PRESSURE FORMING
is a process that entails clamping each side of the plastic that is to be molded into a detailed and complex shape. The pressure forming molds that are used only have one side. That one side is designed to create the fine details of the desired part. It is similar to Vacuuming From in that regard.
With pressure being blown on top of the heated thermoplastic from the non-molded side of the form, the heated thermoplastic is forced down into the molded section and assisted from the molded side with vacuum thus increasing the overall pressure of forming the mold 3 to 4 times of traditional Vacuum Forming.
Typical Applications
Applications of Pressure Forming can be used in many different industries. Because of the fine detailing of the Pressure Forming mold process this process is very effective in making parts that require the finest of details. Those details are typically required in industries such as, medical, transportation, food service, agricultural, etc.
Types of Materials
| ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) | PC (Polycarbonate) |
| HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) | PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) |
| HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) | TPO (Thremoplastic Olefin) |
Advantages
| Larger Parts | Lower Costs for Tooling |
| Rapid Prototyping and Turnaround | High Level of Details to Products |
| Parts Production with Functional Details | Detailed Cosmetics |
| Tighter Radiuses | In-Mold Design |
| Branding | Textures |
| Vents | Louvers |
