VACUUM FORMING
Instructions on how to vacuum form
Vacuum Forming is the process of heating a sheet of plastic (usually polystyrene) until it becomes rubbery and very flexible (around 220 degree F). The sheet is placed over a plate with a object or mold on top lots of small holes, like a screen, in the plate. There is a vacuum that sucks the air through the holes on the plate and the heated rubbery sheet of plastic is sucked down and forms around the object or mold. To use our Thermo-Vac, a sheet of plastic is clamped into the frame. The frame swings right (heating side) or left (vacuum side) like a door on a hinge. The sheet is set over the heating size for a couple of minutes (time varies with material thickness and type of material used). You know when it is heated because the plastic becomes very flexible and rubbery. You then swing the frame over to the vacuum side and turn on the vacuum. The hot rubbery sheet forms around the object or mold. The sheet cools very quickly and keeps the shape of the mold or object it formed around. Vacuum forming is to used to make molds, for resins or plasters, packaging, or signs when using magnetic letters.
Our Therm-O-Vac is a free standing, portable vacuum former that folds up to the size of a suitcase for storage and has a weight of only 32 lbs. Set up time for the machine is less than 90 seconds and used only a standard 110AC outlet. A single 3 say switch operates both the plastic heating and vacuum forming side of the unit.
Vacuum Forming
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