At Adtech, we look to deliver the best solutions to suit each clients’ specific needs. When it comes to the manufacturing of plastic products, we recommend vacuum forming as a go-to manufacturing process for the majority of plastic production.

What is vacuum forming?

Vacuum forming is a type of thermoforming process by which fluoroplastics are moulded into specific shapes. Vacuum-formed products are used in our daily lives, and often in places we don’t even realise, from yogurt pots to bathtubs, fridge liners to sandwich boxes, the process can be used to make fluoropolymers into all kinds of complex shapes and designs.

With vacuum forming, in order to produce a certain shape, plastic is heated until soft, draped over an already-formed mould, and then ejected and left to become solid –whereupon the new form is maintained.

As the pressures which are applied to the plastic during production are very low, vacuum-formed products can be made from several fluoroplastic materials including FEP, Tedlar®, PVF and PVDF. Also, because the fabrication process itself is very quick, this makes vacuum-forming ideal for repeat and high quantity orders, while the moulds themselves also have extended lifetimes when compared to other moulding processes.

Low manufacturing cost of vacuum forming

Since vacuum forming is a particularly simple form of thermoforming, the cost of the manufacturing process is significantly lower than with injection moulding methods. The production process is straightforward, the machinery is less costly, and the fluoroplastic materials themselves are also available at low cost. This means that operational expenses can be kept low, while the products themselves can be produced at an extremely high structural standard, making it a process popular with many.

Vacuum forming for environments free from contamination

As a leading manufacturer of fluoropolymer plastics, Adtech use vacuum forming to help companies create fluoropolymer products across a wide range of industries, including the medical, food, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Vacuum forming is particularly well-suited to both the medical industry and the food industry, where products are often required to meet high industry standards of non-contamination. Because fluoroplastics are naturally non-stick materials, this makes them ideal for maintaining critical environments free from contamination, which is very often a requirement for products such as medical equipment and containers for food.

Shape flexibility with vacuum forming

Adtech is highly skilled in creating complex shapes through vacuum forming. The flexibility of fluoroplastic materials means that vacuum forming can be used to create products to suit almost any three-dimensional shape and style.

Working with flat film from 0.002" to 0.090" in thickness, the fluoropolymer products we create with vacuum forming are extremely diverse, from enclosures for medical imaging and diagnostic equipment to moulding and sterilisation and much more.

With such a multitude of uses and at a low cost, the efficiencies of the vacuum forming process can revolutionise your business.

Here at Adtech, we are specialists in delivering innovative fluoropolymer solutions for your technical applications. We understand that every customer’s application is different, so our knowledgeable customer service and R&D teams are on hand to discuss your project and application.

Get in touch today to ask for more information and advice or to discuss your requirements:

t: +44 (0) 1285 762000

e: sales@adtech.co.uk 

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