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Registered Member #16
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554
I'm investigating building a plastic vacuum forming setup. There are a number of good tutorials out there, but I'm not terribly familiar with the materials typically used.
I'd be most interested in using it for creating small project enclosures and simple molds. My biggest question is whether there are relatively durable and heavy plastics that can be formed.
If anyone has a functioning setup, I'd be interested in having a medium size project enclosure made (at my expense of course) as a bit of a trial run before committing to build one.
Registered Member #65
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155
Generally, 1/8" or 1/4" Polycarbonate is a forgiving plastic as it forms easier than most vinyls, Plexiglas, or Lexan.
Make sure to get the working temperature correct to prevent cracks (too cold), wrinkles (internal temperature was still nonuniform), or crazing (too hot). Also, the time spent at these temperatures should be minimal to prevent premature chemical breakdown. i.e. micro-fractures and pits in the surface are more likely to occur after exposure to UV and organic solvents like methylene chloride.
The thinner 1/16" sheets of any of these materials are easier to form. Also, it is useful to have a Heat-gun warmed up in case the form does not have enough pin-holes/vacuum to completely take shape at the selected temperature.
This is one of the easiest manufacturing techniques available, but most plastic suppliers will often know someone with a full size hot-air kiln for thicker material (2" to 3" thick transparent sheets etc.)
The online tutorials often skip a warning not use a home cooking oven to do plastic forming (toaster ovens work outside for smaller pieces). Note, a calibrated heater hood is a simple weekend project if people recycle simple electric radiant baseboard heaters.
Registered Member #193
Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 07:04AM
Location: sheffield
Posts: 1022
"Generally, 1/8" or 1/4" Polycarbonate is a forgiving plastic as it forms easier than most vinyls, Plexiglas, or Lexan." I wonder how polycarbonate can form easier than polycarbonate.
Registered Member #65
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155
Products like Lexgard can also contain a physical laminated structure, but some suppliers will offer "Lexan" products that may contain additives that behave differently during the forming process. i.e. Discoloration or frosting of normally transparent plastics is quite common...
Polystyrene? Nope... Due to the BPA scare, I had several boxes of medical grade Kraton I couldn't even give away, and actually had to pay to dump it as hazardous waste...
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Thermoforming Plastic
