Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!

Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    947
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!

    I'm thinking of building a vacuum forming machine for a project, but want to make sure that the item I want to form can be done.

    The area I'm concerned about is the channel going around the mold. As you can see in the CAD drawings the channel is 2" deep 1/4" wide. The mold is 2 1/4" high so the channel doesn't go through, but I'll have extra holes in all the round recesses and the channel. I plan on using a good vacuum pump and reservoir tank I already have.

    I want to use 1/8" thick sheets, now I know the channel is 1/4", but will the plastic be able to suck down that far in a narrow channel?

    Thanks in advance.

    Similar Threads:
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!-form1-jpg   Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!-form2-jpg   Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!-form3-jpg  


  2. #2
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    43
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Two answers. 1)) Yes it will work.... BUT It wont work as a practical matter. when you form plastic you stretch it, it gets thinner. By the time you get anywhere close to the bottom of your slot, the material will have thinned so far it will probably fail and leak. 2))
    It will not work, the depth to thickness ratio had been exceeded. A piece of material 1/8th thick is recommended to be used in slots wider than 1/4 inch.



  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    947
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Thanks, that's what I thought.



  4. #4
    Registered
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    1
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Depending on what is important, you could reverse the mould so the 1/4" channel is a 1/4" male rib inside a female mould. The material surrounding this will still thin but you could use an assist plug



Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


About CNCzone.com

    We are the largest and most active discussion forum for manufacturing industry. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

Follow us on


Our Brands

Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!

Can this be vacuum formed, Mold help!