The Application
Adtech was approached to manufacture a small quantity of punched and scored PTFE components for an R&D project.
The parts were manufactured from 0.5 mm thick PTFE sheet, with individual panel sections measuring 20 mm x 20 mm.
The finished design required the flat sheet to be folded into a box-shaped component.
The Challenge
The key challenge was controlling the depth of the score lines.
The PTFE needed to be scored sufficiently to create defined folding points, allowing the material to form accurately into the required shape.
However, with the sheet measuring just 0.5 mm thick, the tooling could not cut too deeply or it would punch completely through the material.
The Solution
Adtech developed the punching and scoring process to create the required profile while carefully controlling the depth of each score line.
This allowed the folding points to be clearly defined without compromising the integrity of the PTFE sheet.
The manufacturing approach was also suitable for the small volumes required during the customer’s R&D phase.
The Result
The customer received accurately punched and scored PTFE components that could be folded into the required box form.
The project demonstrates how punching and controlled scoring can be used to manufacture small-volume development components from thin PTFE sheet.
