Freetech Plastics: Pressure Forming and Thermoforming : F.A.Q.

F.A.Q.

What's Pressure Forming?
It is a Thermoforming process similar to Vacuum Forming but with a high pressure air assist to allow for much better part definition. It allows you to get a sharp definition, high appearance produce comparable to structural foam or injection molding, but with a much lower tooling cost. For more detailed information click here.

What kind of products are usually Pressure Formed?
A wide range of products are manufactured this way. These range from Pickup Bedliners, to interior and exterior Truck, Agricultural Equipment, and Automotive parts as well as many other commercial applications. Some of these include Medical, Electronic, and Scientific Equipment Enclosures. Also large Computer Enclosures, Exercise Equipment Housings, Lighting Lenses, Vending Equipment, Semiconductor Test and Manufacturing Equipment, as well as numerous other applications.

What part volumes are best for the proccess?
Generally part runs between 1,000 ea. and 5,000 ea. are the most cost effective, However with modern high speed rotary presses higher volume runs can be economically viable. Also, as the part size gets larger, the process becomes more competitive because injection mold costs become prohibitive or parts are simply too large to process that way.

What materials are commonly Pressure Formed?
The most common material is probably ABS followed by Polyethylene. For machine housings requiring a UL Fire Rating FR-ABS is the most common.For more information about material properties, check out the material supplier sites on our links page.

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