Teflon to protect the surface of the plastic from scratching.
Press forming plastic sheet.
Unfortunately my experience with plastic is limited to forming lexan on a press brake within a sheet metal manufacturing environment.
At this point the pliable polycarbonate sheet is lowered onto the mold.
Pressure forming uses both vacuum and air pressure to push the soft heated plastic more tightly against the mold giving the part sharp detail.
Thermoform plastic sheets for vacuum forming our thermoform plastic sheets are perfect for inventors small businesses and diy hobbyists who want to make custom vacuum formed plastic parts.
As you ll need to put the plastic sheet into the oven this is your size limitation.
The process is straightforward.
Essentially drape forming bottom is clamping a piece of sheet plastic in some type of clamping mechanism putting this material into a heating oven heating the plastic sheet up to a desired temperature retracting it from the oven draping it over a mold trapping the sheet just inside the clamping mechanism over the edge of the mold flange and applying a vacuum to the mold chamber.
Overhead racks for hanging sheets may be equipped with tracks and trolleys leading to forming equipment to facilitate handling of the sheet note the special considerations section for plexiglas mc acrylic.
Measure the inside of your oven.
In the vacuum forming machine the sheet is heated until it becomes pliable while being held in place by the clamping frame.
This is a type of vacuum forming where thin or thick gauge plastic sheet is placed over a die heated to a temperature that allows the material to become pliable then is stretched over the surface of the die while vacuum pressure pulls the sheet down and into its final shape.
Make adjustments appropriate to the specifications of your project.
Use these plastic sheets along with with our hobby vacuum formers and a kitchen oven to thermoform homemade plastic parts with results that rival expensive.
The example here is the outside of a mold but it can work inside too.
Large plexiglas acrylic sheets should be hung vertically from racks.
Pressure forming produces parts that have crisper detail and sharper features than conventional vacuum formed parts.
While my plastic forming experience is limited i have had reasonably good luck producing good parts by applying sheet metal theories and layout calculations for the flat pattern development.
Kydex overview using standard tools kydex thermoforming sheets can be drilled vacuum formed brake formed or punch pressed kydex is a machinable thermoplastic that can be molded to form fit just about any shape imaginable without expensive tools and machinery.
