Analyzing the Key Applications of Thermoformable Plastic Sheets

Thermoformable plastic is a unique type of plastic material that has diverse applications in many industries. Made by heating plastic pellets and forming them into sheets, they are reliable, affordable, and easily available, making them perfect to be used in a wide range of applications. They come in a lot of variants based on what they are used for and based on which industry they are being used for.

Here are some of the key applications of Thermoformable plastic:

Case for Electronic Devices

If you own a desktop computer or a laptop made of hard plastic on the outer side, chances are that they are made of Thermoformable plastic. Most electronic devices such as computers, medical devices, calculators, televisions, and game consoles have Thermoformable plastic casing. It is hard, durable and non-conducting, making them a great choice for using as outer casings.

Windows and Skylights

Most modern buildings use Thermoformable plastic windows and skylights, as they offer all the benefits of fiberglass and glass minus the disadvantages. As Thermoformable plastic is very strong and shatterproof, they offer good protection from UV rays as windows and will allow an ample amount of light into buildings. Although they are not generally bulletproof, there have been instances of bulletproof glass being developed from highly modified Thermoformable plastic with added resilience.  Acrylic and Polycarbonate are two of the most used Thermoformable plastic variants used for manufacturing windows and skylights.

Automobile Parts

Literally, every kind of plastic used in an automobile such as car is made of Thermoformable plastic. Because the parts are small and have various designs, Thermoformable plastic offers the best solution as it is easy to mold it into any kind of shape. Even the engine covers of cars and fuel tanks of most common cars are made of Thermoformable plastic. Common parts include door panels, bumpers, sir ducts, pressure pipes, headlight covers, windscreen, handles, and tire rim covers. Different variants are used for different feature requirements.

Agricultural Equipment

Agricultural equipment is mostly put in use outdoors, in both hot and cold weather. Thermoformable plastics are highly temperature resistant, hence they are generally preferred as the go-to material for agricultural equipment such as tractor covers, farm machines, sprinklers, underground pipes, pump components, water containers, and sprayers. Different types of customized Thermoformable plastic variants are generally used for making different agricultural parts based on the required properties. For example, some variants offer high strength and resistance to chemicals, whereas some offer better heat deflection and resistance to stains.

Everything You Need to Know About Thermoformable Plastic: Their Types and Manufacturing Process

Plastics are used in almost every form of manufacturing because of their versatility and high workability. Unlike naturally occurring minerals like iron and copper, plastic is an entirely man-made chemical product whose internal composition can be tweaked to give us the desired hardness and other properties. One of those plastic varieties is Thermoformable plastic.

The very first question is, what exactly are thermoformable plastic sheets?

Thermoformability of plastic is not a property of plastic; it is the manufacturing process that is used to make the plastic that gives it the name. The process of thermoforming involves heating the plastic at high temperatures close to its melting point and applying strong force to the plastic sheets over the mold so that the plastic takes the shape of the mold.

Just dumping plastic into the furnace is not how it works; the plastic is actually prebuilt into different shapes of uniform sizes. They are usually in the form of plastic pellets or plastic rolls. These pellets and rolls are made into thermoformable plastic sheets which give manufacturers a bigger surface area to work on. These sheets can then be transported to a different facility for further thermoforming into various molds or put in molds in the very same factory. Force is applied either by direct contact using assist plugs or indirectly using a vacuum or air.

The force applied to warm plastic sheets over molds made the plastic takes the shape of the molds which are then trimmed on the sides to remove the extra material. The extra material is recycled into raw material for the next batch, whereas the finished plastic parts are sent for cooling and packaging.

Plastic manufacturers generally use a variety of plastics for manufacturing thermoformable plastic sheets, some of which are:

• Polystyrene: They are generally used for making clear plastic containers such as jars and beverage bottles. The plastic is rigid enough to resist high and low temperatures, and the hardness can be tuned up for making other items such as toys.

• PET Plastic: They are well known as the main component used to make storage bottles for cold drinks. They are as clear as polystyrene and offer better chemical resistance than other variants, but they are not as temperature resistant as polystyrene plastic.

• PVC Plastic: It is one of the hardest plastic variants out there due to its unique polymer structure. It is very hard and has high-temperature resistance, making it perfect for all kinds of wiring, plumbing and sewage pipes.

All of the plastic variants mentioned above undergo the same the thermoforming process to be molded into the final products that are put to use.

Advantages Of Using Plastic In Aircraft Interiors

The making of an aircraft is quite a fascinating thing to envision. Commercial flights would be a lot more expensive if any other material other than plastic was used to do the interiors. Aircraft Interior components like the tray table, cabin baggage area, and other such structures are made of plastic. The quality of plastic used in aircraft material is of an upgraded quality as well as low on weight. The use of aerospace plastic has increased quite a lot since the year 1970. Even though it poses a little threat, but military aircraft also benefit overall from the use of plastic in the interiors.

Here are some listed advantages of using plastic in aircraft material:

• The metal counterparts that were used in the aircraft previously limited the flight height and restricted the time for which an airplane could fly in the sky. With the use of upgraded quality of plastic in making of aircraft interiors components, the weight has substantially reduced. It is inversely proportional to the flight height and the flying speed of the aircraft.
• Another advantage of the product is the fact that the fabrication of plastic is quite economical. It also requires a lower level of maintenance and cleaning. This, in turn, reduces the cost of the flight for the consumers. If certain parts are easy to fabricate, maintain, and reuse in the future, they cost lower for the end consumers as well.
• Plastic does quite well in extreme climatic conditions and is well protected from chemical reactions to a large extent. Since they are not prone to corrosion like the counterpart material, they do not pose the threat of high maintenance costs. Since the plastic used in the interiors of the aircraft is upgraded and of high quality, it does well in a chemically harsh change of environment and extreme weather conditions in the air.
• While making commercial airplanes, most of the companies use transparent plastic in the window area. Not only does this help the passengers enjoy the view of the flight, but also it is considered to be more impact resistant than glass while flying on greater heights. It helps in saving the plane from a crash in case the plane comes in contact with extreme weather conditions or a bird on the way to the destination.

At first, the plastic components were just used as a replacement for the rubber ones in the plane. But with time, the companies realized the importance of plastic in aircraft material and evolved the ways and means in which the same could be used for working in the plane. One of the very first applications of plastic in the aircraft was in the fuel tank lining of the plane.