Advantages Of Thermoformable Plastic You Should Know

Put simply, thermoforming refers to a plastic moulding process where a sheet of plastic is heated to a high temperature and then formed over a mould. The plastic sheet then takes the shape of the mould when it comes into contact with it. The moulding is then normally trimmed to make a usable product.

In addition there are many other differentials in the thermoforming process, including how intricate the mould is, what finishes are required and also what materials are used.

In its simplest form, a small table top or lab size machine can be used to heat small cut sections of plastic sheets and stretch it over a mould using vacuum. This method is often used for sample and prototype parts.

Thermoforming companies also use the process of vacuum for fashioning various specific shapes and sizes of plastic sheets upon the request from clients who need custom designed solutions to get their product on the market.

Other sub processes like drape forming and pressure application are also used to get specific results in the created packages.

Material used for Thermoforming plastic sheets

Thermoforming plastic sheets are commonly made from HDPE, PP, PMMA, Polycarbonate, HIPS or ABS. Interestingly these plastic sheets are generally of much higher quality and durability than the plastic materials used in other moulding methods.

Amorphous plastics like ABS and Polycarbonate generally have wide processing windows and good melt strength making them easy to thermoform.

Some plastics like HDPE and PP have narrower processing windows and lower melting strength, which makes them more difficult (but not impossible) to thermoform.

Difference between thin-gauge Thermoforming and thick-gauge Thermoforming

Thermoforming differs from injection moulding, blow moulding, rotational moulding and other forms of processing plastics. Thin gauge thermoforming is primarily the manufacture of disposable cups, containers, lids, trays, blisters, clamshells and other products for the food, medical and general retail industries. Thick gauge thermoforming includes parts as diverse as vehicle doors, dash panels, refrigerator liners, utility vehicle beds and plastic pallets.

The advantage of Thermoformable Plastic

• There are a huge amount of benefits associated with choosing thermoforming for your plastic products over other methods such as rotational and injection moulding.
• The two most common advantages that many people address are the low costs and exceptionally fast turnaround times, these two benefits make thermoforming ideal.
• Thermoforming is the only viable process that allows for the creation of packages of large sizes from plastic sheets.
• This manufacturing process makes use of plastic sheets that are higher in quality and have good durability as compared to the ones used in other methods.
• This process enables the manufacture of a wide range of custom made products since it is believed to be the only method by which plastic sheets can be molded into bigger objects. This process also has a wider design scope.
• Thermoforming as a technology has been around for quite some time. It is a tried, tested and safe process and many skilled and expert companies have engineers for operating these machines.
• The costs involved are quite low.
• Almost all types of plastic can be used in this process, which is not the case with the other methods.

Commonly Preferred Plastic Variants Used as Airplane Plastics and Airplane Composite

Airplanes have to be as lightweight as possible; sure, they weight a lot as it is, but they would have been twice or thrice heavier than they are now if not for using weight-saving materials such as aluminum for outer chassis and lightweight plastic for interiors. Today, we’ll be looking at the common types of plastics that are used as airplane plastics and why.

Polyimide

Polyimide, also known as thermosetting polyimide, is widely used for the insulation properties that make them perfect for making various aircraft interior components such as latches, cabin insulators, nuts and bolts, luggage covers and many more. They are very lightweight and offer phenomenal ductility that is matched by only a few plastics. They are also very durable and strong, hence great for making plastic mechanical components.

Polyetheretherketone

Also known as PEEK, this is a highly versatile polymer that is used in a variety of settings inside an aircraft, from seats to seat valves, instrument panels, control knobs, luggage rack covers, and gears. Major properties of PEEK include peak performance in extreme temperatures, resistant to low pressure at high altitudes, resistance to radiation, high strength, resistance against hydrolysis, great thermal abilities, low flammability, low smoke-producing and high creep resistance.

Polytetrafluoroethylene

Also known as PTFE, the main purpose of PTFE is to be used as insulating plastic inside aircraft. It offers great electrical resistance, hence are used for coating and covering every wire inside an aircraft, from electric wires to motor and fuel control wires. It is also resistant to fire and has low flammability, so it can protect the fire from breaking out in case a wire gets a short circuit. It is also resistant to corrosion and high temperature and can handle low pressures that are common at high altitudes.

Polychlorotrifluoroethylene

Also known as PCTFE, it is mainly used for outdoor exposed components or in the gaps between the exterior and interior of an aircraft. It offers high resistance against corrosion, chemicals, and fire. It also is resistant to moisture accumulation, hence perfect for use in exposed areas of an aircraft. It can resist high to low temperatures. It is also fire resistant, like most aerospace plastics.

General Properties of Airplane Plastics

In addition to lightweight, airplane plastics also must have the following properties:

Ø  Fire-Proof: Airplane fires are very dangerous, especially in the middle of a flight at high altitudes. Hence plastics must be fire-resistant and should not catch fire easily, preventing their rapid spread if any such incident happens.

Ø  Low-Smoke: If they catch fire, plastics should emit minimal smoke so as to not accumulate smoke inside the cabin quickly. This will give the pilot enough time to do an emergency landing. All plastics must be of a low-smoke variant.

Ø  Strong and Durable: Airplanes are typically exposed to high air pressure mid-flight, so the materials must be strong and durable enough to resist such pressure. That is why only hard plastics are used in aircraft manufacturing including components, seats and cable coverings.

An Insight into Different Types of Thermoplastics and Their Applications

Thermoplastics are made of resins that are first heated to melt them down, then molded into the desired shape and cooled to form the final plastic products. One of their main advantages is that there are many kinds of resins that can be made into plastics, and each resin has different properties that serve the needs of the final product they are made into. Common applications include FAR rated plastic, knife sheath plastic, airplane plastics, etc. Here are some common thermoplastic materials and their applications:

Acrylic Plastics

Acrylic is highly transparent and durable at the same time, making it a perfect replacement for glass which is brittle and can pose a risk when shattered. Acrylic products are shatterproof and breakproof, so they last long and can withstand heavy pressure. Acrylic plastics are used to make looking glass, building window glass, car windshields, airplane window glass, submarine glass, and car headlamp lenses.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonates are tough, stable and heat resistant, making them perfect for a wide range of applications such as knife sheath plastic, molding plastic, appliance covering, automobile parts and many more. Although they are heat and flame resistant, it is recommended not to expose them to direct sunlight for a long time to prevent the composite from weakening.

Polypropylene

It has more applications, both industrial and commercial, than any other variant of thermoplastic. They are highly modifiable in terms of strength and durability, hence they are used for making plastic containers, file folders, storage boxes, heat resistant coatings, medical equipment exteriors, electric cable insulation, and piping systems. They are quite resistant to heat and cold and are best suited for little higher than normal temperature applications.

Polyethylene

Just like polypropylene, polyethylene is also widely useful in a variety of applications. They carry similar properties of polypropylene, but they have less durability and are hence cheaper. They are highly chemically resistant and very tough and can be made into almost anything from FAR rated plastics to garbage bags to tough, rigid pipes and machine parts. The density of polyethylene can be readily adjusted, quickly turning them hard to soft and vice versa during the thermoforming process.

Polyvinyl Chloride

Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC, is a versatile thermoplastic that can be made either very soft and thin like a film, or hard and rigid like a tile. This gives them crucial places in diverse applications such as manufacturing of appliance exteriors, drain pipes, plumbing pipes, electrical cable pipes, insulating material, inflatable balloons and inflatable signs, pool toys, rubber toys and many more.

Custom-Made Thermoplastic

While these are generalized thermoplastic variants, many companies make their own custom thermoplastic that caters to specific applications such as aircraft interior materials, fireproof materials, plastics for cleanroom wall linings, high strength custom thermoplastic and so on. They use their own composite resins for the same, and achieve a finer degree of perfection over regular thermoplastics. Businesses who want such custom thermoplastics tailored to their own needs can contact such businesses that make their own thermoplastics.