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Vacuum Forming Process

Vacuum forming is one of the most common methods of processing plastic. The vacuum forming process involves heating a sheet of plastic until it’s soft. We then apply a vacuum to suck the sheet into the mould. The sheet is then ejected and cut to size.

As can be seen on the image to the right, the process can be quite simple. However the process can become much more complicated depending on the shape of the model and the material used. For instance a material like PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is one of the easier materials to process, it also is fire retardant, strong, lightweight and durable. Other materials, such as ABS are more difficult to process and needs to be kept in a dry, stable environment as it’s hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water from the atmosphere.

Probably the most important factor with this process is the mould tool itself . An for a professional finish, the often overlooked cutting tool is essential to maintain standardisation of products. More information about materials and the vacuum forming process can be found on our plastic moulding 101 pages.

Vacuum Forming Moulds Types

There’s various vacuum forming mould materials available each have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages:

Wood

Advantages – Inexpensive, easily modified
Disadvantages – Mainly used to prove the vacuum forming concept

Cast aluminum

Advantages – Help regulate heat, used for pressure forming applications, speed up the process
Disadvantages – Expensive to manufacture

Machined aluminum

Advantages – Regulates heat, speeds up the process
Disadvantages – Expensive to manufacture

Composite

Advantages – Lower cost than cast or machined aluminum, long life span, can speed up the process
Disadvantages – Not temperature controlled