High definition thermoforming process
High definition thermoforming is a cost-effective process for manufacturing custom made and mass-produced products from sheet plastic materials. During the production process, the sheet material is heated to a softening point and is then deformed in various ways to achieve the necessary product shape. It is then cooled to maintain that permanent new shape.
Thermoforming is preferred to expensive injection moulding in projects where only one controlled surface is necessary. This is called the ‘A’ surface which is the side of the mould the material comes into contact with, thus giving it its definition. The ‘B’ surface, the side of the sheet which does not contact the mould, is uncontrolled so does not have very high definition. This surface can be machined to suit internal ‘B’ surface requirements, using 5-axis CNC machines. The srewserts can be fitted either in the moulding process or as a post moulded operation.
Our expertise
At AV Engineering we specialise in manufacturing high definition, precise thermoformed products from sheet plastics. All our high definition moulds are made in house using the latest CNC machining technology. Furthermore, we can manufacture highly detailed products, including textures, embossing, logos, negative returns, re-entries and threaded inserts.
There are no design limitations on the range of plastics we have available. This ensures that there is a suitable material for most products. Coloured matched plastics will eliminate the need for secondary operations, such as painting. In addition to this, we can apply EMC (Electromagnetic compatibility) protection. Where electro resistive conditions are required, this can be achieved by manufacturing from carbon impregnated sheet. To achieve a conductive layer on a plastic product, we can apply a zinc sprayed layer.