Thermoforming - July 2009
This month we're focusing on the topic of Thermoforming polymers
Thermoforming is a very popular method of plastics processing that transforms sheet plastics into various items using heat and moulds in combination with a vacuum, pressure or both. This method of plastics processing differs greatly from other forms of moulding has a number of advantages, including high-throughput, low cost and flexibility. It's used in many functions, from cheaply mass-producing a wide variety of packaging items to forming panels for vehicles. Whilst there are issues including variable wall thickness of the formed part, the technique remains popular. As with other areas, refinements are always being made both in terms of the method itself and the plastics being processed in attempts to improve energy efficiency, reduce all costs and improve quality.
Abstracts
Please see below a selection of abstracts highlighted in the July Newsletter. These are records which relate to Thermoforming that have been recently added to the Polymer Library.
Click on the 7-digit accession numbers to find out about ordering a copyright-cleared full text copy of the items shown.
1042049 - NEW FORMING METHOD IS "SHEETLESS" (short article)
LRM Industrial LLC (a joint venture between Nova Chemicals and Envirokare Tech Inc.) is reported in this small article to have developed a novel thermoforming process which makes large parts in one step, without roll stock or cut sheet. The patent-pending "Sheetless ThermoForming" (STF) technology is briefly described.
Plastics Technology, 55, No.1, Jan 2009, p.18, ISSN: 0032-1257
1041582 - INVESTIGATION OF CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED THERMOPLASTIC HONEYCOMB PROCESSING - PART I: THERMOFORMING
The behaviour of talc-filled polypropylene sheet material during the thermoforming stage of a newly developed and patented process for the continuous production of thermoplastic honeycomb core for sandwich structures was investigated in detail. A one-dimensional viscoelastic model and a two-dimensional finite element model were used to minimise the effects of the aneslastic strain recovery during production, and the effects of material stress relaxation on process quality are discussed. 46 refs.
Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials, 11, No.2-3, March-May 2009, p.151-178, ISSN: 1099-6362, DOI: 10.1177/1099636208098216
Fan X; Verpoest I; Pflug J; Vandepitte D; Bratfisch P
1041436 - THERMOFORMING PROCESS - AN INTRODUCTION
The thermoforming process is discussed, including free forming, assisted forming and pressure forming.
Popular Plastics and Packaging, 54, No.5, May 2009, p.33/41, ISSN: 0971-0078
Athalye A S
1041086 - STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF NEW THERMOFORMING BIONANOCOMPOSITES BASED ON CHITIN WHISKER-GRAFT-POLYCAPROLACTONE
Thermformable bionanocomposites of chitin-caprolactone graft copolymer were synthesised by ring opening polymerisation under microwave irradiation. Bionanocomposites were injection moulded as sheets with a structure of cocontinuous phase mediated with the entanglement of grafted polycaprolactone chains. Structures and properties were examined using FTIR, X-ray diffraction, SEM, DSC, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, contact angle measurements and tensile tests. 42 refs.
Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 112, No.5, 5th June 2009, p.2830-2837, ISSN: 0021-8995, DOI: 10.1002/app.29731
Feng L; Zhou Z; Dufresne A; Huang J; Wei M; An L
1040571 - THERMOFORMING. THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD (downloadable pdf available)
The production of large-volume hoods for car trailers by Jaxal of Sweden using a large-size series-T8 vacuum thermoforming machine from Geiss of Germany is discussed. The machine can produce moulded parts with dimensions of up to 5500 x 2200 mm and a thermoforming depth of up to 1500m fully automatically. Materials used include PS, ABS or ABS/ASA. The Siemens HCS7161 heating control system used, a modular plug-in card system, is described and shown to ensure a reproducible high quality and short cycle times. The large-scale machine was developed in four and a half weeks and manufactured in only nine weeks.
Kunststoffe International, 99, No.3, 2009, p.35-37, ISSN: 1862-4243
Einwag J
1040294 - THERMOFORMING OF POLYLACTIDE NANOCOMPOSITE FILMS FOR PACKAGING CONTAINERS
An investigation was carried out into the thermoforming of containers with similar capacities but different shapes, which were made from pure polylactide and polylactide nanocomposites containing a modifier (polyethylene glycol or PMMA) and montmorillonite nanofiller. The effect of film thickness on container wall thickness was also studied. It was found that the containers could be thermoformed in the temperature range of 75 to 90 degrees C. 10 refs.
Polimery, 54, No.4, 2009, p.299-302, ISSN: 0032-2725
Zenkiewicz M; Richert J
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