DIY Vacuum Forming Table For Polycarbonate?

[DarthTangYang]

Hello!

I am looking around for information on how to vacuum form Polycarbonate sheets. Specifically I'd want to create protective covers for my guitar effect pedals on my pedalboard. There is a company in the UK called Deckasavers who makes such covers for musical equipment but for a specific selection of brands and I'd like to manufacture my own for some of the pedals that they don't include in their catalogue. So would it be possible to build a vacuum table that can handle Polycarbonate? Most DIY projects on YouTube are geared towards cosplay with lighter, flimsier type plastics and I haven't managed to find anyone doing this with Polycarbonate. If anyone here have some information, links etc. that could aid me I would greatly appreciate it.

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[routalot]

You need all elements of the manufacturing to be in place if you are going to be able to undertake this task.I haven't vacuum formed polycarbonate,but I have made tooling for both acrylic and ABS.First of all you will need an oven that can hold the temperature at which the material can be formed and you will also need the forms that apply to your project(s) and these will be used in combination with your proposed table.You will have to make the frames that suspend the material in the oven.You absolutely need to find the temperature that applies and how the material behaves when it gets there.It may be easier to ask a sign making company if they can form polycarbonate if you supply the formers.Those formers will need to have sufficient draft to allow removal of the parts and they will need holes from the internal crease lines to the bottom of the former for the vacuum system to act on.The table itself can just be an impermeable top with a grid of holes that connect to a vacuum manifold.You ought to be able to use the plugs that are sold for blanking off the holes on a CNC baseboard to cover the unused holes in your table,but tape will work with smaller holes.

[peteeng]

Hi Darth - all of the prior comment plus polycarb has to be dry for it to form well. So the material has to be in a de humidifier for some time to get it to a specified water content. The material supplier will have a spec for it. There will be a specific type of material for forming. many plastics are drawn and the internal stress will relive when heated and change shape. Forming grade material will be annealed to reduce this issue... Peter


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