get perfect appearance.
- Trimming: After cooled and formed, vacuum forming products need to cut excess material, polishing and drilling holes. Secondary process or after-processing, play a vital role in finishing the parts. CNC cutting is a common method.
Material suitable for heavy gauge large vacuum forming
Thermoplastic plastic sheets, such as ABS, ABS/PMMA, HIPS, HDPE, PC, PMMA, TPO, PETG and PVC, are often chosen for heavy gauge thermoforming. They feature good strength, longboard durability and great impact resistance.
- ABS: thermoformable ABS sheet is extruded with Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, with density of 1.07 g/cm3, resilient and high impact resistant. Smooth and textured surface is available. ABS vacuum forming is widely used in manufacturing plastic products
- ABS/PMMA: PMMA is coated on ABS sheet to get a high gloss surface. It gives vacuum formed plastic products a aesthetics features.
- HIPS: HIPS sheet also have a good impact resistant, but of less strength compared with ABS sheet. It is usually formed into liners, trays, which do not stand huge impact. Due to its low cost and high production performance, HIPS plastic vacuum forming is chosen by many clients.
- HDPE: HDPE, high-density polyethylene, sheet have very good impact, chemical and weather resistant. HDPE thermorforming can help build protective cover for go-kart and plastic dunnage tray for turnover and pacakge.
- PC: PC, polycarbonate, sheet is one most strong thermoplastic material. It can be made into transparent protective shield, guard and so on. Thermoforming pc plastic products will usually be used for protective and upmarket application.
- PMMA: PMMA or acrylic, has great transparency and light transmission. It is thermoformed as lighting covers, dome, displays and etc. Acrylic vacuum forming is used to make advertisement signs, domes, covers, displays and so on.
- TPO: Thermoplastic polyolefins, TPO sheet is a odor free material. It can be molded into 3D car mats, through vacuum forming.